What a shocker...

Registered sex offender arrested for sex offense, according to this poorly written, apparently unedited article. (Look, ma, no hyphen!)

Highlights: "Then Mason drove to a business in the Annapolis area to purchase food and was accompanied by the 13-year-old female." Nice way to start a sentence...

"One of the females text a family member stating that the juveniles were scared and needed assistance."

"Mason was arrested and charged with Second Degree Rape, Perverted Practice and Contributing to a Mino." He contributed to a mino? Helping out needy birds is a crime now?

Your tax dollars at play

Councilman Bill Henry pays the city back $6K for bar tab, other expenses.

Roundup

Jury doesn't buy insanity defense - Mary Koontz found guilty of murdering her husband. According to her daughter (and would-be victim), "it was like a weight lifted off all of our shoulders."

No charges will be filed in the shooting death of a home invader back in March.

Take note: If you're wrongfully arrested (due to a court's clerical error), shackled by wrists and ankles to a pole for 12 hours, while your children are left alone in a highway parking lot, and are declared "truly innocent and injured" by the Court of Special Appeals... you can't sue anyone. Sorry! So, you know, make sure that doesn't happen, okay?

Documents in the murder of UVA student Yeardly Love are unsealed. Ex-boyfriend George Huguely V admits kicking in her door and getting in an "altercation" with her. Was the murder planned?

Police intentionally run over some dummies.

Detectives are reviewing 18 months of data on City rape reports.

It's hot out, people. Don't leave your dogs in the car.

Missing a credit card? Terrell Reid might have it.

City Councilman reimburses taxpayers for that food we bought him. At least he wasn't using gift cards...

Omar Comin!

A real-life Omar wannabe is in deep trouble with the Federales.

Court of Special Appeals: Don't yell loudly while getting arrested.

Another candidate has filed to run for State's Attorney in the City but her candidacy doesn't look serious.

More gun seizures.

The Westboro Baptist Church case is headed for the Supreme Court.

Tighter contraband screenings in Maryland's prisons.

Judge Orders Couple To Split Custody Of Dog.

Non-fatal machete attack in Anne Arundel County.

15 federal years for sexual assault and kiddy porn. The perp in question is already doing 15 in the state system.

A snowball's chance?

Could someone possibly unseat Patricia Coates Jessamy after 15 years and three re-elections as State's Attorney?
Could that someone be one Gregg Bernstein?
Do enough people even know what a State's Attorney is and what they do all day to be convinced to care?
... hope these two have a debate, at least.

Bloodsworth retiring

Maybe the Southern District Commander not so thrilled with his "promotion"

Homicide in Northwest, BGF

Man found DOA in Northwest District.

Feds hand down more indictments for the Black Guerrilla Family.

Feds catch a big fish

What the hell is a Narco-sub?

Reading this story may lead to infertility

A NY Rep has introduced Federal legislation that would have the FTC regulate the advertising of crisis pregnancy centers.

Basketball star killed

City violence claims Mount Carmel basketball star.

Bad week

Lots of homicides, shootings, and robberies this week.

Five shootings overnight

Police report 5 shootings overnight

More on the man running against city prosecutor Pat Jessamy.

Shooting victim dies

A man shot on June 20th has died.

Another marine killed in Baltimore

The man shot and killed in a city after-hours club was a marine about to deploy.

Southern district major forced to depart

Major Scott Bloodsworth is being forced to give up command of the Southern district

Lots of guns

Lots of guns getting seized by the cops.

Baltimore's new rape hotline is starting to get calls.

A fatal shooting in Essex and another outside of a bar on Baltimore Street.

A 21-year old man was murdered in Brooklyn Park, Anne Arundel County cops are looking for two suspects.

And just in case you thought we didn't have enough homicides, a 16-year old was shot dead in Reservoir Hill on Thursday morning. He was the fourth teenager to be murdered so far this year.

Mental health "experts" can't agree if Mary Koontz, on trial for murdering her husband, is sane.

An Ellicott City man convicted by the Federales of securities fraud will get a new trial.

Was anyone else surprised that the Baltimore Sun didn't have an article about the beheading verdict being upheld? From what I recall there was a real fear that their conviction might be overturned.

Court upholds verdict

Court of special appeals upholds a guilty verdict in the beheading of three children.

Rape victim tells ABC about BPD's lack of responsiveness.. police say they have no record of her case

"A 24-year-old woman who had been stripping at Norma Jean's Gentleman's Club in Baltimore was found guilty Tuesday of stabbing another stripper to death in November 2008."

It is what it isn't

Police are now reviewing all recent rape cases that were ruled unfounded, thanks to Justin Fenton's article on the BPD's penchant for finding woman who reports rapes unreliable.

Meanwhile, 3 officers who were suspended for trying to talk a rape victim out of reporting it are suspended again.

The city is doing its collective best to make sure no one gets punished to severely for allowing a sex offender to collect sick pay while in prison.

Good news for the circulator

Complaints that ridership is not meeting expectations are premature as the young men involved in a shooting last night put the Charm City circulator to good use.

How's that Hampden Methadone Clinic Going?

Insightful comment from "David" on the Feb. 10th Hampden Methadone Clinic post

.. and did you see the NYT column last week about Baltimore's two Wes Moores? (added the book to the librury, hope to read it soon)

Rape reporting

Baltimore City police classify the highest number of rape reports 'unfounded' in the country.

A little gun play at the Harbor

Musta cleared out the Cheesecake Factory pretty quick...

Skinny Suge Sentenced

Famed Stop Snitching creator Ronnie "Skinny Suge" Thomas receives 20 years in federal prison without parole.

Parole and probation crackdown

Parole and probation officers protest a new policy requiring three meet face to face meetings a week with parolees. Union says the policy is political because it affects counties key to the 2010 governor's race.

Death row moves

Maryland's death row inmates have been moved from the Maryland Correctional Adjustment Center (which used to be informally known as "Supermax") to the North Branch Correctional Institution near Cumberland. Executions (if we ever have one again) will still take place at the Metropolitan Transition Center.

The Sun has a few more details about the transfer.

Mass arrests

According to the ACLU, the officers sued for illegally arresting 13 residents didn't know the law.

Meanwhile, O'Malley says it's the policy was not his fault...there's only so much you can do when you're the mayor.

Bealefeld: we're trying to win the drug war

to which a city resident replies...I'm more afraid of the police than I am of the drug dealers...

Bad poetry

Tree Top Piru Bloods leader writes a poem about murder, gets 30 years in federal prison.

A Cherry Hill shooting victim dies and a decomposing body is found in an abandoned house in Pigtown.

Murderous couple is getting divorced. He's doing 38 years, she's doing life plus 20.

No pepperoni on your pizza

Former high-power lobbyist Jack Abramoff has been released from federal prison and is working at a kosher pizza restaurant on Reisterstown Road.

Illegal arrest settlement

BPD pays out another big settlement, this time for illegal arrests.

Too much cerveza

Illegal immigrant (with a Maryland driver's license) drives drunk, kills passenger.

Bloods gang leader Terrence "Squeaky" Richardson received two life sentences in federal court this morning. There is no parole in the federal system.

Bad area

The shooting one Wolfe just a few blocks from the weekend homicide on Washington.

Bealefeld speaks

The Commish returns from vacation

20 Years

.. for 3.5 pounds of hair-ron

Bad night for this guy

He was shot at twice in two separate incidents in one evening, hit once.

Nine shootings in a 24 hour period. So far it looks like only one of them was fatal.

Safe Surrender appears to have been a success.

4 people shot in one incident and one shot and killed in East Baltimore.

News of the Weird

Utah executes man by firing squad (& Tweets about it)

Former first daughter robbed

Two bikes stolen from Jenna Bush

Ripping off the police

Ever get a call soliciting a donations for a FOP lodge. Well two men were sentenced for collecting donations which they pocketed by a federal judge yesterday.

Meanwhile, Baltimore man who shot at a Westminster Sheriff arrested in Hagerstown.

intriguing!

Could there be a contender for the State's Attorney's office?

More kids arrested for animal abuse; two 10-year-olds accused of beating a puppy to death on the Carroll Park Golf Course.

The "bottle tax" es muerto

Extra gross! A school bus driver, Scott Smallwood (heh!) indicted for child porn

Off the Docks & off the clocks! Hanover restauranteur pleads guilty to harboring illegal aliens

Child Movie Stars Never Turn Out Ok...

Star of "Boys of Baraka" is among 22 Gilmor Homes residents indicted by federal court.

Another guilty plea in the large scale pawn shop money laundering case.

Finally, a more in def look into the background of some of the people who have used the safe surrender program.

Arrest in dog killing case

Police have arrested two boys, pretty young, in connection with the death of the dog found hanging on a fence

Droopy B-Cup Sought

.. in Towson pistol-whip robbery.. last seen in a tube top

Another crime unpunished

Looks like the schemers who helped a sex offender get paid by the city while in jail are getting their pensions...courtesy of city taxpayers, of course - the equal opportunity funders of pensions for the criminally inclined.

Yes, it may be hard to investigate a fellow officer who shot a marine nine times, but it's even harder to lose a son who survived Iraq only to be gunned down by someone sworn to uphold the law.

Child porn sentence

30 years for a Parkville child pornographer who took distributed images of a disabled girl in his custody.

Justice For Raven Wyatt

Lamont Davis got life plus 30 years after judge Rasin rejected his motion for a new trial. Now we wait and see what the Court of Special Appeals does with this case.

Calvin Lockner's trial for beating up a 76-year old man was postponed. He'd better cover up that Hitler tattoo whenever he finally does end up in front of a jury!

Have you seen this man?

He took a shot a Carrol County cop, they think he may be in Baltimore

More details on the death of the census worker.

One More Murder In This Town

A census worker was shot and killed last week.

A 25-year old from Glen Burnie became Annapolis's third murder victim of the year over the weekend.

Two men have been charged with first-degree murder for the slaying of Trooper Wesley Brown. I'm sure nobody is surprised that both of them have "extensive" criminal records.

Ten men have been arrested for soliciting prostitutes in Laurel. The cops were kind enough to release their names and home towns.

Weekend crime

Fatal stabbing in Elkton and a shooting just North of Patterson Park.

The killer of Maryland State Trooper Wesley Brown is still at large. A $75,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of his killer.

Update: A "person of interest" is in custody.

Officer turns himself in

Missing police officer charged with murder turns himself-in.

Cop charged

Prosecutors have issued murder charges for city cop Gahiji A. Tshambi

State Trooper Murdered

An off-duty MD State Trooper was shot and killed in PG County.

The Mt. Vernon police shooting story keeps getting worse. Four separate witnesses say that the victim had his hands in the air when he was shot.

Officer Tommy Sanders has been acquitted of manslaughter in the shooting of Edward Lamont Hunt.

Sex trafficking at a sleazy motel in Laurel.

City housing inspector caught taking bribes

Another city employee not satisfied with their pay.

An extensive look at the life of the officer Gahiji A. Tshamba, who shot and killed Tyrone Brown over the weekend.

Officer trying to shoot dog hits juvenile

...in the leg,

BDP in trouble

Perhaps one of the last people to speak to Tyrone Brown before he was shot by an off-duty police officer tells her story.

The manslaughter trial of police officer Tommy Sanders in underway

The officer who shot and killed Tyrone Brown had some previous issues with alcohol

police had arrested the 80 year old husband of the 83-year old woman who was found dead. Apparently he choked her to death.

Keeping people locked up

A new report by the Justice Policy Institute says that Baltimore is pretty good a keeping people in jail pre-trial, at least.

It gets worse

Off duty officer shot Tyrone Brown nine times.

83-year old woman found fatally beaten in her West Baltimore home.

More on police involved shoooting

Peter Hermann raises questions about officer involved in weekend shooting.

NAACP asks for meeting with commissioner.

Officer suspended

Police officer involved in controversial shooting suspended.

The Sun reports the officer had a previous alcohol related shooting.

Be On the Lookout...

"Hispanic Midget" is wanted for first degree murder out in Montgomery County.

Something gives me the feeling he's not going to be too hard to find.

Man shot, killed by off-duty officer

A man was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer outside a Mt. Vernon Bar.

Officer shot 14 rounds after victim groped his girlfriend.

Trial to start for officer accused of manslaughter

The trial of the police officer Tommy Sanders is set to begin today.

Last night city cops shut down York road.

Dirty Bishop

... arrested for sexually assaulting an adult female congregant

Baby beaten

An Edgewood man has been charged with attempted murder for beating his one year old daughter

'We are not the Taliban'

Dirt bike riders plead their case...

Another day in the lfie

7 year old contracts venereal disease from 22-year old

May 15th stabbing victim was set to be a witness at an upcoming murder trial

Dirt bike accident leads to b-more style beat down.

Outdoorsman

Bealefeld holds roll call on 33rd Street.

15 Years for Doubly Deadly Stabbing Spree

From the SAO:

At a hearing today Judge Pamela J. White imposed the agreed-upon sentence for Steven J. Lashley, 32, of the 2000 block of Paulette Road: 30 years in prison suspend all but 15 years, two concurrent five year prison terms and three years probation.

Lashley pled guilty to second-degree murder and two counts of second-degree assault May 19, 2010. The State agreed to the plea when the State’s main witness, a woman previously convicted of manslaughter, told the parties that she intended to invoke her Fifth Amendment right and would not testify if called as a witness.

On September 22, 2005 Lashley stabbed three people in the 400 block of Water Street at Commerce Street following an altercation in a nearby New York Fried Chicken restaurant. Stanley Thomas, Jr was killed and two others were injured.

it's curtains for you, Miranda, my dear...

The US Supreme court rules "a suspect who has received and understood the Miranda warnings, and has not invoked his Miranda rights, waives the right to remain silent by making an un-coerced statement to the police."

Another victim

Another man shot dead on West Baltimore Street

Man shot in the head

Man shot in the head and killed on North Fulton.

8 homicides

Domestic stabbing makes it 8 slayings for the weekend.

Carrolton residents angered over surge in voilence.

Rough weekend

Double shooting, two more deaths

What?

???man shot in the leg while driving on Route 100 near Glen Burnie

Lawyer for teen comvicted of shooting a 5 year old girl in the head wants a new trial

Kids lay waste to abadoned rec center in East Baltmore

Homicides

Some mayhem last night, with two homicides occruing minutes and blocks apart.

ACLU on defense

The ACLU has decided to defend a man who recorded a traffic stop with a Maryland State Trooper and posted it on Youtube. He has been charged with...wire tapping!

Taser death, charges dropped in murder case

Man dies after being tasered by county police

Witnesses disappear, charges dropped in murder of elderly man

Bad motel

Bad things happened at this motel...

Former CFO of the MD Legal Aid bureau, Benjamin L. King Jr., charged in scheme to steal $1.1 million from the organization. Fun fact: King's dad was the first African-American to earn a CPA license in MD.

... another crazy family murder-for-hire-scheme! Dundalk bar owner Lee Martin was apparently done in by his brother-in-law at the behest of his wife, who claims to have been a victim of domestic violence. Unlike the crazy byatch in the county, there may actually be evidence to support her allegations. All four suspects are being held without bail.

Biggest loser

Peter Hermann on an arrest tied to the largest collection of child porn ever found in Maryland.

How not to ditch a gun

Rolling it up in your shirt after you just shot someone doesn't work.

Drug lab in Woodlawn

Police believe a illegal drug lab sparked a fire in Woodlawn.

Shootings, questions in bar owner's murder, and rants

Police investigate 7 shootings and one homicide over the weekend

More questions surrounding the shooting of a Dundalk bar owner

I.V. Editor Regina Holmes (and city resident) not pleased that Pat Jessamy said it's okay to pay jailed sex offender taxpayer funded sick leave.

Charges dropped against MTA cop

Charges dropped against MTA cop accused of raping a 15 year old who asked him for directions.

Abductions continued, bar owner slain

Getting snatched off the street is becoming a bigger risk in the drug game.

Popular Dundalk bar owner gunned down over the weekend.

CP has the inside beat on Big Boyz bail bonds pens, apparently in Baltimore putting the name of your business on a writing tool is a subtle but sure stroke of marketing genius.

also, a rally for a theatrical worker struck and killed on Howard. Anyone with info call police

Car thief shot in Mt Vernon

Off-duty cop shoots car thief in Mt. Vernon

Getting in on it

A tax on illegal gambling may soon fill city coffers, Coming soon: the "crack cocaine tax."

'MD Slaps Domestic Violence Victims in Face'

Ms. magazine slams MD's restraining order policies

Police say the 21-year-old felon initially accused of giving a toddler gonorrhea is "'not being considered a suspect' at this time." Notably, the incubation period for gonorrhea is 2 to 30 days.

Abduction, homeless issues

Another possible fatal abduction in Baltimore.

City council wants to expempt the homeless from steeper fines for urinating in an alley, constitutional questions abound.

More homicides

Police release details on several homicides dating back to May 8th

Prosecutors: It's okay to defraud the city

This is true, the office of Patricia Jessamy has concluded that sex offender Dennis McLaughlin was entitled to fraudulently obtained sick pay that he received while in prison for sexually abusing a minor. Thus there will be no charges filed against the people who filed the fake leave slips, forged the doctors' notes, or even against McLaughlin, who received the pay while in prison and is now laughing all the way to the bank. btw, he's still in jail for impersonating a police officer, abducting a woman, and sexually assaulting her.

For those of us who live in the city, your tax dollars at work.

Don't speak

School police officer who warded off gang at Carver High is charged for speaking to the media.

Cult Death Sentence Explained

It's a long one, but what the heck. Julie Drake, Division Chief of the Felony Family Violence Division, must still be getting flak about the Ria Ramkissoon sentence, because she released this letter today:

This is in response to e-mail messages that have been forwarded to me by citizens who have questions or concerns regarding the sentencing of Ria Ramkissoon. Ria Ramkissoon was the mother of 16 month old Javon Thompson, who died of dehydration and starvation while living with a cult in West Baltimore. I am happy to respond to questions and comments regarding Ms. Ramkissoon’s closed case, but first it is important to understand the facts which formed the basis for Ms. Ramkissoon’s guilty plea and the trial of her co-defendants.

In April of 2006, Javon Thompson, then 7 months old, lived with his mother (Ria Ramkissoon), his grandmother (Seeta Newton), and other relatives here in Baltimore City. Ms. Ramkissoon was in school, studying to become a pharmacy technician. However, she had two desires. First, she wanted to be able to stay home and care for Javon full-time. Second, although she had been raised in Hindu faith, Ms. Ramkissoon had converted to Christianity, and wanted to live in a Christian household. Around that time Ms. Ramkissoon was persuaded by a friend to join a household run by a woman who called herself “Queen Antoinette”. Ms. Ramkissoon was told that this was a Christian household, where she could devote herself to the care of her child.

Toni Sloan, aka “Queen Antoinette” ran her household under a strict set of rules, which she said were based on Biblical principles. As time passed, the rules multiplied and became more restrictive. Eventually, all members were required to give up their personal possessions (including birth certificates and identification), as well as contact with old friends and family. Members were forbidden to dress in colors other than white, khaki or blue. The children were not permitted to attend school and the women were expected to stay home and home-school and care for the children. With the exception of Queen Antoinette, her daughter Trevia Williams (“Princess Trevia”), and her chief aide, Marcus Cobbs (“Prince Marcus”) no one could leave the house, unless they were accompanied by another member. Queen Antoinette claimed that God had appointed her queen and spoke directly to her; failure to follow her rules would result in damnation.

One morning in early 2007, Javon Thompson, then 16 months old, refused to say “amen” after the blessing before breakfast. Queen Antoinette told the others that Javon possessed a “spirit of rebellion”, and that God told her that the way to purge Javon of this evil spirit was to deprive him of food and water until he said “amen”. At first, Javon became more hungry and irritable. As he cried, Queen Antoinette warned the household members not to feed him. Ms. Ramkissoon was so distraught over this that Queen Antoinette ordered Trevia Williams to take control of Javon – she did not want Ria to disobey her order. When it became clear that Javon was on the verge of death, he was returned to his mother and he died in her arms.

After Javon’s death, Queen Antoinette ordered everyone to kneel and pray for his resurrection. God would bring Javon back to life, she said, but only if they had enough faith. When Javon did not respond initially to the group’s prayers, they placed his body in one of the bedrooms. As the days passed, and Javon’s body began to decompose, the only person who remained by his body, praying, reading and singing to Javon, was his mother. When Ms. Ramkissoon wondered why Javon had not risen from the dead, Queen Antoinette told her that it was her fault – she wasn’t a good enough mother and she didn’t have enough faith. Ms. Ramkissoon believed her.

After a visit from the landlord, Queen Antoinette informed the group that God had told her that it was time to move to Philadelphia. At the insistence of Ms. Ramkissoon, who still believed that Javon would be resurrected, his decaying body was placed in a green suitcase which was taken with the group to Philadelphia. The suitcase was secured in a locked shed in Philadelphia when the group moved on to New York. Meanwhile, Seeta Newton had filed a missing persons report for Ria and Javon. Ultimately the authorities were able to piece the cases together, located Javon’s body, and arrested the cult members. Ria Ramkissoon, Queen Antoinette, Trevia Williams and Marcus Cobbs have been in jail since their arrest. As of the trial date, Ms. Ramkissoon still believed that Javon could be resurrected.

On March 30, 2009, Ms. Ramkissoon pled guilty to child abuse resulting in the death of Javon Thompson. The basis of her guilty plea was her failure to feed Javon or seek medical treatment, after the point when feeding would have been dangerous. Under Maryland law, her admittedly sincere religious beliefs did not constitute a defense. Pursuant to the terms of her plea agreement, Ms. Ramkissoon was required to (1) testify truthfully against Queen Antoinette, Trevia Williams, and Marcus Cobbs at their trial, and (2) participate in and successfully complete a long-term, in-patient program in a residential treatment facility selected by the State’s Attorney’s Office. At Ms. Ramkissoon’s insistence, the court agreed that if Javon is resurrected (not reincarnated), she can come back to court and withdraw her guilty plea. Ms. Ramkissoon received a sentence of 20 years, with all but the time she has already served suspended, and 5 years probation. She testified at the trial of Queen Antoinette, Trevia Williams and Marcus Cobbs, helping to secure convictions of all three on charges of second degree murder and child abuse resulting in death. Immediately after her sentencing and release from Baltimore City Detention Center, Ms. Ramkissoon was driven to the residential treatment facility where she will be held indefinitely.

I will attempt to summarize and answer the questions I have received regarding Ms. Ramkissoon’s case.

(1) Why did Ria Ramkissoon receive probation instead of a lengthy jail sentence?
Isn’t this just a “slap on the wrist”?

There are a number of reasons why one co-defendant receives a more lenient sentence than the others. There were several factors which applied to Ms. Ramkissoon’s case.

First, it was clear to everyone that the central and most culpable defendant in this case was Queen Antoinette. She was the leader of the cult. She was the individual who issued the order to withhold food and water from Javon. Queen Antoinette was the defendant who warned the others not to feed Javon, and who removed Javon from Ms. Ramkissoon’s control in order to ensure that she did not feed him. In order to secure justice for Javon, our first priority was to convict Queen Antoinette of child abuse and murder, and secure a substantial prison term in her case. In order to do that, it was necessary to obtain eye-witness testimony regarding what had occurred. Although Ms. Ramkissoon did not want to testify against anyone, she was willing to tell the truth. Her truthful testimony was essential to obtaining Queen Antoinette’s conviction.

Second, and equally important, I believe that justice was best served by placing Ms. Ramkissoon in a residential treatment facility rather than in prison. It was clear to everyone who interviewed Ms. Ramkissoon that she had been indoctrinated through classic “brain-washing” techniques into a cult. She had no malice or ill will toward Javon; quite the contrary, she believed Queen Antoinette was acting in his best interests by attempting to free him from an “evil spirit”. Nonetheless, she was extremely distraught when Javon began showing signs of distress, and Queen Antoinette actually removed him from her control in order to ensure that she didn’t disobey her order. After Javon’s death, Ms. Ramkissoon spent weeks by his decomposing body, praying for the resurrection Queen Antoinette told her would occur if only she had sufficient faith. This was not an individual who was acting out of a classic criminal intent (e.g. malice, anger, desire for revenge or gain), but rather a mother who has and will suffer anguish over the result of her inaction.

It is important to note that Ms. Ramkissoon’s attorney sought a finding of “not criminally responsible” for his client. (This is Maryland’s alternative to the old insanity defense.) The main reason she was not found “not criminally responsible” is because her “delusions” were of a religious nature and were shared by other people; therefore they could not be classified as a “mental disorder”. This opinion was provided by the State’s psychiatrist. The defense was prepared to present expert testimony that she was “not criminally responsible”.

It is also important to note that Ms. Ramkissoon was not simply released to freedom. A condition of her probation is that she remain in and successfully complete a long-term, in-patient, residential treatment program. This residential treatment facility was selected by DeVera Gilden, L.C.S.W.-C., a clinical forensic social worker, who works for the State’s Attorney’s Office in the Felony Family Violence Division. After reviewing many options, and visiting this facility, it was her judgment that this intensive program would offer the most appropriate supervision and therapeutic services necessary for Ms. Ramkissoon’s slow process of rehabilitation. Should she leave the facility “AMA”, fail to successfully complete the program, or violate any other condition of her probation, she could be incarcerated for 20 years (with credit for the 19 months she has already spent in jail).

(2) Why did the judge agree to let Ms. Ramkissoon withdraw her guilty plea if Javon is resurrected?

If Ms. Ramkissoon’s religious beliefs are correct, and Javon resurrects, then it would be legally appropriate for her attorney to file either a “Bill of Actual Innocence” or a “Motion to Reconsider Based on Newly Acquired Evidence”. That said, I do not share Ms. Ramkissoon’s religious beliefs, and I believe the likelihood of Javon’s resurrection in my lifetime is too remote to be a concern. (I carefully specified on the record that this condition involved resurrection of Javon’s body – not reincarnation into another body). Since Ms. Ramkissoon insisted on this condition, the State had no objection to it. The court simply accepted the plea agreement between the State and Defense.

(3) Did Ms. Ramkissoon receive special treatment because she is not “white”?

No.

(4) Did Ms. Ramkissoon receive special treatment because she is a submissive woman?

No. Marcus Cobbs was offered a plea deal, which his attorney rejected.

(5) Where was Javon’s father?

Javon’s father has not been involved in his son’s life to any significant degree. At the time of Javon’s birth, he was in jail. He has been physically abusive to Ms. Ramkissoon and other members of her family.

(6) Is the prosecutor too lenient?

As a prosecutor, my ethical obligation is to do justice, not to secure a conviction or the maximum possible sentence. In the case of Ria Ramkissoon, I believe the guilty plea and sentence were just – to her, to her mother, Seeta Newton, and to Javon. I believe this outcome is what Ms. Newton wanted and what Javon would have wanted. In other circumstances I would make different sentencing recommendations. In my last case, in which I prosecuted Mark Castillo for drowning his three children, I asked for and received a sentence of three consecutive life terms without parole. This was the harshest sentence the defendant could have received. It is my belief that justice requires a meticulous review of the facts and the evidence, the role of each defendant, and the wishes of the surviving, innocent family members. That is what I did in this case. I respect the fact that not everyone will agree with me, but I would ask those who disagree to take a careful look at the factors I considered, before rushing to judgment.


Julie Drake
Division Chief
Felony Family Violence Division
Office of the State’s Attorney for the Baltimore City