June 16

Damn. A guy takes a coupl'a days off from reading the news, and he comes back to find the air filled with more bullets than mosquitoes. So here's what I can put together. It's a bit repetitive from what MJB already posted, but for what y'all pay me, you can suck it up and deal with reading the same link twice. So there.

(Colin of Spotcrime.com has helpfully mapped all of those shootings, see right -- MJB)

On Friday night, we had nine shootings in less than five hours. Two of those were fatal.

On Saturday morning, some dude was found on Hamilton Ave. with a bullet hole somewhere in his body. He's not being called a murder victim yet.

A few hours before that, a robber shot himself in the leg as he was trying to rob someone in the 400 block of E. 33rd St. (Heh. That's pretty funny, actually. Too bad more of our robbers don't do that.)

Early Sunday morning, a man and woman were shot after a fight at the Rush Hour Bar & Grill on Liberty Rd., and police are seeking someone who looks like something.

Father's Day went to shit yesterday when papa went all Marvin Gaye Sr. on his growed-up boy in Carney.

Early this morning, a man was shot twice in the 3000 block of Denison St. near Lake Ashburton. He's being treated at Sinai, in case you want to send flowers or a little cuddly teddy bear or something.

Okay, I think that takes care of the shootings. On to other news.

Naham Perry, a cop at University of Maryland Eastern Shore, has been charged with getting his perv on with a 15-year-old girl. It's the second time he's been charged with being unable to control himself around young teenage girls.

Two cold cases in Baltimore County were ruled as homicides. One case involves the strangulation of 18-year-old Joyce Rein in 1975, and the other is for the strangulation of 23-year-old Natalie Williams in 1982. Both women can be linked to convicted murderer Harold Houndshell, who would be charged in their deaths if he hadn't died in 1999.

More on the HoCo PD shooting in Jessup in April, including the fact that the second teen who was shot also might not be charged with any criminal activity.

If they shut down vital bus lines in AAC because they're too violent, can they just shut down the entire city of Baltimore for the same reason?

Two baggage handlers for AirTran at BWI have been charged with stealing people's luggage.

Sad: An investigation into the death of Jarrell Gray of Frederick found that he was not wearing a hearing aid when he was Tasered for not following the commands of a sheriff’s deputy.

This just in: eating at lyin'-ass Applebee's will make you 6% fatter than you'd planned on being.

A Very Violent Weekend

... and it's only Sunday morning!
At least nine people were shot over 4 1/2 hours from Friday night to Saturday morning, and at least two are dead.
A suspiciously dead male body was also found in Hamilton.
The Sun quotes the Mayor: "You hate to associate the moon, but sometimes when it is a full moon, it seems to get crazier."

and in Carney, a man shotgunned his son to death.
Happy Fathers' Day!

Two people were shot outside of the Rush Hour Bar & Grill on Liberty Road in Randallstown.

Ocean City police are ISO one Omil Milfort, right, who's wanted for a stabbing a Pennsylvanian at 16th and Baltimore Streets.

Happy Flag Day

Controversy continues over Margaret Burns' bizarre "sleeping baby" remark. Burns called the article a "misrepresentation;" the reporter stands by the quote.
Meanwhile, Adam Meister blogs about PCJ's salary.

Plumber George Thompson (allegedly) to hired killer: you can beat my ex to death with this brick!

The city's Health Department has some events going on related to the Safe Streets program.

Taurean Philip Williams, 18, and Timothy Patrick Williams, 20, were shot in Edgewood, HarfCo.

Tim Russert is Dead!

Tim Russert is dead!
That sucks!!
Why couldn't it have been John Gibson or Sean Hannity?!

June 13

Annie wrote a mighty good story on Harry Goodman, the man who shot a robber in his Charles Village dry cleaner shop.

The man who was killed on Bonner Rd. on Monday has been ID'd as Kenneth Cooper Jones. Also in the Blotter, an armed banana thief and his woman are on the loose on the Southeastern.

Jeanine Alice Blackwell, the mother who allegedly drowned her newborn baby in a West Baltimore toilet, is already at Jessup and will be hit with murder, child abuse, and drug charges.

The Annapolis mother who pimped out her 16-year-old daughter got... uh... well, she didn't really get shit, now did she?

A burning man was found behind a house in North Baltimore this morning.

Nakita McDaniels is goin' to juvie.

One of the two little kids who were shot during a drive-by at a West Baltimore apartment complex has been released from the hospital. Lucky guy, now he gets to go back to the West Baltimore apartment complex where gang members shoot at little kids.

One of the teenagers who was shot by HoCo police during a Jessup drug sting won't be charged with any crimes.

Damned peace lovin' hippies and their stupid peaceful protests. Forcing the state to do all that pesky surveillance.

When you read the headline "Fox Tests Positive for Rabies" on the WJZ web site, do you think they're referring to a cute animal or to a competitor?

quick, dirty and with lots of exclamation points!!!!

Four murders reported today: three men and a baby!
Number four is a man found dead near Gwynns Falls Park who may have been the victim of a kidnapping.

Chillage cleaner shoots knife-wielding bandit!

Knife-wielding 7-year-old stabs 11-year-old!
Car service driver shot!

A local busybody is trying to clean up the block I fled two years ago on account of filth and hooliganism. You're a bigger woman than I, Joy Sushinsky!

"Are you concerned about juvenile crime in your community? Do you wish there was something you could do that might save a young person from a life of crime? Are you a busy lawyer short on time?" Then Teen Court needs you!

National:
"The number of people under supervision in the nation's criminal justice system rose to 7.2 million in 2006, the highest ever."

Federal porn trial compromised by judge's dirty web site!
... isn't jury duty unpleasant enough without having to watch six hours of people boning poodles and pooping on each other?

June 12

Bah. Another day in which I cannot post. Please put any news in the comments, and hopefully MJB or I will get a proper post up later today.

I'll get y'all started with a murder or three before I leave. There was a double killing at about 3:00 a.m. in Easterwood Park in the 1500 block of Moreland Ave. Two adult males, no ID's yet.

And in one of the most tragic stories in at least a week or two (and no, I'm not being sarcastic, that's just how fucking depressing it is to follow the news in this city), a woman who claims she didn't know she was pregnant drowned her approximately 32-week-old baby in a toilet in West Baltimore. The baby had air in his lungs, meaning he took at least one breath, so "mommy" is getting arrested and charged with (I presume) murder.

Okay, it's all on you guys. Go scour the media and tell us what you find.

June 11

CP's Edward Ericson Jr.: Jose Morales has served very little time in the hoosegow in spite of being arrested more than 30 times, convicted of five felonies and facing accusations of theft, domestic assault, drugs, attempted murder, identity theft, a baseball bat attack, burning an SUV, bad checks, unlicensed contracting, a link to murder #42 and gross and willful hair gel violations.

Two shootings in the Blotter: " A man, 28, was shot about 1 a.m. yesterday while standing with several other men on a front porch in the 3000 block of Spaulding Ave." and "An 18-year-old man was standing in the 300 block of S. Addison St., near South Fulton and Wilkens avenues, about 12:20 a.m. yesterday when a gunman shot him in the upper right leg." and WTF is this about?:

Police were seeking a man who used a sledge hammer to shatter the driver-side window of a Ford pickup truck parked in the 900 block of N. Collington Ave. about 2:40 a.m. Monday and attempted to hit the 56-year-old male occupant. ... About two hours later, the same man attacked a woman with his fists and a baseball bat near the scene of the first incident.

Two perps, Kinlaw "Baby Boy" Jones, 19, and Erica Ammenhauser, 21, pleaded guilty to an attack on Marine reservist Michael LaMaris Simms, 18.

The two- and three-year-old children shot on Monday are recovering at Hopkins.
(nitpicky peeve: "toddlers" are 12-24 months of age)

Former rape suspect Chaz Ricks, right, may have been cleared of the Roland Park home invasion and rape, but he's going to face trial for a robbery and sex offense in the county that he confessed to city detectives during questioning down here.

More on the bust of Phillip Robinson Winkfield, son of a federal judge who may soon be getting a different kind of Federal Express package.

McDonogh Eagle Lewin Powell III, 16, was indicted for killing his mother, Donna Campbell-Powell. He's charged as an adult.

It's Wednesday, so don't forget to read the Ink!

"Four Prince George's County youths, ages 14 and 15, have been charged with first-degree murder after they 'laid in wait' for a 56-year-old man, knocked him to the ground and kicked him so viciously that he died two days later."

El Jizz: "when fire swept through [Keith] McMahon's Greenspring Valley home in January, most people called it a tragic loss, until federal alcohol, tobacco, and fire arms agents took a closer look."

... and now, "12 nude, middle aged, mostly out of shape, jewish men, discreetly covered by cats!"

Sticky Weeditorial

I'm shocked and saddened, as the politicians like to say, to find out that one of my good friends has been arrested for marijuanica!
A month ago I wrote, "one upside to living in the city, law enforcement is too busy with actual crimes" to put its scare resources towards busting nonviolent drug offenders.
Boy was I wrong! Maryland has one of the highest marijuana arrest rates in the country, and the city has a higher arrest rate than HoCo!

Here's a link for galt who (I suspect) will say we need to enforce all of our laws even if they're stupid. I disagree. This is nothing but a tragic waste for everyone involved. This guy had no weapons, no white drugs, no prior arrests.
This state needs to end costly, wasteful and pointless marijuana prohibition and put its resources towards keeping us safe from violent criminals!

10 Years for Murder of Azerwoine Walker

Kennis Lambert, 18, of the 6200 block of Alumure Way plead guilty to second-degree murder of Azerwoine Walker.

Lambert pleaded guilty to the following facts of the case:

On April 29, 2007 at or around the 6200 Block of Elliott Street in Baltimore MD; the victim, Azerwoine Walker, was walking with his cousin when they were approached from behind by Kennis Lambert, and another individual. An argument ensued and at some point during the verbal argument a gun was drawn by Lambert and the victim was shot eight times. The victim’s cousin identified Lambert as the shooter date April 29, 2007 in a photo array, but subsequently changed his story and said he was not sure who the shooter was. Another witness did not see the shooting but was able to identify Lambert as having a gun and walking in the direction of the 6200 block of Elliott Street moments prior to the incident.

Lambert was sentenced before Judge Heard to 20 years with all but 10 years suspended and 3 years of probation.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Richard Gibson.

20 Years for Hair-ron

Judge John Prevas today sentenced Lance Gorham, 25, of the 100 block of North Kenwood Avenue to 20 years at the Department of Corrections following a guilty conviction for possession with intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to distribute heroin.

The jury convicted Gorham based on the following facts of the case:

On May 26, 2006 at 2:15p.m., a Detective in a covert location in the 900 block of North Caroline Street observed two juveniles and an adult woman accepting money in exchange for suspected CDS. Lance Gorham was observed accepting money from the three sellers. Gorham left the area and returned approximately 30 minutes later and handed the three suspected CDS. Gorham then walked to a nearby vacant yard and placed suspected CDS under a porch, then left the area in a car. Officers then stopped the car and arrested Gorham and recovered Controlled Dangerous Substance from the three sellers and the CDS from under the porch. The total amount of controlled dangerous substance recovered were 75 pieces of heroin and 21 pieces of cocaine.

Since Gorham was also on probation at the time of the arrest, a violation of parole hearing is scheduled for July 24, 2008. Assistant State's Attorney Jerry E. Jones of the Narcotics Division prosecuted this case.

11 Years for Coked-Up Hit and Run

Judge John Themelis sentenced Steven Norwood, 32, of the 1600 block of Moreland Avenue, to 11 years in prison following a plea agreement. Judge Themelis sentenced Norwood to 10 years for possession with intent to distribute and 1 year for hit & run bodily injury and ordered that the sentences run concurrently.

Norwood plead to the following facts of the case:

On October 2, 2007 at approximately 10:45 p.m., Detectives observed a black 2-door Acura matching the description of a vehicle used in a homicide in the 1700 block of Pulaski Street. Later they observed the same vehicle stopped in the middle of the street at the intersection of Pulaski and Presbury Streets. Detectives executed a traffic stop and the defendant presented his driver’s license to Detectives while attempting to stuff an object into the center console of the vehicle. Detectives asked the defendant to exit his vehicle. The defendant placed the vehicle into reverse striking the detective’s vehicle and one of the detectives present at the scene. The detective suffered no injuries.

The defendant then fled in his vehicle and the detectives followed reaching speeds of 70 mph in a residential area with a 25 m.p.h. speed limit. The defendant then ran a stop sign at Presbury and Bentalou Streets and collided with a vehicle driven by Melvin Horton and occupied by the front passenger Richard Jones. Both victims were transported to Shock Trauma. Horton suffered a fractured pelvis, lacerated liver, punctured lung, fractured ribs, and traumatic head injury. Jones suffered a laceration to the left hip and bruises. Horton stopped breathing briefly but was immediately revived by Jones the passenger -- Horton’s friend of more than 10 years. Both vehicles were totaled.

The defendant fled on foot immediately after the accident and was caught and arrested moments later. Detectives recovered 123.7 grams of cocaine from the defendant. Upon returning to the defendant’s vehicle, detectives recovered 124.8 grams of cocaine from the front floor of the defendant’s vehicle and $13,795 cash from the trunk. A search of the defendant’s house located 2 blocks from where the defendant was arrested revealed packaging material including a capper, quinine and mannitol. Also recovered from the defendant’s house was $12,255 cash. The street value of the cocaine was approximately $12,000.

Assistant State's Attorney Jerry E. Jones, of the Narcotics Division, prosecuted this case.

Quinine? Isn't that for treating malaria?

Four Burglaries on Guilford Avenue

A mini-crime wave on Guilford Avenue in Charles Village: 3037, 3040, 3042 and 3028 were all burgled between 3 and 5 a.m. yesterday morning; electronics and jewelry were stolen.

thanks Spotcrime!

15 Years for Drawing a Death Bath

From your SA's office:

Today Judge Lynn K. Stewart sentenced Tiffany Natasha Brown, 22, of the 1400 block of N. Dukeland St. to 30 years in prison suspend all but 15 years for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and a concurrent 15-years for robbery. Brown pleaded guilty August 21, 2007 for her role in the murder of Donald Russell.

Brown helped tie up and bind the victim before he was killed. She then drew the bath water that the victim was drowned in. Once he was killed by co-defendant Octavius Savage, Brown helped drag the body downstairs and accompanied Savage to a local Wal-Mart where they bought the supplies to dispose/hide the body.

A Baltimore City Jury convicted Octavius Savage April 10, 2008 of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, first and second-degree assault and conspiracy to commit robbery. Judge John N. Prevas sentenced Savage May 19, 2008 to life plus 30-years for conspiracy to commit murder and the second-degree murder of Donald Raymond Russell.

Savage murdered Donald Raymond Russell, 64, between April 30 and May 3, 2006 at Mr. Russell's residence in the 1400 block of N. Dukeland Street. Evidence introduced at trial showed that Savage shared a house with Russell. Russell’s partial remains were found in Waldorf, Maryland.

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

June 10

A 2-year-old and a 3-year-old were shot while they were playing in a wading pool at an apartment complex in West Baltimore. Brent Jones quoted a witness who asked a mighty fine question: "It was a whole lot of shots. I didn't think it would ever stop. There was nobody out here but women and children. Why would you shoot at little kids?"

A 63-year-old BWI cabbie, Aston Beadle, was shot on his Windsor Mill doorstep after finishing a shift last week. Police and Beadle's fellow drivers are hoping a witness will come forward with some useful information. Beadle is in stable condition at Shock Trauma. (Thanks for the correction, ppatin.)

A Fredneck is dead after shooting at(?) a woman and her two kids who were in his house, barricading himself indoors, then threatening police with a knife.

Two shootings: an 18-year-old was shot just after midnight on S. Addison St., and a 28-year-old was shot at 1:00 a.m. while he was sitting with friends on a porch in the 3000 block of Spaulding Ave. "Sitting with friends on a porch" sounds like such a peaceful and positive activity, doesn't it?

Do we have a dropping murder rate because of a national trend, or because Bealefeld kicks ass, or just because we all love each other a little bit more? Regardless, the FBI says we dropped to #3 in 2007. Take that, Memphis!

My God! An armed robbery on an MTA bus! Who'd'a thunk it?

Convicted icky schoolteacher Alan Beier got four years, and said, "I will never, ever again repeat any of those actions." Good to know, Alan, good to know.

More on Judge Plitt's ruling in the Kevin Johns case.

So if these two pharmacists are found guilty for illegal Vicodin sales, will each of their customers have to pay the city a grand?

Paris George spent six years cheating people out of money for medical equipment.

Contest winner!

Jack from NJ is, hands-down, the winner of yesterday's contest. Granted, he was the only contestant, but something tells me he would have easily withstood the challenge of 100 outraged grammarians. Here's his analysis, in all of its snarky glory.

“Another attack on board a city bus.”
This is a sentence fragment. I guess the whole “subject” and “predicate” thing escaped this journalistic genius who has chosen to write in the English language for a living.

“This time, a bus driver is assaulted by a group of kids.”
While glaringly obvious to those of us who actually passed the second grade, this assault “is” not occurring in the present. The correct verb tense is therefore the past tense, thus, “This time, a bus driver was assaulted by a group of kids.” What is a group? Exactly how many is “a group?”
Is it like a flock, a gaggle, a herd, a few, or a few dozen?

“It happened sunday afternoon at 39th and Greenmount in North Baltimore.”
I think we all actually learned to capitalize the days of the week in the first grade. Also, while I recognize that “39th and Greenmount” is a colloquial description of that intersection, if I were editing, I would ask, “39th what? Did you mean, ‘39th green house on the right” or “39th Street?”

“Police tell us the kids were playing around on the bus and threw some kind of liquid on the driver.”
“Kids” is such a funny term. It can mean eight year olds tossing around some water balloons while headed home from the park to watch cartoons. It can also mean twenty-one year old newly minted alcoholics hopped up on some PCP laced green tossing around some of their own Jack Daniel’s inspired vomit. Did we bother to ask what the Po-lice meant while we were speaking to the District? Oh, and while we’re at it, did we bother to ask what kind of liquid? Which Po-lice did this information come from? Was it our brave MTA Transit Police or Baltimore City’s Finest? Inquiring minds want to know. Investigative journalist you’re not.

“The driver called for help.”
Who did the driver call? Did she call her mommy? Did she plead for help from the passengers?
Did she dial 9-1-1? Did she contact her dispatcher by radio and get some indolent, hour delayed response from an apathetic supervisor? Give us the facts, Jimmy Olsen, just the facts.

“She was taken to the hospital as a precaution.”
Who is “she”? Is “she” the driver? This would be known in the more popular grammatical circles as a “misplaced pronoun.” In a different light, who is “she?” Is “she” a sixty year old matriarchal grandma or a twenty-one year old champion kickboxer who drives a bus on the side for the thrill of the danger involved? Paint us a picture, oh Picasso of the printed page. Not to sound repetitive, but did we bother to ask which hospital? Shall we ASS-U-ME that “she” was not injured? How long was she in the hospital? Was she admitted? Was she treated and released? Was she shipped to the burn center? These are the tough questions that come from a tough beat reporter.

“Police arrested all of the kids involved.”
Was it the State Police maybe? The City Sheriff? OK, we’re still pondering that one. Was it Unlawful Possession of a Water Balloon that resulted in the wagon ride? Felonious Mopery with Intent to Gawk, perhaps? Or was it something more run-of-the-mill and recognizable, like, say, assault or weapons possession or disorderly conduct? Or should we all consult our FOX News Home News Crystal Ball? Too bad my subscription has lapsed, or I would have all of these answers!

June 9

A man was found dead this morning in the 4500 block of Bonner Rd.

If the Fox Baltimore web site weren't a useless piece of crap, I could link to their story on a bus beating in the Northern. Since they don't provide a permanent link, I'll just quote the story:

Another attack on board a city bus.
This time, a bus driver is assaulted by a group of kids.
It happened sunday afternoon at 39th and Greenmount in North Baltimore.
Police tell us the kids were playing around on the bus and threw some kind of liquid on the driver.
The driver called for help.
She was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
Police arrested all of the kids involved.

Because it's Monday morning and I'm in no shape to tolerate both unruly teens and incompetent journalists, I'm opening a Baltimore Crime contest. Whoever finds the most grammatical and/or journalistic mistakes in that stupid article and presents them in a suitably snarky manner will win the warm glow of knowing you made me laugh. Plus, if we're ever in the same room, I'll buy you a beer.

In case attacking bus drivers isn't enough fun for you, you can always attack a paramedic.

... or a cab driver. Hardworking Aston Beadle, 63, was shot in the abdomen in the county June 4 after telling his would-be robber that he had no money. Police have no leads.

Circuit Judge Emory A. Plitt Jr. "makes it clear he'll have plenty to say" about both Kevin Johns and the Maryland correctional system.

The Examiner gives more about the wacky antics of the Bolden family.

Former HoCo teacher Alan Beier won't get a new trial, even though he was, like, totally not turned on after taking risque pictures of a teenage boy.

June 8

Herlinda Rodulfo was arrested in Texas and is awaiting extradition to Maryland, where she will be charged with the murder of 18-year-old Valerie Barnes.

Remember my comment from May 27, "Somehow, it's fitting that a Waffle House would appear in a story about a family that's this screwed up?" Well, brother Reginald is in the slammer again, and brother Justin is dead after swallowing some bags of drugs.

Do naughty black BPD officers get punished more harshly than naughty white ones?

Beware of hoochie mamas bearing badges. In HoCo (ha!) "police arrested seven men Thursday on charges of solicitation of prostitution after setting up a sting targeting an area of North Laurel."

I actually like this idea, at least on the surface: implement a surcharge for the druggies from the 'burbs who support the city's drug trade.

Why do we get all the crazies? Uma Thurman's stalker, Jack Jordan, was punished by being sent to live with his parents in our fair state.

Chifonne Frazier Indicted in Light Rail Stabbing

The Baltimore City Grand Jury today indicted Chifonne Frazier,17, of the 2900 block of Ulman Avenue for attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault and related weapons charges. Court documents allege that on May 7, 2008, Chifonne Frazier assaulted and stabbed a young woman with a knife in the 100 block of North Howard Street. An arraignment is scheduled for July 11, 2008 before Judge Sylvester Cox, 203 Mitchell Courthouse. Assistant State's Attorney Michael Leedy will prosecute this case.

Aaron Speaks Convicted of Shooting Palsied Victim

A Baltimore City jury today convicted Aaron Speaks, 23, of the 2100 block of N. Guilford Ave of attempted first-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence after a two-day trial. From your intrepid SA's office:

Judge Thomas J.S. Waxter scheduled sentencing for September 16, 2008. Speaks faces a maximum possible prison term of life plus 20-years.

On August 6, 2007 at approximately 4:18PM the victim, who suffered from cerebral palsy, was walking in the 300 block of East 21st St. when Speaks crept up behind him and shot him one time at close range in the back of the neck. A CitiWatch pole camera captured Speaks feeling [sic] the scene. Witnesses testified that only one person approached the victim, only one shot was heard and only one person fled the scene. Another witness testified that shortly after the shooting the defendant admitted to shooting the victim. This shooting left the victim paralyzed from the neck down; he remains on a ventilator and is unable to speak without medical intervention. Assistant State’s Attorney Tonya LaPolla of the Firearms Investigation Violence Enforcement (F.I.V.E.) Division prosecuted this case.

Indictment for Murder of Ellsworth Monroe-Bey

The Baltimore City Grand Jury today indicted Keon Christian Dorsey, 20, of the 5300 block of Cuthbert Avenue for first-degree murder, conspiracy to robbery and robbery.

Court documents allege on April 25, 2008 Keon Dorsey assaulted Ellsworth Monroe-Bey by striking him in the head as he walked in the 3800 block of W. Belvedere Avenue. Documents further allege that the assault rendered Monroe-Bey unconscious causing him to fall into the street. It is further alleged that Dorsey continued to assault and rob Monroe-Bey. Mr. Monroe-Bey was transported to Sinai Hospital where he succumbed to his massive head injuries on May 2, 2008.

An arraignment has been scheduled for June 27, 2008 before Judge Sylvester Cox.

Murders Revisited

Hey kids! Have some Friday afternoon fun and go take a look at who got away with murder and who didn't! There are five victims (six, if you count Ashley Harris' unborn baby) and seven potential murderers in this week's installment.

How many are doing time? How many were found not guilty? How many had charges against them dropped? And who's the lucky bastard who got nine years, seven months, and five days dropped from his 10 year sentence?

(FYI, Ashley Harris' fetus didn't count as a murder victim. The murder conviction against David Lee Miller in March was the first time Maryland's fetal homicide law was used. Miller was convicted for killing Elizabeth Walters, who was about 32 weeks into her pregnancy.)

June 6

It's tough for me to get all excited over tough federal/state sentences for handgun crimes when guys like Lucky Williams only get nine years. Baby steps, I guess. Just make sure you don't witness any murders while our leaders our baby stepping their way to greater political aspirations.

A jury found Natasha Fowlkes guilty for the beating that paralyzed her neighbor. I sure didn't see that one coming.

This is a long and convoluted story, but it seems to boil down to dropping a bunch of criminal cases because of some shady behavior by a cop.

A dude with a gun and a crowbar got his home invasion on at the house of a 25-year-old Middle River woman. No word on whether or not she was hurt.

Huh. I never knew that throwing poop at someone counts as assault. Now I'll totally have to re-think my office communication strategy.

Smash and grabs are on the rise in HoCo.

Looks like there's still some Harsonists on the loose.

Guess what they found in Senator Currie's house? Here's a hint: it's green, it smells funny, and it makes you craaaaaaaazzzzzy.

Checkpoints in DC

Interesting article from the Post about police tactics to help stop a streak of violence in DC's Trinidad neighborhood.
(Thanks for the link, David)

June 5

The Blotter has the trifecta of pain: shooting, stabbing, and beating.

The Thunder From Down Under got its van back, but no word if their loincloths and swords were still inside.

Murderer and witness-intimidator Lucky Williams got nine years, a sentence that even the judge called "very, very lenient."

Meanwhile, in CarCo, Mary Gates got five years simply for trying to hire a guy to whack her husband.
More on that case here. No murder and no witness intimidation, yet she still gets more than half the time that Lucky got.

Afternoon

After some morning wonkiness at the Examiner site, Luke has his May recap posted. It's a good article, and Dr. Sharfstein's comment ("Homicide is the leading cause of death among young men in the city. When you're talking about that many people being killed, it's absolutely a public health problem.") is much more insightful than the head-in-the-sand comment in 2005 by then-Health Commissioner Beilenson ("Baltimore is actually a very safe city if you are not involved in the drug trade."). Why don't you tell that to Anna Sowers, Pete?

Mr. B. always seems to come up with these one-two punches on the days of his murder recaps, and today is no exception. He takes a look at five women who work in the same office at the Baltimore City District Court, all of whom have lost at least one male family member to the city's homicide problem.

I hate it when they bury two news stories in one link: There was a knife fight on a bus in Annapolis, and police have ID'd a suspect in the murder of 21-year-old mother-to-be Christen Hawkins.

June 4

Four murders in the Ink, and a really depressing quote from a now-dead witness who was trying to do the right thing: "I know how my brother Brandon is and I know how my homeboys is and like I said in my statement that something has to be done before it get any crazier or somebody actually get killed and the next time somebody probably won't make it out the hospital."

There's a bit more info about the Woodmere murder that happened early yesterday morning, and Derrell E. Smith was ID'd as the man who was killed on Clifton Ave. on Monday night.

It's gotta be kind of embarrassing to be arrested for drug dealing and only have $24. If I was in prison with her, I'd totally be calling her stuff like Dozens of Dollars Ashley and 24 Buck Tucker.

This should be interesting. The BPD is asking crime victims how well the police handled their cases. If Commissioner Fred actually does something useful with this information, he will move a notch higher in my already high opinion of him.

Man Indicted for Shooting Gal in Front of his Mom

Today the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Montreal Proctor, 18, of the 2000 N. Bentlou for attempted murder and other counts on Monday, June 2, 2008.

Court documents allege that Proctor is responsible for a shooting incident in the unit block of S. Ellwood Avenue on May 7, 2008. The victim traveled with the defendant’s mother to pick up her children including the defendant in East Baltimore. The defendant instructed his mother to stop in an unknown alley. The victim exited the vehicle, Proctor ordered her to get back in the vehicle, she refused, and an altercation began. Court documents allege during the altercation, Proctor shot the victim in the head. The victim was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital and released. An arraignment is scheduled for June 30, 2008 before Judge Michel W. Pierson, Room 329, Courthouse East.

sheeze, i don't even cuss in front of my mom!

June 3

We all know that dropping out of school in Baltimore is bad for your health (unless you're a teacher, in which case staying in school could be detrimental), but who knew that sitting on the porch was so dangerous?

In the time it took me to write today's post, the Sun published an article about another murder. Someone was killed at about 3:00 this morning in the 5400 block of Crismer Ave. in the Northern (or would that be Northwestern?).

And wow again. MJB just sent me a really disturbing article from the Post reporting that 49-year-old Calvert County resident Ricky Joseph Salvatore got all hepped up on beer, weed and PCP, listened to the song "41 Shots" on the radio, then fatally shot his younger brother.

Damn. I didn't realize that Shannon Dudley got stabbed in the heart. That's brutal. Of course, the two kids who were charged claim they didn't do it.

Wise words from Annapolis murder victim Jerome Hughes' grandmother during an emotional sentencing where Dupree Rashard Williams got 17 years: "You have to forgive. If you don't, it's like a cancer. It's time for all of you to grow up."

Someone in Baltimore is making some serious threats against the folks at CASA de Maryland.

Convicted car thief William Spessard escaped from a work detail yesterday with the old "I gotta pee" routine. Haven't these prison guards ever watched any movies? OF COURSE he was trying to escape. Like, duh.

Today is a rough news day for city workers. DPW employee Melvin Talbot was arrested for allegedly selling smack while he was working on Pulaski Highway, and a Public Works supervisor was arrested at the salt dome (or is that Salt Dome?) on Falls Rd. this morning for allegedly stealing water from a distributing company.

I wonder who plundered the Thunder from Down Under?

Pasadena Purses Pilfered! (I totally missed my calling as a headline writer for the New York Post.

Did Natasha Terresa Fowlkes lead the Edgewood attack that paralyzed Gregory Simmons, or was she innocently in the wrong place at the wrong time? Only God and the jury know for sure.

Hey Luke, where's your monthly recap? There are still a lotta dead people in May who need to be acknowledged, even if WJZ says this has been the least homicidal May since the '70s.

Man indicted for Kidnapping

From the SA's office:

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Christopher Johnson, 22, of the 5600 block of McClean Boulevard for kidnapping on Friday, May 30, 2008.

Court documents allege that on May 2, 2008, Johnson forced two victims into a vehicle at a bus stop located at Northern Parkway and McClean Boulevard. They were then driven to an apartment in the 5600 block of McClean Boulevard and held against their will. It is alleged that Johnson thought a Playstation 3 game had been stolen from the same apartment by the two victims.

This isn't the kidnapped teens from April, that was Catonsville. Nor does it have to do with the police-involved shooting at the same intersection in January. I'm not sure I've heard of this case before.

Murders Revisited - new post

The new "Murders Revisited" is now posted. I'm trying to find a clever way to highlight the sentence for Jason Blake, but it's really just another pathetic example of the failures of the city legal system. 358 days. Hooray, Baltimore!

June 2

Two worthless pieces of crap teenagers were arrested for stabbing aspiring barber Shannon Dudley at a bus stop downtown last week. Dudley is still in critical condition at Shock Trauma.

Father Worthless piece of crap Mark Castillo cried like a little girl (one who's still alive, that is) when he was told that city prosecutors were seeking like without parole.

21-year-old Jessup resident Christen Hawkins was three months pregnant when she was murdered.

There was a double shooting (non-fatal, so far) yesterday in the Southwestern. Otherwise, news reports indicate that everyone in Baltimore got along smashingly well over the weekend.

Uh, yeah. Never mind about that last comment.

Okay, these guys are totally awesome for driving a boxful of pipe bombs to the police, but they're totally fucking crazy for driving a boxful of pipe bombs to the police.

Goddamned immigrant guns, stealing the job of killing from our native Maryland guns.

May 31

Fascinating! FBI agents have searched the home of MD Senate Budget Committee Chair Ulysses Currie.

"Three people were shot, including one by police, during a spate of unrelated violence late Thursday and early yesterday in the northeastern and downtown areas"

Broadwater reports that new charges were filed last week against Brandon Grimes; the alleged cop-killer also allegedly assaulted a jail employee. And he also allegedly has a girlfriend-- how depressing is it to hear that if you're a single guy ISO love!

Do I detect cynicism, Ms. Linskey? "Christopher Shaw has avoided prosecution three times. In November, prosecutors dropped a drug-distribution case. Four years ago, they dropped a charge of murder; two years before that, it was an assault charge that was dropped. But this time, prosecutors say, it will be different."

Never a dull moment at Casa del Garmin: 17 years for Hollins Market hair-ron; jail for a crooked yearbook salesman; an MTA officer headed to the hoosegow for burning his own car. And, of course, the PDJ.

HarfCo is investigating the death of a jail inmate, 25-year-old Justin Eugene Bolden.

Brandon Grimes Not Guilty of Gun Charges

From the SA's office:

Late today a Baltimore jury found Brandon Grimes, 23, of the 800 block of Cator Avenue, Baltimore not guilty of handgun crimes, including prohibited possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, following less than 2 hours of deliberation.

The counts against Grimes originated early afternoon on April 13, 2006 after a car stop near his home. The allegations included that Grimes tossed a handgun into an adjacent yard after exiting his vehicle and entering his home on Cator Avenue, following a car stop by officers on routine patrol.

Grimes was found not guilty on all counts following a jury trial before Judge Wanda Heard.

Castillo Re-Arraignment Explained

From the SA's office:

Today the State filed formal written notice of its intent to seek an enhanced penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole in the case of Mark Castillo, 42, of Rockville, MD.

Under Maryland law, the State must file notice of its intention to seek enhanced penalties 30 days or more before the first trial date; his trial date is Aug. 22, 2008. A decision as to whether or not to file for the death penalty has not been made at this time. That decision will be made by State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy. She is reviewing all the pertinent court papers in this case and is also awaiting the court medical evaluation. There is no timeline other than meeting the 30-day requirement as mandated by law.

May 30

Michael S. Falls was arrested and charged with killing his 63-year-old girlfriend, Josephine House, in her N. Port St. home on Tuesday.

The body of 18-year-old Steven Parrish was found at a Baltimore County cemetery. Police have no motive or suspects in the murder.

21-year-old Christen Hawkins' beaten body was found behind a pool in Laurel.

Shannon Dudley is the guy who got stabbed at a bus stop on Charles and Baltimore on Tuesday night. It sounds like his only crime was waiting for the bus. Safe and reliable, baby, safe and reliable.

There's a whole lotta shootin' goin' on. And stabbin', and carjackin', and other assorted misbehavin', too! (WMAR's got video about the police shooting in the Southeastern.)

Shawn Lee Gray says 'Reds' was driving the car that hit and killed a Dundalk biker, but police say Shawn's a liar.

Damn. The Examiner isn't pulling any punches with this one: "Man accused of raping teen sentenced to 20 years - Not even her mother believed she was raped."

1.5 years for kiddie porn? Is Balto County getting soft on pervs?

The Frednecks don't put up with kiddie porn, though: Larry Cordell got 25 years for "making videos of sex acts with boys and distributing them through the Internet and elsewhere." This is his second conviction for child sex abuse. I can't even put in writing what I hope happens to his ass in prison, but let's just say it involves lit firecrackers and watermelons.

In HoCo, a kid was gonna bring a gun to school, but then he played hookie instead. In almost equally exciting news, I was gonna vacuum my house last night, but then I talked to one of my friends on the phone instead.

Crackheads and stockbrokers alike reported great excitement at the headline "Clean Air Act means healthier coke production." Then they read the story and didn't care.

There were probably some sort of fancy schmancy shenanigans going on with the sale of the Paramount Hotel on N. Howard St., but even after reading the article, I don't understand what the hell any of it means. White collar crime is, like, totally hard.

What's a Re- Arraignment?

A re-arraignment in the case of allegedly demented dad Mark Castillo is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. tomorrow before the Honorable Gale E. Rasin, Room 509, Courthouse East.

The first arraignment didn't take?

May 29

Thanks for the stories*, readers...
Ppatin notes that:
Omar Spriggs, who was injured in a quadruple shooting on May 15, has died.

Attempted murder charges against Brandon Allen have been dropped because the only witness against him was murdered a couple of weeks ago.

The ME has found that 63-year old Josephine House was strangled to death. Police say there were no other signs of foul play, and they have no potential suspect or motive.

And the trial of Brandon Grimes, alleged killer of Detective Troy Lamont Chesley Sr., has been postponed.
Here's more on the story from last year.
The P and I don't often agree, but I'm also puzzled as to why the SA's office didn't pursue the big D in this case. If there's any case that would seem to "merit" it, this would be it. (Though in a way it's an argument against the DP, because it's glaring, neon proof that the application is very inconsistent.)

More on the Tuesday-night stabbing at Baltimore and Charles. The victim, Shannon Dudley, "weighs less than 100 pounds and is passionate about being a barber."

Rodericks blogs on the 10-year sentence of the drunken Mexican who killed Marine Cpl. Brian Mathews and his lady, pointing out that while the victims' families were outraged, the 10 years is the heftiest drunk-driving sentence to be handed down in recent memory.

Enjoy troubling images? "The WBAL TV 11 News I-Team obtained photos that have never been seen by the public that raise troubling questions" about the now-closed Lower Shore Drill Academy in Wicomico County.

*I'm reprinting to put the links in "TinyUrl" so they won't be lost.

Talk amongst yourselves

I've got no time to post today, but there's lots of stuff on our favorite news sites. If you can find something interesting, share it with the BC gang down in the comments section. Snark and outrage are welcome and encouraged. Empathy doesn't hurt either.

The Baltimore FBI has a new division chief, Amy Jo Lyons. She's the third person to hold the job in three years.

Octogenarian absconder Willie Parker returned to Baltimore last week, three months after his arrest in NC.

The city wants to ban the sale of single cigars. But just the cheap ones, because rich people don't get cancer.

Sometimes, I enjoy posting links to inappropriate YouTube videos, just because I can.

Afternoon Update: Two Guilty Pleas

Ew. Timothy D. Price III, the 31-year-old former music director of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, pleaded guilty today to second-degree rape for having sex with a 12-year-old parishioner (the same age as his own kid, double yuk!). The Sun has an interview in which Price discusses healing through music.

At a hearing today, Darius Bacote, 17, of the 500 block of Orchard Street, pleaded guilty to Attempted Second-Degree Murder, Handgun Use in commission of a Crime of Violence and Wear Carry Transport. Judge Gale E. Rasin sentenced Bacote to 30 years, suspend all but 12 years, the first five without parole and five years of supervised probation upon his release. In February 2008 a motion to transfer the case to Juvenile Court was denied by Judge Rasin. Details:

Bacote [pled] to the following statement of facts. On November 9, 2007 in the 1300 block of West North Avenue at 9:24 p.m., Darius Bacote was observed firing a handgun by Officer Gregory Fisher who was operating an unmarked vehicle. The officer observed five muzzle flashes. The officer gave chase to Bacote and ordered him to the ground. Recovered from Bacote’s pocket was a .38 special handgun. Later that night Bacote provided a taped confession to Baltimore City detectives and confessed to shooting at Kevin Morgan because of an ongoing dispute. Initially officers were not certain if a victim or anyone had been struck but a hospital canvas revealed that a walk-in shooting victim shot in the 1300 block of West North Avenue location was admitted. Kevin Morgan was located at Shock Trauma suffering from a gunshot wound to his back. He was later released from the hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. Darius Bacote was 16-years old at the time of the shooting. Assistant State’s Attorney Andrew Kowalczyk prosecuted this case.

May 28

A man got stabbed last night at Charles St. and Baltimore St., and another man was shot in the back yesterday about "50 paces" from where Ronald Crowell was killed over the weekend. Good to see the Sun is using ancient Roman units of measure.

Meanwhile, the 16-year-old girl and the 19-year-old man who were shot in South Baltimore and Remington, respectively, are both still in the hospital. No word yet on whether the fine doctors at Shock Trauma and Hopkins are being credited with the city's continually dropping murder rate.

Speaking of the dropping murder rate, Anna D. reports only one murder this week, the death of Carlos Cervantes on S. Broadway near E. Pratt St. Anna's poetic closing sentence says it all: "He was dead." There've been 77 murders so far this year, compared to six for the same week last year and 116 total at this time in 2007.

Whoever writes the Examiner's Blotter isn't quite clear on the difference between a theft and a robbery.

The drug biz ain't the only business that's being hit by a 'no parking' zone on Pennsylvania Ave. Of course, something tells me the dealers will bounce back easier than the legit small business owners.

I think I remember Pembleton telling Bayliss that the only people who sleep in the interrogation room are the guilty ones. Looks like Vaughn Garris is guilty, then. (His confession certainly makes it look that way, too.)

Here's a closer look at the impounded video poker games in Baltimore County.

No Clarking Zone

The City's lawyer has filed a motion to block the reinstatement of Kevin Clark to the police commissioner's job. The C of A had deemed his firing illegal in March. O'Malley had claimed that Clark was fired because his wife threw a phone at him a decade ago; rumors had it that Clark was canned after he refused to go along with various shady goings-on in the mayor's administration.
... or maybe it was Clark who was sketchy, all along.

Not Baltimore, but I know some of you have been following the case in PGC of Keith Washington, convicted of shooting two Marlo Furniture deliverymen, Brandon Clark and Robert White. Washington was sentenced today to 45 years.

Funniest. Typo. Ever. (Here's the closeup)

Indictment in Murder of Sean Michael Henderson

Today the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Dominic Brown, 27, of the 1300 block of Vida Drive for first-degree murder and attempted murder. Details from Jessamy's office:

Court documents allege that on May 4, 2008, Brown was responsible for shooting two victims in the 3200 block of Belair Road. The first victim, Sean Michael Henderson, 36, was escorting two females to their vehicles from an establishment in the unit block when Brown approached the trio and engaged in a brief conversation. Shortly afterward, Brown produced a handgun and began firing at the victim striking him several times. Henderson died from his injuries at Johns Hopkins Hospital. A second victim was shot in the leg and survived his injuries. An arraignment is scheduled for June 28, 2008 before Judge Sylvester Cox, Room 203 Mitchell Courthouse.

May 27

Ronald Crowell's (or Cromwell's, depending which Sun article you believe) death on Normal Ave. leaves only six men alive from five generations of their family. (The article features a good photo of his family creating a makeshift memorial.)

A 16-year-old girl was shot in the face in South Baltimore.

A 19-year-old man was shot in the head in Remington early this morning.

A tall, bald, well-dressed black man robbed a 1st Mariner Bank on N. Charles St. on Sunday morning.

Somehow, it's fitting that a Waffle House would appear in a story about a family that's this screwed up.

The Balto County PD has posted some crime prevention tips on their web site. I'd make fun of how obvious some of the tips are, but every Blotter makes it clear how many people haven't learned to take their GPS and their iPod (and Viagra) with them when they park.

May 25

WBAL reports murder #77 is a 19-year-old man shot to death in the 1100 block of E. North Avenue.

Murder #76 is an unidentified man shot in the 1600 block of Normal Avenue.
(Thanks non)

Annals of Juvenile Justice: Gay St. facility a "poorly configured monstrosity," "a failure," "a powder keg," "out of control," and "a bleak place that breeds hopelessness" that's "worsening." And the architecture sucks, too.

Selling bacon? The police are conducting customer satisfaction surveys.

Say what now? In Parkville, "Man Shot Just Before Car Crash Dies."

WBAL has a pic of Federal Hill beatdown suspect Ashley Zion, left.

And police have arrested a suspect in the light rail stabbing, one 17-year-old Chiffone Frazier, who was ID'd as the assailant who held the victim's hair (then, apparently, she glued the tufts onto her own head).

A judge has nullified a $1.5 million judgment awarded to a woman in a defamation suit against D! M! X! The woman was sperminated by the "star" in a local hotel room.

Guilty Verdict in Philip Airey Murder

Michael Martin, 28, of the 200 block of Allwood Road was found guilty late Friday afternoon May 23 of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder and assault and deadly weapon charges before the Honorable John Addison Howard. The maximum sentence for first-degree murder is life in prison. Sentencing is scheduled August 14, 2008. Details from the SA's office:

On June 20, 2007 Anne Arundel County Fire Department responded to the scene of a car fire in the field off a ramp leading to West Nursery Road off of I-295. The firefighters noticed the 1993 Chevrolet Prism gas cap was missing, license plates were missing and the area around the car was also burned. When fire officials popped the trunk they found decomposed remains of a body later identified as Philip Calvin Airey Jr., 36.

Statement of facts. Philip Airey had been reported missing by his mother on June 19, 2007. She last saw her son on June 18 just before he left to meet Tracy Asbury at a local bar. According to witness statements, Airey arrived alone, ordered two drinks before Asbury showed up at the bar. The two were observed by witnesses having drinks and playing pool together for several hours before Asbury left the bar alone at midnight. Asbury was observed on her cell phone as she left the bar. Cell phone records revealed that Asbury was calling Michael Martin and Robert Speake. Airey ordered his last drink after Asbury left at 12:07 a.m. Cell phone records indicate Asbury made several cell phone calls to Airey between 12:40 and 12:42 a.m. Shortly after that time Airey arrived at the house on Pennington Avenue. According to witnesses, upon his entrance to the house he was met with fists, kicks and punches in the living room. The fight moved down into the basement where he was further assaulted and ultimately stabbed to death. Witnesses at the house at the time of the assault gave statements that they saw Michael Martin, Tracy Asbury and Robert Speake assault Airey and later saw a body wrapped in a blanket and a sleeping bag in the basement of the house. Another witness gave a statement that the next day, in the early morning, he saw Philip Airey’s prism in the alley and that Tracy Asbury was standing next to the vehicle and the trunk of the car was open. Witnesses gave statements that Asbury had spoken openly about an elaborate plan to assault Airey over the course of several weeks.

Speake, 19, [pleaded] guilty April 7, 2008 to second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault and use of a deadly weapon (knife) with intent to injure. Under terms of the plea agreement Speake was to testify truthfully in the Asbury trial. and will receive a prison term of 58-years suspend all but 43-years at a later date.

Tracy Asbury plead[ed] guilty May 14 to second-degree murder and conspiracy to assault before the Honorable John Addison Howard. As part of her plea agreement with the state, Asbury will receive a sentence of 55-years suspend all but 33-years and a 5-year probation term. Sentencing has been held sub-curia until the Martin case concluded.

Michael Martin is the last co-defendant to be convicted.

Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Shaffer of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

May 23

The Blotter reports four shootings this week on or near Monument St. in East Baltimore.

What happened to the good ol' days, when armed teenagers on PCP would steal muscle cars instead of mini vans? (One of the alleged thieves' middle name is Delorean. Somebody's parents musta had a thing for Michael J. Fox.)

Fake water inspectors may be trying to steal your shit.

Maybe by the time Victor William Kunst Jr. gets out of kiddie porn jail, he'll be too old to get it up.

Someone snitched on cameraman extraordinaire Akiba Matthews, who was found guilty and now faces 30 years on federal drug and gun charges.

Prosecutors are fighting gangs with the theatre arts.

12 Years for 6 Corpses

The good news: in this week's edition of "Murders Revisited," three out of six adults charged with murder faced some sort of consequence. The bad news: none of the sentences for the three men charged exceeded five years.

There was an armed robbery on campus at UMBC.
(thanks Jeff!)

May 21

Six more murders this week, compared to five in last year's (5/23/07) issue of Murder Ink.

Why is this buried in the Blotter? "A woman, 23, told police she was standing on South Broadway about 2 a.m. Friday and waiting for a ride when a man forced her into a nearby alley and raped her. The woman reported the incident Sunday and was taken to a hospital."

Sunday's bloody melee (I love that word, melee!) in Federal Hill is all over the print news, but TV doesn't seem so interested: The Sun, The Examiner, The Examiner blog (Now With Comments!), and b (along with the question "Would we care if it happened in a different ZIP code?" Looking at the number of fights in the Blotter, I think the answer is a resounding "no").

No bail for Queen Antoinette or her 20-year-old daughter, Trevia Williams. Hmmmm... would that mean Williams is Princess Trevia?

'Rock' was arrested for the weekend murder in Columbia. The victim was a known member of the Long Reach Crew, a Columbia gang known for drugs, assaults, and all the other fun things for which stupid suburban HoCo kids celebrate gang culture.

Joshua Rice got 30 years for strangling west-side hooker Jennifer Fishbach with a coat hanger in 2004.

If three kids and grandma were running amok and kicking the principal on a show on the Disney Channel, we'd all think it was cute.

Looks like we're finally snitching again.

Police stopped a van that was carrying more than 500 pair of fake Nikes.

The dude who threatened to "choke the life out of O'Malley" is off of house detention. So here's a question: If the government arrested everyone who had a similar thought about either O'Malley or Dixon, how much of our population would be in jail?

May 20

A man got killed at S. Broadway and Gough in Fells Point last night at about 9:00.

GBHS sophomore Christian J. Schellenschlager Jr. was arrested for killing a 49-year-old man with a bat. Schellenschlager was arrested after his mom ratted him out. So what do you think? Did his mom do the right thing? Could you rat out your kid, knowing it might mean many years in federal pound-me-in-the-ass prison?

A body that might have ties to Maryland was found in the trunk of a car in Morrisville, PA.

We can add Tony Allen to the list of dead doppelgangers in Baltimore. (The Wikipedia entry for those of you who've missed the other Tony Allen's mighty drumming skills.)

Alleged priestjacker Angelo Parker is on trial after he and his mother refused a plea deal that would have gotten him 12 years. Mama Parker says that she's leaving Angelo's fate in God's hands, which maybe isn't such a good idea for a dude who robs the clergy.

Too bad young Mr. Parker didn't go after Jeff Toohey, who was finally dismissed from the priesthood three years after pleading guilty to getting it on with a young man.

PDJ: Juan R. Payz Reyes likes 'em young and he like 'em crazy, but he likes 'em best when he gets off with a slap on the wrist.

In Annapolis, a man slammed a 14-year-old boy's head into the wall, then shot at him with what can only be described as rotten aim.

Damn, I didn't realize Queen Antoinette was in custody already! Police want no bail for her and two of her subjects, all of whom were nabbed in New York.

Carroll County hearts Oxycodone!

If I had a cheesy moustache like this dude, I probably would've turned to a life of crime too.

Like Frying Eggs on Teflon

It's the latest installment of "Murders Revisited," in which 3 of 4 homicides go unpunished.

CV Follies

... from JHU security (thanks CD!)

3 JUVENILE ARRESTS - Weapons Violations - 100 Blk. E. 30th St. - On May 17th at 7:50 PM, Baltimore Police and Campus Officers stopped three juveniles; 14, 15, and 17 years old. One of the juveniles attempted to dispose of two hammers prior to being stopped. Another juvenile had a steak knife and screwdriver in his possession. All were arrested by Baltimore Police and charged with possession of deadly weapons.

3 JUVENILE ARRESTS - Armed Robbery - 2900 Blk. Hargrove St. - On May 17th at 11:00 PM, a non-affiliate was approached by four juveniles, one of whom displayed a handgun, demanded and took money. Three of the four juveniles, 15 and 16 years old, were stopped in the 3000 Blk. N. Charles Street by Campus Officers and an off-duty Baltimore Police officer working for JHU. Baltimore Police responded and arrested the three juveniles based on a positive identification by the victim. A warrant will be obtained for a fourth juvenile involved. No injuries.

Attempt Armed Robbery - E. 26th & N. Charles Sts. - On May 15th at 7:20 PM, a senior undergraduate was approached by two unknown males in their late teens or early 20's as he walked by them at the intersection. One of the males displayed a knife and demanded the victim's property. The victim walked away from the suspects who did not follow him but were last seen walking east on E. 26th Street. No injuries. Nothing taken. The incident was reported to Campus Safety and Security on May 16th. Investigation continuing.

Auto Theft - Unit Blk. E. 30th St. - On May 16th between 12:30 AM and 6:30 PM, a JHMI employee's parked vehicle was taken. Baltimore Police responded. Investigation continuing.

Student Arrested on Alcohol Violation -- 3200 Blk. N. Calvert St. - On May 18th at 2:48 AM, as a Baltimore Police officer approached a sophomore undergraduate carrying an open container of alcohol, the student threw the container to the ground and ran into a nearby residence where he was located and arrested by Baltimore Police.

May 19

There were two murders (reported so far) over the weekend in the city: 18-year-old Valerie Barnes was shot repeatedly in a Brooklyn house on Saturday evening, and 42-year-old Jeffrey Gause was shot in his car on Sunday morning.

There were two shootings in HoCo over the weekend, and one of them was fatal.

In the Blotter, the ethics of Baltimore shine as old men are robbed and Goodwill stores are burglarized.

A catfight in Edgewood left one woman in the hospital and one in the slammer.

Cops are getting new training.

(Alleged) kid-killer Mark Castillo is scheduled for arraignment today.
UPDATE: At his arraignment today, Mark Castillo entered a not guilty plea. A NCR motion (Not Criminally Responsible) was filed with the court. Judge Timothy J. Doory continued the case to August 22, 2008 at 9:30 AM, Part 46, for trial. He remains held without bail.

(Alleged) dad-killer Danny Thompson Jr. won't get out on bail either.

RIP Blue Light Cameras!

Fritze reports it's good riddance to O'Malley's election-season folly, blue-light cameras! (Estory)

When I was at a CJCC meeting while the lights were being installed during the election season, the estimates I heard to get the first generation of cameras up and going was $800,000 - $1.3 million each.
$30k is a bit of a diff!

Sentences for Assault, 1st-Degree Murder of Cecil Saunders, 28

Edited, from the SA's Office:

Judge Robert Kershaw sentenced Leneal Montay Collins, 30, of the unit block of South Wickham Road and Demetrius Williams, 19, of the 5900 block of Deywalt Avenue of first-degree assault and conspiracy to commit first-degree assault for their participation in the brutal attack assault on Cecil Saunders today. Judge Kershaw sentenced Demetrius Williams to 25 years in prison for assault and 20 years for conspiracy to assault to run consecutively and Collins to 25 years for the conspiracy to commit assault in the first degree and ten years for the assault in the second degree. Assistant State’s Attorney Diana Smith of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

On March 14, 2008 a city jury convicted Ernest Knox, aka Donnell Williams, 25, of the 900 block of Woodington Road of first-degree murder, first-degree assault and conspiracy to commit first-degree assault. Judge Kershaw sentenced Knox to life suspend all but 100 years for the first degree murder of Cecil Saunders and 20 years for the conspiracy to first degree assault to run consecutively. On August 9, 2006 police identified Knox on a private, security camera beating and kicking Cecil Saunders, 28, 35 times in the head and chest inside a stairwell at the Executive Inn in the 3600 block of Pulaski Highway.

Microeconomics Dept.

Van Smith has another CP web exclusive on the travels of one indicted drug dealer's money.

May 16

Damn, last night was a bloody night. First, a guy got shot somewhere on E. North Ave. and is in critical condition, then four guys got shot somewhere else on E. North Ave. and one of them died, then two guys got shot in the legs in Park Heights, then one guy got shot in West Baltimore and died.

The cops tried to serve a warrant to a Lansdowne man, but ended up serving him a belly full of death.

Lewin Powell apparently didn't try to hide the fact that he killed his mother.

Perv du jour Richard David Morris is looking at a few decades of being the prey instead of the predator.

Lots of stolen clothing in the Blotter, including one guy who gave up his scarf at gunpoint.

They're taking down the blue light cameras.

Another story on the asshole dealers who are stashing drugs at St. Frances Academy. One student said, "This is our neighborhood, and we don’t want drugs in it."

Teenage Boys go Insane!

Daniel Eugene Thompson, Jr., 17, was arrested for stabbing new dad Carlos Santay-Carrillo.

Lewin Carlton Powell III reportedly killed his mom in a fight over grades.

It's a CP Web Exclusive!

Speaking of well-educated sons, the CP's Jeffrey Anderson and Van Smith write about Phillip Winkfield, the son of a federal judge who may soon be facing his own federal charges.

Kisses and Echoes

From the blogosphere: A budding Republican named Kevin posts an editorial on Baltimore's crime problem.
Don't forget to install a stat counter, kid!

And some real family values in CA! The California Supreme Court just ok'd gay marriage! A historic day!

May 15

Another Balto County teen went apeshit. This time, it's a 16-year-old McDonough scholarship student who beat his mother to death with a bat and tried to do the same to his father.

There was a triple shooting with one fatality in the Perkins Homes on Dallas Ct., just a block away from where Frederick Douglass invested some of his money in building homes for poor people.

Things got a little stabby this morning at the Bolton House in Mt. Royal.

A merchant turned over security camera footage that shows a possible suspect in Carlos Santay-Carrillo's murder.

Police have released a sketch of a man who might know something about the murder of Nancy Schmidt in Remington.

Kerri King pleaded not guilty. I wonder what her story is? Maybe she loaned the car to one of her drunk stripper friends, or maybe it's just that The Man is keeping her down.

The new dealers in East Baltimore have no respect for the old dealers' tradition of respecting the sacred space at St. Frances Academy.

There was a bank robbery in Federal Hill on Monday.

The family of Norman Stamp is filing a wrongful death lawsuit.

A murder in Towson!

Split-level in Riderwood? Victim named Donna Rosemarie Campbell-Powell, aged 39? sounds like another domestic...

Guilty Plea for Philip Airey's Murder

Tracy Asbury pleaded guilty today to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree assault before the Honorable John Addison Howard. Police believe Airey was killed during a fight with the suspects in Curtis Bay (South Baltimore).
The maximum sentence for second degree murder is 30 years and 25 years for conspiracy to assault. Sentencing will be held sub curia with a date to be set. The story from the SA's office:

"On June 20, 2007 Anne Arundel County Fire Department responded to the scene of a car fire in the field off a ramp leading to West Nursery Road off of I-295. The firefighters noticed the 1993 Chevrolet Prism gas cap was missing, license plates were missing and the area around the car was also burned. When fire officials popped the trunk they found decomposed remains of a body later identified as Philip Calvin Airey Jr., 36.

Statement of facts. Philip Airey had been reported missing by his mother on June 19, 2007. She last saw her son on June 18 just before he left to meet Tracy Asbury at a local bar. According to witness statements, Airey arrived alone, ordered two drinks before Asbury showed up at the bar. The two were observed by witnesses having drinks and playing pool together for several hours before Asbury left the bar alone at midnight. Asbury was observed on her cell phone as she left the bar. Cell phone records revealed that Asbury was calling Michael Martin and Robert Speake. Airey ordered his last drink after Asbury left at 12:07 a.m. Cell phone records indicate Asbury made several cell phone calls to Airey between 12:40 and 12:42 a.m. Shortly after that time Airey arrived at the house on Pennington Avenue. According to witnesses, upon his entrance to the house he was met with fists, kicks and punches in the living room. The fight moved down into the basement where he was further assaulted and ultimately stabbed to death. Witnesses at the house at the time of the assault gave statements that they saw Michael Martin, Tracy Asbury and Robert Speake assault Airey and later saw a body wrapped in a blanket and a sleeping bag in the basement of the house. Another witness gave a statement that the next day, in the early morning, he saw Philip Airey’s prism in the alley and that Tracy Asbury was standing next to the vehicle and the trunk of the car was open. Witnesses gave statements that Asbury had spoken openly about an elaborate plan to assault Airey over the course of several weeks.

Speake, 19, [pleaded] guilty April 7, 2008 to second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree assault and use of a deadly weapon (knife) with intent to injure. Under terms of the plea agreement Speake was to testify truthfully in the Asbury trial. and will receive a prison term of 58-years suspend all but 43-years at a later date."

Michael Martin’s murder trial is pending.
Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Shaffer of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

May 14

Anna D. points out that despite our recent influx in murders, we're still killing each other much less frequently than we were last year at this time. She also provided ID's for four of the recent murder victims.

A rare misstep from Linskey: Quite a different story has emerged re. the gun battle May 7 on Ellwood Ave!
Turns out the 18-year-old who reportedly shot his mother actually shot his mother's friend. Alleged rotten teen Montreal Proctor, 18, is now in the city jail being charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder.

A look back at some of our city's most famous "criminals," who were motivated by something far greater than drugs, money, and street cred.

Greg Kane focuses on a group of students who are kicking ass in all the right ways.

Grad Student Robbed of Soda

JHU Homewood Campus
ARMED ROBBERY
Unit Block East 29th Street
MAY 13, 2008 - 1:05 AM

A graduate student had parked his vehicle and was walking east in the unit block of E. 29th Street when a black SUV drove slowly by him and stopped. Two unknown males wearing black bandanas over their faces got out of the SUV. One suspect pointed, what appeared to be, a long-barreled gun at the student while the other suspect went through his pockets. A wallet and a 12-pack of soda were taken from the victim who was not injured. The two suspects ran back to the SUV which then drove west on W. 29th Street. Baltimore Police and Campus Officers responded. Investigation continuing.

Thanks Colin!
Loving the new level of detail at CrimeBaltimore.com!

UPDATE: shot baby wasn't shot after all, but had his head scraped as grandma dove for cover.

Fresh from the Gov's Desk

Brand-new laws "expanding the state's collection of DNA samples from criminal suspects, establishing a commission to study the death penalty and delaying a ban on phosphorous in dish detergents."