November 20

Melvin Gilbert and Darron Goods were indicted for shooting witness John Dowery last Thanksgiving.
Here's the original story. Gilbert & Goods are allegedly members of the "Special" drug gang. (Was it hard to find spinning rims that fit the wheels on the short bus?)

Scandal! Last night Dixon suspended Anthony W. McCarthy, her communications director, "pending an investigation by the Baltimore County Police" regarding "inappropriate behavior." Please God, let it be gay bathroom sex!
UPDATE: JZ reports that County police spokesman Bill Toohey "said standard procedure in 'such cases' is to 'talk to the victim first and then, if necessary, to interview the subject.'" So someone was victimized by inappropriateness! Juicy!

The Post on the now-unraveling forensic trail that led to the conviction of county police sergeant James A. Kulbicki.

Nationwide, hate is haute, but Baltimore city isn't following the trend. Said NAACP president Jenkins Odoms, "Baltimore City is outrageous. It shows you how bad and how unprofessional that police department is.”
Here's a quality hate crime article from New York, and more on the increase in hate crimes from TDR.

Blotter: a woman stabbed her brother in the stomach, someone poured a bottle of gefilte fish in a Jewish family's mailbox, Charm City Cupcakes was burgled, an old guy was mugged by teenagers in Hampden, and more!

A federal jury rejected a former legal secretary’s claim that she was wrongfully fired from the Baltimore office of McGuireWoods LLP for taking time to care for her ailing mother.

Jail time for convicted poodle-slayer Celeste Rainone.

The Liz Taylor of Fraud!

James Adjei Kyem pleaded guilty in federal court today to marriage fraud, perjury and passport fraud related to his nine sham marriages.

Meet the Alleged Child Molester of the Day

David Christopher Cross, 30, shown right, charged with two counts of child abuse and two counts of a third-degree sex offense. Cross, who lives in the 100-block of Daycoach Circle in the County is accused of victimizing two children that he knew. One was a girl who was six years old when she was first victimized in 1998. The abuse continued for four years. The other victim, a nine-year-old girl, reported being abused once this summer. Police are looking for other victims.

November 19

At a hearing today David Robinson, 35, of the 4000 block of 34th St., pled guilty to attempted armed robbery and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Judge M. Brooke Murdock sentenced Robinson to 15 years in prison, the first five of which must be served without parole. Details:

On April 5, 2007 at 1:45AM at Fantasies Nightclub Robinson’s co-conspirators Alexander Reiff and Gregory Eaton allegedly entered the club armed with a 9 mm Ruger handgun and a 12-gauge shotgun, announced a robbery, and ordered approximately 20 patrons and employees to the ground. Eaton then discharged the shotgun into the ceiling. Two off-duty police officers removed their service weapons and shot Reiff and Eaton. Eaton succumbed to his injuries shortly after being transported to Shock Trauma. Reiff also was shot but survived his injuries as he was wearing a bullet proof vest. His trial is scheduled for January 28, 2008.

Robinson was outside the club in a getaway Ford pick-up truck that they had stolen in Hyattsville earlier that night. Robinson fled the club and the abandoned truck was found near a relative’s house in Glen Burnie.

At a hearing today, Judge John M. Prevas sentenced Mark Lee Johnson, 26, of the 2600 block of Quantico Avenue, to 50 years in prison following a guilty verdict of second-degree murder and handgun counts. Details:

A Baltimore City jury convicted Johnson September 28, 2007 of second degree murder, attempted second degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Judge Prevas sentenced Johnson to 30 years for the second degree murder count, 20 years, consecutive, for the handgun count and a concurrent 20 year prison term for the attempted murder count.

On January 22, 2006 at approximately 3:30 PM in the 3300 block of West Belvedere Avenue, Johnson approached Antwoine Armstead, 21, and Andre Gibbs, 22 as they were getting into a parked car. Johnson walked to the passenger side of the car and shot Armstead multiple times. Gibbs ran from the car and Johnson shot at him as he ran across West Belvedere Avenue. Armstead suffered seven gunshot wounds and was taken to Sinai hospital where he died a short time later.

Assistant State’s Attorney Joshua Felsen of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

"Baltimore Ranks 12[th] On Dangerous Cities List"
Only 12th?!

Police have arrested Lewis K. Lucas for the murder of Lawrence D. Jones, 17.
"In 2003, Lucas pleaded guilty to attempted murder and illegal use of a handgun. His 20-year sentence was suspended, and he was placed on probation."

Thwap! Zap! "An hours-long standoff with a man in Southeast Baltimore ended this morning when police subdued him using a bean-bag gun and a Taser, city police said."

Blotter: A man was shot about 8:35 p.m. yesterday in the 1400 block of Pennsylvania Ave. and was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Police said the victim was not cooperating and that details were not available.
Also a Paca St. robbery, and two 17-year-old girls robbed and stabbed a classmate with a steak knife at the Owings Mills light rail station.

A Bealefeld interview:
"We can't [attack the drug problem] and give burglars and car thieves and robbers a pass."
"this really is ground zero for stop snitching."
"The state's attorney's office, this is where we want to devote our energy."

Olesker's holding a pity party for the Bromwells, and everyone's invited!

The City Council will soon vote on legalizing feral cat colonies.

Weekend

A man was shot to death Friday afternoon in the 3000 block of Rosiland Avenue.

The T.U. community is tense after someone phoned in to threaten "harmful action" on campus tomorrow. School officials note that "The nature of the threat calls into question its credibility."

NYT: Does the death penalty save lives? and if so, does it save more lives than hiring more cops would?

A man was stabbed at the Edge Sports Bar and Grill in Edgewood.

PDJ: William Henry Ransley III, age 60, of Finksburg, sentenced to five federal years for child porn. Ransley also had sex with the 14-year-old girl in the pictures; he met her on the Internet and had relations with her on an elementary-school playground. The related sex-offense charges were dropped to let the feds pursue their case.

TMI Alert! Pat Jessamy tells the Sun that red peep-toe pumps make her feel "sexy."
Fun fact: the Stuart Weitzman peep-toe was also worn by Nicollette Sheridan's character Edie Britt on Desperate Housewives, in an episode titled "Nice She Ain't."

Effed up in Fredneck:
A four-year-old boy was poisoned by his attention-seeking mom
and
a 20-year-old man, Jarrell Grey, died after being TASERed by cops. (FYI TASER is a brand name and an acronym)

November 16

Love it! Baltimore County sheriff’s deputies arrested 28 deadbeat parents.
Here's a link to the louts' gallery (thanks PP).

Former senator Thomas L. Bromwell got seven years in jail... and his wife got time too!

Blotter: Jamal Louis Randall, 18, was arrested for attempted murder.
And Shevon Green, 25, was busted for driving with 2,000 tabs of methylenedioxymethamphetamine.

Sentencing is scheduled today in Towson for tot-dragger Lazara Arellano De Hogue. UPDATE: She got 10 years.

HoCo police are urging residents to lock doors and windows and be on the lookout for a shoeless, Tasering home-invader/rapist.

Insomniac edition

An officer was shot in the leg and a suspect was shot dead tonight on E. Monument Street (police-involved shooting #32).

It's official: RJR has been nominated to the 4th circuit.

The family of slain 72-year-old Shirley Cooper filed a $14 million lawsuit against the Temple Gardens apartment complex, alleging that their lax security is to blame for letting her murderer in.

Murder suspect Brandon Wall: I meant to pistol-whip the victim, not shoot him

Dundalk chickenhawk Robert Layton got 25 years.

We can all sleep a little easier knowing that city police arrested an individual today whom they believe to be responsible for the copper downspout thefts in Homeland.
Scarier than pipe theft: electricity theft that can set your shit on fire

Not Baltimore, not a crime, but no doubt one of the most effed-up stories you will ever read (thanks JB).

November 15

Double-shooting this morning around 2:30 a.m. at the 7100 block of McLean Ave/Boulevard. One male, shot in the head, is dead. Another is critical with gunshots to the back. Police estimate 15 rounds fired.
Thanks galt

Police have warned Loch Raven residents about a gang of four robbers.

County police say that Tyrone Barnes, Jr. has been identified as the man fatally shot in the doorway of his home on Langs Road in Essex last night.

Former Howard County teacher Kirsten Ann Kinley was sentenced today in Circuit Court to serve 18 months in the county detention center for improper sexual conduct with a 15-year-old boy at her Columbia apartment more than two years ago.

Hours (well, minutes) of fun: take the "Fox News Anchor or Porn Star?" quiz! (Thanks Vic)

Night Update

Serial robber Brandon Wall, 21, has confessed to murdering Lt. Perry Brooks last May.

"Last month, Baltimore City's State's Attorney Patricia Jessamy surprised a meeting of law-enforcement professionals with the claim that unscrupulous bail bondsmen seized homes put up as collateral to get their loved ones out of jail. To date, however, the City's State's Attorney's office has supplied no evidence of people losing their homes."

Lots of robberies in the Blotter.

A missing Rhode Island mother of two with postpartum depression was found living in a less stressful environment: a downtown homeless shanty.

November 14

Another witness killed: "Carlos Smithson, 22, who was killed on Grogan Avenue at 6:28 p.m. [last Sunday], was expected to take the stand today against Vincent Berry, 19."

"Former Baltimore City Police Commissioner Kevin P. Clark and two of his former division chiefs have filed an multi-million dollar lawsuit against Gov. Martin O’Malley, former City Solicitor Ralph S. Tyler III and four police officers, claiming violations of their constitutional and civil rights in connection with the group’s firing in November 2004."

Two "delayed" deaths are being counted towards this year's homicide tally: Trent Earll, shot a decade ago, and Frederick Davis, beaten in 1999.
(Thanks PP)

The Ink reports the murders of Terrence Regan and Leonard Hunt.

In the County, a member of the Bloods pled guilty to a murder he committed at the tender age of 14.

A federal judge in Baltimore has unsealed the financial records of the Westboro Baptist Church. Meanwhile, the church is, of course, appealing the $10.9 million judgment.

WTF? "[Mary Pat] Clarke, who represents the 14th District, said several [robbery] victims were intoxicated at the time and suggested that they were setting themselves up to be victimized. Clarke said residents should lobby for a midnight bar curfew."
... she went on to add that several rape victims in her district had been wearing short skirts, some gay-bashing victims had been queening around, and some robbed banks had advertised themselves as being in the business of handling money!

County police are asking the public's help to identify a burglary suspect who stole lottery tickets and cigarettes from the Safeway on Baltimore National Pike.

Controversy about the murder of Calen Dirrubo continues in the February 27 comments section.

Copper Downspout Theft Alert.

From a Homeland neighborhood alert:

Over the weekend, the following areas had copper downspouts stolen:

5100 block of St. Albans Way

5200 block of St. Albans Way

300 block of Thornhill Road

5300 block of Springlake Way

300 block of Taplow Road

THESE ARE IN ADDITION TO THE THEFTS LAST WEEK (5200 block of Tilbury, 200 block of Goodale Road and 200 block of Tunbridge Road)

Ms. Dixon, why isn’t the city shutting down the scrap dealers who are accepting stolen copper???

... or all the other stolen metal?

November 13

Private school teacher Charles Carroll was acquitted of sexually abusing a student in August and now city prosecutors have dropped the remaining two cases against him.

State police are looking for an armed, dangerous escaped prisoner, 39-year-old Kamarra Muhammad, left. He was last seen barefoot in a white hospital gown and speaks in a West African accent. UPDATE: never mind, he's been captured!

Sunday's murder victim was identified as Carlos Eugene Smithson, age 22, of the 400 block of N. Robinson Street.

Antonio Brown, the little boy taken from the hospital by his 34-year-old (?!) grandmother was found yesterday in the 1800 block of Guilford Ave.

Fill in the blank: "Parents blamed _______ Monday for failing to prevent a fight that erupted after a football game between Baltimore City College and Polytechnic Institute and ended with the arrests of 28 girls" on Saturday.

Police cadet accused of robbing McD's: it wasn't me

Suckers! The Sun bit on an old story that the Catholic church has been touting since 2004-- the John Jay report that priests are no more likely to be child molesters than your average guy. That may be true, but on the other hand, not many employers spent decades helping perverts cover up their crimes and moving them into new positions with fresh victims, either!

November 12

A man was shot to death in a moving car that crashed at the intersection of N. Carey and Baker Streets on the west side.

The murder this weekend was on Grogan Avenue on the East side, still no details... other than that the shots disrupted a vigil for 16-year-old Shawn Tiller, murdered a year before.

Abdul Kareem Alvez-el, 23, was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder for shooting Ricky Medley, 19, and Martrell Brown, 16, as they sat in Medley's car.

Last Thursday, a man shot at police officers-- and lived.

Some happier news-- The county has opened an off-leash dog park!

Weekend

Fox reports that police are investigating a murder in the 2600 Block of East Grogan Street (which doesn't exist).

City police are looking for Belinda Brown, a 34-year-old grandmother (?!) who kidnapped 2-year-old Antonio Brown from Hopkins Hospital.

The price of cocaine has gone up 44 percent and methamphetamine is up 58 percent since January due to an increase in enforcement here and abroad.

MD State police documents: Hispanic men = macho, knife-toting drunks

The Department of Corrections is fighting rumors that murdered Officer David McGuinn had been the target of death threats and had been transferred away from the housing units as a result, but was then returned to the housing-unit assignment, where he was killed.
("Great moogly ooglies"?!)

What the ... ?! Crazed Annapolitan Shannika Douglas allegedly spit at children, chased them with a kitchen knife and then tried to run them down with her car (cue cuckoo-clock sound effect).

The man found in a house in the NW Thursday was identified as Leonard Hunt, 44, of Lumberton, North Carolina.

The family and friends of Ralph "Redz" Simmont, shot October 29 by an officer "took to the streets" this weekend.

Officials: "H. West" wrote as many as 10,000 fake tickets.

A prison guard in Cumberland has pleaded guilty to buttlegging.

PJD: Kent Eugene Turnbaugh, 55, who pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court to distributing child pornography and attempting to "entice a minor [a 13-year-old girl from Alabama] to engage in sexual activity."

Post: "Montgomery County appears poised to join the ranks of 13 states and the District this week by passing broad protections for transgender individuals in housing and employment. But when the County Council takes up the issue for a vote Tuesday it will not include a controversial reference to their use of public restrooms, something opponents equated to indecent exposure."
(Wow, they make units that can pee in a urinal now?!)

RIP Norman Mailer! If you haven't read "The Executioner's Song," (the one about Gary Gilmore) you really should.
Update: this bio is better

Sentences

Johnny James Smith pleaded guilty today to first-degree murder and use of a handgun in a crime of violence before the Honorable Albert J. Matricciani. Smith was sentenced to life suspend all but 30 years with five years supervised probation on count 1 and 20 years, the first five years to be served without the possibility of parole on count 2. Details from the SA's office:

On April 2, 2007, at 2:16 AM, the victim, Darrell Smith, age 21, was found lying face down in the 3600 block of St. Margaret Street, with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and upper torso. The victim was transported to the hospital and died at 2:54 AM. An autopsy was performed and the victim’s death was ruled a homicide. The investigation revealed that the victim and his girlfriend’s former boyfriend were having a continuing argument when they entered 3720 St. Margaret Street. The girlfriend of the defendant lived at 3720 St. Margaret Street. When the defendant found out the victim was in the house, he went to the location and confronted the victim as the two walked out of the residence. The defendant pulled out a revolver and shot the victim multiple times at close range.

Jesse “James” Lynch, also known as James Langley, appeared before Judge Sylvester B. Cox and pleaded guilty to retaliation against a witness and was sentenced to 5 years. He was also found to be in violation of his probation and sentenced to 21 years, suspended, and placed on four years supervised probation upon his release from incarceration on the plea and sentence. Details from the SA's office:

Lynch was convicted of 2nd degree murder and handgun violations and was sentenced on February 9, 2006 to 25 years suspend all but 4 years and placed on 4 years probation upon his release. He was released from prison on January 25, 2007. Shortly after his release, on March 28, 2007 he was charged with riding a dirt bike on North Wolfe Street in the wrong direction, doing wheelies, and then fleeing and eluding when the police officer tried to stop him.

On September 20, 2007 Jesse Lynch went to trial on those charges. During a break in the trial Jesse Lynch was walking by the police officer who charged him and threatened him by stating he would get him back. A Baltimore City jury later acquitted the defendant.

While leaving the courthouse Lynch again saw and spoke to the charging officer and shouted to him, “I’ll get out in a week and I am going to shoot … you.” Based on these actions, the State’s Attorney’s Office filed a criminal information charging Jesse James Lynch with retaliation against a witness.

November 9

Horrifying blog post at AngerHangover: "... imagine my surprise when I read that I have been summoned to appear as a witness for the state in a jury trial for a man I’ve never even heard of." (Thanks AG)

Police are looking for 15-year-old Akir'e "Angel" Lane of Hamilton, right, who went missing after attending religious services in Hamilton on Sunday.

One bogus-parking-ticket-writing DOT employee, the mysterious "H. West" will be suspended today.

Blotter:
"A man was shot multiple times in the upper body shortly after 1 p.m. yesterday in the 800 block of Woodington Road and was admitted to Maryland Shock Trauma Center. His condition was not available. The victim was found lying in the street..."
A man in his early 20s was shot in the leg about 6:40 p.m. yesterday in the 500 block of Dolphin St.; Also, a 13-year-old boy was assaulted by "at least four young males," and in Parkville a man was shot in the head by a teenager trying to steal his Xbox.

Is dancing a crime? A teenage boy was arrested for doing the "Crip Walk."

Maryland has joined California's lawsuit against the EPA, claiming that the federal agency has failed to act in a reasonable length of time to force the auto industry to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

RJR has a new boss.

Double Shooting in Park Heights

WBAL tv reports that at about 10:20 a.m. a workman found two men in a house in the 2600 block of Oswego Avenue, one man was shot to death and the other is in critical condition at Sinai hospital.

November 8

Some guy has himself barricaded in a home in West Baltimore this morning. That can't end well...
UPDATE: "Gee, this guy is really stubborn!" It appears that police surrounded the house for seven hours... but there was no one inside!

The police cadet who was on suspension while being investigated for the robbery of a Parkville McDonald's, one Aaron Victor Seivers, has been fired... and is being charged as an accessory to the crime (is that all?).

More on yesterday's juvenile transfer hearing for Eric Price, accused in the robbery and beating of Zach Sowers. Julie and Gus report that the day after the Sowers beating, the four-man team robbed a woman at gunpoint a few blocks east of Patterson Park. And three days after that, they allegedly robbed and assaulted another man.
But they're locking up our babies!

In the County, a 90-year-old woman is being stalked by a crazy man.

Go judge! The video of Judge Ward grabbing Richard Sher's leathery lapels is a hoot!

Robber/ Carjacker Gets 35 Years

Judge Wanda K. Heard sentenced Aaron White, 21, of the 800 block of North Curley Street, to 35 years in prison-- 23 years for armed carjacking and 12 years for armed robbery -- ordered that the sentences run consecutively. A Baltimore City jury convicted White October 22, 2007 of armed carjacking, armed robbery and several other counts. Details from the SA's office:

On July 31, 2006 the victim, Anthony Carpinello, of New York City, was in the 1800 block of Ashburton Street, traveling from one work site to another. Mr. Carpinello is the president of a construction company working on a $22 million city contract to repair/install underground sewer lines near Liberty Heights Blvd. He became involved in minor traffic dispute and offered the other driver $100 to resolve the dispute, which satisfied the driver who then drove off. White witnessed this exchange and approached Mr. Carpinello, displaying a handgun White demanded the money he had seen in Mr. Carpinello’s hand, so Mr. Carpinello handed over in excess of $4,000 cash. As Mr. Carpinello began to close the driver’s side door, White kept the gun pointed at his head and said “no, I’m taking that, too.” White then drove off in the vehicle, a 2006 Range Rover.

Baltimore County officers found the vehicle the next morning at the Regal Motel, located at 8005 Pulaski Highway. Regional Auto Theft Task Force members conducted surveillance on the vehicle for about an hour, at which time White attempted to enter the vehicle and was then arrested. Recovered from White and the vehicle were the victim’s two cell phones, more than $1600 in cash and the victim’s wallet.

Assistant State's Attorney Michael Leedy, of the General Trial Division, prosecuted this case.

Near-Deadly Robberies Update

A juvenile transfer hearing for 16-year-old Eric Price, the final of four co-defendants charged in the beating of Zach Sowers, is scheduled for this afternoon at 2:30 p.m., in Room 215 of the Mitchell Courthouse, before Judge Stewart. Witnesses are expected to give statements. The other three defendants' motions have been denied.
UPDATE: Eric Price's motion was denied also.

Yesterday, a man was robbed, then and shot in the head and face in Owings Mills.

November 7

The Ink reports eight murders from October 29 through Sunday the 4th: the unidentified body in a minivan, Marlon Beckford, Alexander Robertson-El, Naim Muhammad King, Nathaniel Footman, Lawrence Jones, an unidentified man on Elmora Avenue and Norman Smith.
Last week marked a yearly low for the Sun's crime coverage, apparently, with the last three of the murders listed above unreported.

Feel-good story of the week: 80-year-old retired judge Thomas Ward tackled, restrained a robbery suspect preying on the home of George & Jessica Dailey, owners of On the Hill Cafe in Bolton Hill.

Police are looking for a hit-and-run driver in a white vehicle who killed someone in the middle of the afternoon in the 3300 block of Eastern Avenue.

Judge Marvin Garbis began the process of divvying up the assets of Cockeysville fraudster Alan B. Fabian.

The CP asks the very good question, "Hilton Green Is Highly Qualified To Investigate Baltimore's Department Of Housing-- So Why Isn't He?"

The feds gave Jermol Antonyio Chin 15 years for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

PsDJ: Victor William Kunst Jr., 56, of Columbia, who was indicted on one count of receiving child pornography and one count of sending illegal images, and Harold Leroy Rivers, 62, of Pikesville, indicted on six counts of possessing and receiving child pornography images.
Also, an ironic (or horribly un-ironic) pervert: the chief operating officer of the National Children's Museum in Washington.
And just a plain old (allegedly) gross guy, Gregory Trakney of Taneytown, accused of assaulting his kids' babysitter. Euch, I need a shower now.

Myth Debunking Dept.

How accurate is FBI criminal profiling? About as dead-on as your average 1-900 psychic, writes Malcolm Gladwell in this week's NYker

Pot makes teens social? According to a Swiss study, "teenagers who only use cannabis, not tobacco, seem to function better than teens who consume both ... the researchers also found that those who just used cannabis were more socially driven and had no more psychosocial problems than those who had never taken either of the two substances."

November 6

Wait, the 6th, there's something important about today... isn't election day or something? Don't forget to get out there and vote for Elbert Henderson and Maria Allwine!
Unless like most Baltimoreans you're cool with the surging murder rate, the city going without a police commissioner for six weeks, foot-dragging on the probes of the parking-ticket scandal and the fire-department exam scandal, still no explanation of the Marcus Brown pension scandal... and with hardly anyone bothering to vote, your vote counts (almost. Maybe. Well, not really.)

Terrance Regan, 16, was shot to death near Morgan State University.

Blotterata:

• The teenager killed in the NW was identified as Nathaniel Footman, 18. But still no clue as to whom official murders 252 and 253 are.
• Five teenage boys were arrested after going on a robbery spree in Hampden at around 1 a.m. Saturday.
• No good deed goes unpunished: "A man, 31, was driving through Druid Hill Park and was nearing the former reptile house when he stopped to help three men whose car appeared to have a flat tire. When the victim, 31, left his car, one of the men pulled out a handgun and another a knife."

Latar C. Bradshaw and Gregory G. Kulla have pleaded guilty for the attack on aged Sun reporter Carl A. Schoettler. And get this: "Carter was standing at a bus stop with Bradshaw when Schoettler was involved in a minor traffic accident with Kulla. After Schoettler got out of his car to speak with Kulla, Carter attacked him and split Schoettler's money with Bradshaw. Prosecutors said Kulla, who did not know the two men, did nothing to stop the attack, then agreed to drive Bradshaw and Carter away from the scene."

Martin O'Malley may enjoy his first-ever senate veto Thursday, on a law that regulates how government agencies are permitted dispose of guns.

Maybe the roof rack was full?: "According to officers, they stopped the van, with two people inside for unknown reasons."

Police Shoot Armed Man

Police shot a suspect with a gun in the shoulder in the NW, he's expected to live. This is 2007's 31st police-involved shooting.

Horrible things done to children dept.

Lazara Arellano de Hogue was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter and six other counts in Towson this afternoon and is scheduled to be sentenced November 16 for the death of three-year-old Elijah Cozart. Judge John Hennegan deemed it "the most unsatisfying" verdict of his life.

In other bad news about kids, Venable LLC on behalf of Baltimore’s foster children has asked a federal court to hold the city accountable for "failing to reform its foster care system as promised" in 1988.

... the 1984 lawsuit alleged that pervasive abuse existed within the Baltimore foster care system, including improper placement of children, substandard health care and sporadic caseworker visits.

Bummer stat: according to advocates, there are 55% fewer foster homes for children than there were six years ago.
Update: More on MD's foster-care nightmare from the Sun's Lynn Anderson.

Interesting Q raised by this NY Mag piece, "Saving Justin Berry" (remember him?): should it be legal for journalists to download child pornography in the course of reporting a story?

November 5

Broadwater's Examiner monthly murder roundup gripping, informative

Two teenagers were shot this weekend, two men were shot in the Southern and Northwestern Districts.

MVA employee* Candace Nicole Green, got 19 months and car-dealership employee Ana Maria Lorena Creque got 30 months in prison for conspiring to produce and sell Maryland driver’s licenses to illegal aliens.
*I'd assume she's now a former employee... but then again They Say it's really hard to get fired from a state job...

City police arrested an a-hole in HarfCo after he rammed a police cruiser in the Southeast and led them on a chase up 95 to Bel Air.

As women get out of the sex trade, more drugs need housing. And another rehab story. All part of a Sun series on Baltimore's epidemic of hookers and HIVvies.

Carol Ott's got some justified criminal activity

Not Baltimore Crime but whatever dept.
Eww... more beef recalled due to poop germs!

Prosecutors who locked up "American Gangster" heroin dealer Frank Lucas say movie is a "bunch of lies"

November 2

Ten years for a crack-dealing couple; 10 for a gang member's illegal firearm; a guilty plea for cocaine base (is that different from crack?) down at the federal courthouse today.

Francis S. Lee, the alleged drug dealer who allegedly ran over two detectives on 33rd Street October 31 was ordered held without bail this morning.

Julian Collins, who berated judge Handy, got 50 years for a 2000 killing.

Two teenagers, 17 and 13, were shot in the right shoulder at around 9 p.m. last night in the 4000 block of Barrington Road in Gwynn Oak.

QTD= Westboro Baptist organizer Johnathan Phelps on the group's media strategy: "Let me put it to you this way: How much money (do) you think it takes to pay for an ad that says 'God hates fags' in The Baltimore Sun? I've never bought any advertising, but it takes big bucks from what I've heard."
Related: "Reversal likely in protest verdict"

Real Estate:
Did Colliers Pinkard breach their listing agreement when they brokered the sale of the office building at 300 E. Pratt Street?

Should ground rent holders be compensated for changes to the law?

I'll be away this weekend. Please don't burgle my house. Thanks.

November 1

A man was shot to death last night in an alley near Park Heights and Woodland Avenues. (thanks PP)

The man shot in Barclay yesterday has died.

Three shootings last night within less than an hour:

the first shooting occurred at about 9:50 p.m. when a man was shot in the face in the 2900 block of Woodland Avenue in northwest Baltimore. About 10 minutes later, a man was shot in the stomach at the intersection of Monument and Montford Avenue. A third man was shot multiple times about 30 minutes later in northwest Baltimore.

Blotter: A 16-year-old girl was kidnapped on Milford Mill Road about 11 p.m. Monday and released unharmed in the city; on Tuesday a man was shot in the arm during a robbery in Hanlon Park; a man was shot in the 800 block of N. Fulton Ave. about 1 a.m.; Two males, ages 14 and 19, were each stabbed in the stomach about 8 p.m. yesterday in the 1900 block of Etting Street.

The driver of what JZ called the "gold Infinite" that mowed down two officers was arrested yesterday afternoon in Bolton Hill.

It's WTF?! Day! (well, that's every day... but today is extra effed!)
How horrifying is the Elijah Cozart case? Lazara Arellano de Hogue's defense attorney reportedly apologized to the victim's parents. "I’m really sorry ... I just have to do what I have to do."

"A Baltimore City police cadet has been suspended while detectives investigate whether he was involved in the armed robbery of a McDonald’s in Parkville."

And the parking ticket scandal gets worse: contrary to city officials' claims that the bogus tickets were an isolated incident, a parking agent says that she reported habitual fake-ticket writing by an agent in 2005, but the city’s Department of Transportation did nothing about it.

Well, that's a relief: "A Maryland judge’s groundbreaking decision to disallow fingerprint evidence is not spreading like wildfire through the court system — at least according to a Baltimore County ruling Wednesday."

Sisters are doing it for themselves! Dealing drugs, that is.
Meanwhile, local law firm Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersoll has lost its attempt to halt a gender discrimination claim.

Snacks, a Honda, a Chrysler, an oven, range, dishwasher, washer and dryer & a weed trimmer= crap stolen in the Northern. Plus muggings as gun- and knife-point.

In St. Mary's County, trial is beginning in the case of Cory Ryder, a teen who tried to hire a hitman to kill his mom.

Quote of the Day

"I saw this show on CNN, with Anderson Cooper. Cats were talking about 'Don’t snitch, no matter what happens.' I can't see how a guy can be considered strong if he lets a bunch of assholes walk all over him and he doesn’t respond, just because of some code that a bunch of idiots have cooked up ... the street guidelines are just moron bullshit." -- Original American Gangster Leroy "Nicky" Barnes

October 31

An unidentified man was shot in the head in the 2400 block of Brentwood Ave. in the Barclay neighborhood.

Alexander Robertson-El, 24, was shot to death last night in the 700 block of Bartlett Ave. in the Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello ("CHUM") East Baltimore Midway neighborhood* (thanks Burger).

One or perhaps two police officers working undercover were run over during an attempt to arrest a drug suspect in the 900 block of East 33rd Street this afternoon near the YMCA, the driver is still at large.
Reported JZ, "A gold Infinite matching the description of the getaway vehicle plowed into some parked cars ... [police are] in the process of getting a search warrant to see if anything was inside the Infinite that crashed."
Everything's inside the infinite, man!
UPDATE: A suspect has been arrested, and JZ edited their charming typos out of the story. What a shame!

The Ink identifies victim Christopher Burden and has updates on other cases.

Only in Baltimore would a 16-year-old getting shot be relegated to a three-sentence blotter item. Also not worthy of a whole story: a Molotov cocktail in the Southern (my, those are popular!), a man shot in the foot in the SE.

Details of yesterday's shooting in Loch Raven; the body found in the minivan a few days ago has been ruled a homicide.

That's a good question: "How does a 15-year-old find himself in possession of a .44 Magnum?"

Jim Kraft wants the City Council to have the power to pass new gun laws.
You're not getting any new gun laws until you use the ones you have, young man!

Albert Snyder won $10.9 million from the Westboro Baptist Church.

*Neighborhood maps have moved here, in the form of massive PDF files

October 30

A man died of gunshot wounds near the Mt. Pleasant Golf Course in Loch Raven.

The teenager shot by an officer yesterday has died and was identified as 15-year-old Ralph Simmont of the 7900 block of Scotts Level Road in Randallstown.

Did you know? "Hospitals are not required under Maryland law to report domestic violence cases when they don’t involve children or gunshot wounds."

Parking ticket scandal: "“They still have quotas, but they’re not called quotas, they’re called ‘expectations’.”

The case against the Westboro Baptist Church has gone to the jury.

The hit-an-run case against Lazara Arellano de Hogue, currently Towson's most-hated woman, continued with a witness who testified that de Hogue drove from Goucher Boulevard to Loch Raven Boulevard and then to Regester Avenue, got out of her truck and got back in. Yesterday another witness testified that the boy's legs were sticking out from under the truck. WTF?

In Annapolis, Christopher Haarhoff pleaded guilty yesterday to helping his grifter mom murder her boyfriend, Frank Fertitta, and set his body on fire. Wow, that is one messed-up story!

October 29

WMAR is reporting that a body was found in the back of a minivan today at the Garden Village Apartments in the 5900 block of Radecke Road.

Police-involved shooting #30 was a youth who allegedly brandished a handgun when stopped by an officer. He's alive and in hospital. Died at Sinai Hospital.

TDR's Liz Farmer goes "Inside the War Room: Baltimore's plan to keep repeat offenders off the streets: is it working?"
(that headline needs a colonic!)

A 35-year-old man was shot in the right leg near Waverly Elementary school; a 17-year-old was shot in the right leg by a passenger in a red Cadillac in the Southwest.

On Saturday an "uncooperative" 18-year-old was shot in the arm on Hollins Street. And plenty of robbery and burglary in the Blotter.

More on the suicide of murder suspect Damon Smith, who threw himself out of a 10th floor window at Mercy Medical Center.

Senator Verna Jones fighting gangs with Christian rap, acronyms.

In the county at Woodlawn High, a catfight led to a 14-year-old girl being pepper-sprayed, and trips to the hospital for 20 students.

The Sun and the Examiner both cover the "die in" story-- which is better?

Stat from the Children's Defense Fund: "Blacks are five times as likely to be incarcerated as white youth for drug offenses."
(Why do they capitalize "Black"?)

Weekend

Twenty-six year-old Coppin State student Veronica Fludd was stabbed to death Friday morning in West Baltimore, her ex-boyfriend, Damon Smith, has confessed to killing her.
Update: Damon Smith died Sunday morning of self-defenestration.

This just in: Witness intimidation remains a problem. (Wonder if MD, like NJ, won't relocate witnesses with criminal records?)

Federal investigators have seized property belonging to Michael K. Lewis, accused of illegally filing bankruptcies for clients.

What the?! Drunk Dad Runs Over Daughter, Flees the Scene

Feel-good story: A. Robert Kaufman is getting a kidney!

October 26

An unidentified 23-year-old died after being shot in the neck and face in Brooklyn on Wednesday.

A 19-year-old was shot in the Hillen neighborhood and is in serious condition; a 15-year-old selling candy for school was robbed, stolen schoolwork, foreign coins, car radios and GPS systems in the Blotter.

Jessamy and Cummings are taping a PSA "encouraging anyone who witnesses a crime to come forward with a guarantee they will be protected."

Euch! PDJ = Morton Ellin, 77, of Pikesville, who lost his medical license after he admitted to engaging in “inappropriate sexual contact” with a patient "about 100 times." The "patient" says that he injected her with a sedative, and she didn't protest because she feared he would have her committed to a psychiatric hospital. Jezum crow!

In case you were wondering why it seems like every jour there's a perv, it may be because RJR is prosecuting more of them.

More on the fingerprint-evidence controversy.

The victim's family is glad to have the body of victim Nancy Riggins recovered, but the HoCoPo is unhappy with how detectives obtained the information.

More on Sunday's "die in" (if they want people to see it, why are they having it on a day when no one will be downtown?)

There's something you don't hear about every day: a molotov cocktail thrown into a Roland Park back yard.

Headline of the day: "Teen held for setting classmate's hair on fire"

In Laurel, a girl was abducted from a church and sexually assaulted.
Speaking of child molesters, here's a nauseating tale from AAC of child rapist Karl Johnson, released again and again.

In AAC, police are looking for a bank robber-- with a vag!

October 25

Two men were shot in separate incidents last night in the South and Northeast.

There's shocking, and then there's completely, utterly bananas: Judge Roger Brown sentenced Janice Jones, 27, and Dakia Frazier, 23, to time served for driving a woman to the police station and ordering her to recant an incriminating statement against Frazier's boyfriend, who's in jail for robbery and attempted murder. Unfreakingbelieveable!

Blotter: The man found in a burning car October 15 was named as Henry Mazyck, 39, of the 300 block of N. Kresson St. in East Baltimore.

The Ink has names, details of murders from October 15-19.

An armed robbery suspect hung hanged himself at Central Booking.

The Examiner lets parking-ticket victims share their horror stories.

The NAACP, Justice Maryland, Associated Black Charities and other groups are holding a "lie in" this Sunday-- they hope to have as many volunteers as official murder victims sprawled in War Memorial Plaza, each holding a number corresponding to a victim.
Wacky fact: "if Baltimore had New York's murder rate, the city would see just 29 murders per year."

County ISO Robbers

The County is looking for suspects (and odds are they're in the city, don't you think?). First is Jerome Willis, left, who robbed an armored car with an accomplice and then drove off and left his buddy on the sidewalk! At right is an unknown suspect who robbed the bank branch inside the Giant on Loch Raven & Taylor Aves. in Towson on October 17.

October 24

Update: alleged baby-killer Billy Martin was re-arrested last night.

A federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment (whatever that is) yesterday charging Steven Stone of Frederick and Jessie Dorsz of Walkersville with conspiracy to commit witness tampering for murdering federal witness David Lee in 2005. They both face a maximum sentence of death.

The October 19 death of Qur'ron Holloway, shot in the Lowell Liquors incident, was reported by police.

What the @#?!: "The Baltimore parking agent accused of writing dozens of bogus tickets is still on the city payroll, officials confirmed [yesterday]."

Prosecutors have dropped all charges against Latoya Renee James, a Central Booking guard accused of participating in a ring that stole inmates’ credit cards and ran up charges at Target and Wal-Mart.

"A suspected Bloods member who was allowed to walk out of court — despite an open warrant — has been arrested. But the case of Gary Watson, 20 — charged with participating in a riot at the Inner Harbor — is indicative of how administrative breakdowns hurt Baltimore’s efforts to serve 44,000 outstanding warrants, law enforcement officials say."

Blotter: A woman was carjacked and kidnapped in Reisterstown*; Marco Smoot, 28, was arrested for the murder of Lucy Hazel on August 28; George Scruggs, 34, was arrested for killing Darnell Thomas on August 29; burglaries & robberies.
* Wouldn't you think this would warrant a whole story? Has kidnapping become that common?!

The civil trial of the Westboro Baptist Church began yesterday with testimony from church members and the father of Marine Matt Snyder.

In HarfCo, Harold J. Tulley, a former assistant state’s attorney who screwed clients out of some $2 million, faces 300 years in jail.

Not Baltimore but irresistible... a 9-year-old girl escaped a perv in a VA Wal-mart with a swift kick to his gonadular area

Organizers on Facebook of the event, "Wear Black on Friday Oct. 26 For Justin" [ (Warfield, 18 of Columbia. HoCo, who OD'd on heroin in NJ) have a stipulation for participants:

READ THIS! IMPORTANT!
DO NOT REPLY TO ANY MESSAGES OR EMAILS FROM PEOPLE ASKING FOR INFO ABOUT THIS HORRIBLE EVENT. THEY ARE NEWS REPORTERS ASKING FOR A STORY. ALSO, THERE WERE NEWS VANS PARKED AROUND THE SCHOOL CAMPUS ASKING FOR STUDENT INTERVIEWS. DO NOT TALK TO THEM.

The media has already made lies about this, so don't give them anything so they will drop the story.

I wonder how many addicts OD'd in Baltimore City last year? because I haven't heard about a single one!

Baby Killer Escapes!

County police are looking for Billy Conrad Martin, 25, shown right, who walked away from a work detail at the county detention center. He was indicted in October for killing his five-month-old son, Calob (sic), who died after Martin allegedly hit him in the head and no one in the family sought medical attention. Three other family members are also charged.
Update: The Examiner reports that Martin was on the work detail because officials hadn't been informed he was charged with murder.

Idiots Acting Stupidly Dept.

Har! A Loyola sociology professor's ill-conceived assignment to have students act "outside of societal norms" led to a student's detention and an evaluation at Union Memorial.

A drunkard got home detention and three years' probation for assaulting a flight crew on his way from Arizona to BWI.

Murder Indictment, Robbery Sentencing

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Michael Blackwell, 28, of the 1700 Abbotston Avenue for first-degree murder. Court documents allege Michael Blackwell is responsible for a shooting incident on September 4, 2007 in the 2500 block of Garrett Avenue. Davon Qualls, 17, was found in the unit block suffering from gunshot wounds to the head. Qualls died from his injuries at Johns Hopkins Hospital the same day. An arraignment is scheduled for November 13, 2007 before Judge Martin P. Welch, Room 228, Courthouse East.

Today Judge M. Brooke Murdock sentenced Jerome Holloway, 36, of the 2500 block of W. Fayette St. to 25 years in prison for possession of a handgun and attempted robbery, the first five years served without the possibility of parole (if she hadn't specified that, when would he have been eligible?!). A city jury convicted Holloway August 20, 2007 of attempted robbery with a deadly weapon and possession of a handgun by a prohibited person. Details:

On November 1, 2006 at approximately 2:19 a.m. the victim had been at Greenmount and Preston Streets in his car. Holloway appeared at the driver’s side window and asked if the victim was hacking and then pulled out a silver and black handgun, got in the car and said, “You know what time it is. Give me your money.” The victim gave up his money, but took off with Holloway in the car at a high rate of speed, eventually crashing. The victim escaped, called police and gave a description of Holloway. Police caught Holloway a short time later and the victim positively identified him as the person who committed the robbery. Assistant State’s Attorney Kristen Hitchner of the General Felony Division prosecuted this case.

October 23

Witness intimidation is alive and well in the Northwestern.

Judge Souder's ruling that partial fingerprints were inadmissable in the murder trial against Bryan Keith Rose "virtually overturns 100 years of jurisprudence with respect to the admissibility of latent fingerprint evidence," and led to the trial being postponed. Rose is charged in the 2006 murder of Warren T. Fleming, a merchant at Security Square mall.

There was a cutting at Woodlawn High School yesterday morning, and not the good ol' "cutting class" kind, either.

Paul Stephen Riggins didn't kill his wife, but he somehow knew where her body was.

If you don't want to get hit with an attempted murder charge, don't try to run down a HarCo cop.

Huh. An unscrupulous attorney. Who'd'a thunk it?

The trial against alleged Westfield Annapolis Mall shooter Javaughn Norman Adams began today.

Gary Watson, the alleged Blood who walked out of the courthouse a few weeks ago, was re-arrested last week.

Cameras may be coming to the county.

Huh. An unscrupulous city meter maid. Who'd'a thunk it.

October 22

"Honey, do you know this guy?" Police officer Andre Robinson hooked up with a married woman while on duty in the NW, then shot her husband in the legs after he came after them with a crowbar. Jayne Miller reports that it's not clear if Robinson knew the woman was married.

The Blotter's back!
A man was assaulted on Woodbourne Avenue, a grocery store burgled, a handicapped person's Plymouth Voyager purloined, a man stabbed in the back in Essex, more than two dozen firearms stolen in White Marsh.

Last week's legal news, courtesy of TDR: Microsoft antitrust claims can proceed, lyin' lawyer Jerold K. Nussbaum was disbarred, the CSA decided that a rape defendant’s rights were violated when the state put a mentally disabled alleged victim on the stand but did not allow the accused to cross-examine her, parents who withdrew their child from a private school have to pay tuition, interest and fees, even if the school incurred no loss.

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church go on trial today in an invasion-of-privacy lawsuit filed by Albert Snyder, the father of a Marine killed in Iraq. Meanwhile, church members spent their Sunday picketing the Baltimore Basilica.

The Guardian Angels are back and saying they're planning to patrol the Eastern District. Wait, haven't we seen this story before?

PDJ: Daniel Cuneo, who got 5 years 5 months in jail for arranging sex for clients with underage girls in the Philippines.

Weekend

Big Ideas:
One you may have heard before: the crime decline of the '90s was related to the elimination of lead in gas in the 70s.
One you probably haven't: avoiding criminals by disguising yourself as a vending machine.

Killadelphia's crime-fighting volunteers are about to get training to patrol the streets for 90 days, and Bodymore waits to see what will happen.

(Alleged) PDJ = Nicholas J. Arminio.

Arminio surrendered his New Jersey teaching license in 1994 after two female students separately accused him of inappropriate touching. The state of Maryland didn't know that when he applied for teaching credentials and took a job at [Eastern Technical High School,] in Baltimore County. He eventually resigned and lost that license, too. Even so, until this month, he was coaching football at another Baltimore County high school [Perry Hall High] in a job that does not require a teaching license. After the AP started asking questions, he was fired.

Arminio claims the Toms River, NJ allegations were made up by teenagers seeking attention.

Sure, smoking kills more Baltimoreans than violence or drugs... but gunshot wounds don't have that cool, smooth flavor.

HoCo is offering 5,000 clams to whomever can find gas station robber Terrence Edward Boone, 24, and his 14-year-old accomplice Shawn Timothy Crockett (they're from Baltimore of course).

Most of the hijacked diesel fuel stolen on Friday was recovered from an underground tank in Washington.

Sad: A MD state trooper, Sgt. Pride T. Rivers, shot and killed himself Saturday morning on the corner of West South and South Bentz streets in Frederick.

News of the Weird: Money magazine "just ranked Mount Vernon as one of the top 35 best places to retire."

Thought-provoking headline: "Methodists Meet to Evaluate Transgenderism, Starting With Baltimore Pastor"

October 19

At about 2 a.m. an officer in the Southern found a man shot to death in the driver's seat of a Ford Explorer in the 4200 block of Audrey Ave., and
The shooting reported here yesterday on Walbrook Avenue turned out to be a fatal one, and two suspects were apprehended after a car chase.
(But if the shootee is dead, how can we know they didn't consent to the shooting? After all, sadomasochists sometimes like that kind of thing... Thanks Galt)

A man walked into Lowell Liquors in the 3200 block of Woodland Ave. (near Park Heights Avenue) last night and shot three men ages 19, 20 and 29. The 19-year-old was treated and released, conditions of the other three are unknown.

Police are still looking for Emory Lewis, left, wanted for the September 8 murder of Felicia Spratley.

Nationwide, "the Supreme Court’s decision to review the constitutionality of lethal injection procedures has slowed the annual number of executions to the lowest level in a decade."

Dwayne Price, 18, was charged yesterday in connection with the rapes of an 88-year-old cancer patient and a 73-year-old woman in South Baltimore in September of 2005.

Four federal child pornography cases have led to the indictments of Larry Cordell of Frederick and Stephen Michael Gayer of Baltimore, a guilty plea from John Ray Manning of McHenry and a 30-year sentence for Fabrice Snowden of Edgewood.

Parking tickets are big business for the city! Says Janis, "In current fiscal year 2008, the city expects to write $12 million worth of tickets and collect $8 million in fines."

Speaking of big business... OC ho's busted
(wow all these online ho's could keep a department busy! <-don't open that link at work)

Lt. Col. William H. Steele of AAC was found not guilty of aiding the enemy by loaning an unmonitored cell phone to an inmate in Iraq, but was found guilty of unauthorized possession of classified documents, behavior unbecoming an officer and failing to obey an order. More details here.

Remember MoCo cracker-hater Quinton Thomas, whose "REAL TALK" to a wrong address got him convicted of the fatal shooting of Stephen W. Kelley? He was sentenced to life without parole.

Quote of the Day

Anne Arundel judge Paul Harris dropped domestic violence charges against a man who punched a woman in the face in front of an officer because, he said, he couldn't be sure that she didn't consent to the beating. "'You have very rare cases. Sadomasichists sometimes like to be beat up,' he said."
(Thanks JB)
UPDATE: More details in the Sun story.

There was a shooting at Walbrook & McKean Avenues on the West Side.

October 18

Baltimore soldier Jerrell Hill, charged with shooting five people in a gang-related dispute last month, could be freed from an Oklahoma jail today, as Baltimore city prosecutors intend drop the case.

e first Kopera-related appeal (or the first one we know about) has come up and was denied.

In the county, sentencing was postponed for John A. Miller IV, convicted of killing 17-year-old Shen Poehlman. Miller withdrew his guilty plea, "effectively firing the public defenders who have represented him."

"For the second time in six days, a convicted sex offender was found to be accidentally left off the state's public registry Web site after his release from jail." But the Capitol won't say who he is "to protect the victims." Meanwhile Baltimore police say "Anne Arundel County is on the hook" for omitting rapist Eugene Waller, AAC says they notified the city that he lived here, but the city was unable to locate him.

Hey "Wire" fans, a nice long article on David Simon in this week's New Yorker. Spoilers: The fifth season is definitely the last, and "will be about 'perception versus reality'—in particular, what kind of reality newspapers can capture and what they can’t."
(More interesting David Simon-related reading: "Who Gets to Tell a Black Story?" the tale of Simon and Charles Dutton's experience on The Corner, from the NYT's "Race in America" series)

Boy Trouble

A 17-year-old boy was shot in Edgewood.

County police are looking for Daniel Joseph Tasker, a disabled 13-year-old boy who ran away from home.

A carjacker, an identity thief, a "Silver Spring Stabber" and a tax protester met their fates at the Garmatz courthouse.

Unsurprisingly, the Justice Department is prosecuting fewer organized crime, environmental and bankruptcy fraud cases and is going for terrorism and perverts instead.

October 17

Dismaying Stats from YPR: "Of the 320 adults charged with gun crimes through September 15th, 2007, 120, or 38- percent, were already on probation. Many had suspended sentences, including 24 charged with armed robbery, attempted robbery, or carjacking. Six were charged with attempted murder; 15 more with assault. Of the 50 gun-crime suspects so far this year with the greatest number of prior convictions, more than a quarter would not have been at large the day they were caught with a gun, but for suspended prior sentences."

Galt reports,
"The body found in the trunk of a burning car is now a homicide.
So is Andre Bryant."

"Crystal Nikkita Newby, 21, of the 2900 block of Southland Ave. is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Qasim Kabah at his home in the 2500 block of Terra Firma Road." The two were fighting over the sale of an assault weapon.

More dangerous than Iraq indeed: An 18-year-old Baltimore soldier, Jerrell Hill of the 5600 block of Lothian Road, was detained this week at an Army base in Oklahoma after city detectives accused him in the gang-related shooting of five people in the Barclay neighborhood last month. He's awaiting extradition.

Today the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Omar McGee, 18, of the 3400 block of Dupont Avenue for first-degree murder and deadly weapon. Court documents allege on August 9, 2007 Omar McGee was identified as the person responsible for a shooting incident in the 3400 block of Dupont Avenue. Troy Richardson, 30, was found in the middle of the unit block suffering from several gunshot wounds. He succumbed to his injuries at Sinai Hospital the same day. An arraignment is scheduled for November 9, 2007 before Judge Martin P. Welch, Room 228 Courthouse East.

Two Towson U. football players were busted for marijuana, and TU sororities are in trouble for posting pictures of underage drinking on Facebook. And worst of all, Vice President of Student Affairs Dr. Teri Hall says:

"Ironic that we have all these women doing things that they shouldn't have been doing as part of sorority recruitment and they post them on Facebook for everybody to see."

No lady, that's stupid. You have a doctorate and work in education but don't know the meaning of ironic-- THAT is ironic!

Bogus tickets?! The parking division is more evil than we even knew! Dixon says the inspector general is going to investigate.
QTD from Jaclyn Schwarz: “They’re always blaming the people who live here. My house was broken into, and they said it was my fault for not having the correct lock. It’s a very difficult city.”

Oricil to see Can from Inside

At a hearing yesterday, Judge Barry G. Williams found Kenneth Ellis, 27, of Bowie, MD guilty of violating his probation. Judge Williams sentenced Ellis to three years in prison, consecutive to a seven-year prison term he is currently serving following a Baltimore County assault conviction in August 2007. On June 20, 2006 Ellis, also known as “Oricl,” pled guilty to six counts of malicious destruction of property. Judge Williams sentenced him to a suspended three-year prison term, 18 months probation and 500 hours of community service. Ellis was a prolific “tagger” spray painting the name Oricl on property across the city. As part of his original sentence, he was to work with Department of Public Works Crews to clean up the graffiti. The assault conviction in August and the fact that Ellis completed just 32 of the 500 hours triggered today’s violation of probation hearing in city Circuit Court. Says the SA's office, yesterday's "hearing highlights the continued emphasis on the identification and prosecution of repeat offenders in Baltimore on supervised parole or probation who commit a new offense or technical violation."