The Slow, Creaky Wheels of Justice

Jury selection in the Ken Harris murder trial could take a week.

Ersatz Cop stuck in CP's Craw

Why the CP's Brian Morton won't endorse a candidate in the State's Attorney's race. Valid point, or lame wuss-out?

& your Page du Jour, the smoke and mirrors of conviction rates. Hey, math is hard!

Citizens, PETA complain to city health commissioner about conditions at the BARCS animal shelter

@GusSent Just saw pat jessamy waving at cars at corner of loch raven and alameda.

Small town!

Sen. Ulysses Currie was indicted on bribery charges, and the Sun's Laura Vozzella reports that candidate for State's Attorney Gregg Bernstein is also representing Currie against charges that he used campaign funds to pay for his defense.

Happy Thursday

Life w/o parole for Baltimore County home invasion & murder. Two accomplices in this case were also charged, but couldn't be prosecuted due to lack of evidence.

Two separate city shootings. The story makes it sound like they were both non-fatal.

Two Cecil County Detention Center inmates have been charged with starting fires in their cells.

Patricia Jessamy is launching her own TV campaign ads. Apparently her fund-raising isn't going well, because she's helping to pay for the ads herself.

An arrest has been made in the August 28th robbery of a 1st Mariner Bank branch on York Road in Cockeysville.

Shotgun intimidation

Police arrest a man who tried to kill a witness.

Harris trial could take a month

Prosecutors say, meanwhile judge rules against the defense again in pre-trial motions.

CP: Troubled Record vs. Limited Experience

The CP's Ed Ericson: "The Jury is Out: In state’s attorney race, Jessamy stands on a troubled record while Bernstein runs on reform and limited experience"
.. should this be taken to mean the CP won't be endorsing a candidate?

State Senators Behaving Badly

The Federales have indicted State Senator Ulysses Currie (D-PG County).

FOP endorses Bernstein

Police union (surprise) gives the official nod to the challenger for top prosecutor's job.

Tonight!

.. is the BCrime Happy Hour with special guest Gregg Bernstein, starting at 6 at the Falls in Mt. Washington.
... note if you can't find a parking place on Kelly Ave, there is also parking at the Light Rail Station at the end of Newbury St.
Hope to see you there!

Slew-foot Gary and the Roosting Chickens

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A man fatally shot at 4108 Harris Avenue, the Sun reports the victim, Nathaniel Augusto Santiago, beat murder charges twice

WTF? A Curtis Bay skateboarder arrested for fatally pushing a guy into the harbor in 2008.

Harris trial: So much for the mystery woman being called first.. but testimony from a security guard ID's two of the killers and explains the meaning of "slew footed" (... so if you are "slew-footed" you have a "slugh foot"?)

The gov wants to seize $10 million from Steven Blackwell

A Dawson relative makes a good point: "Even if the parents didn't want to budge, they should have snatched those kids up." Wonder if any threatened witnesses' kids have ever been taken by social services?

The mystery woman in Harris case to be called first

The woman in the car with councilman Ken Harris when he was shot will be the first witness to be called, prosecutors said today.

Now that Dixon's no longer mayor, should the city un-install her home security system?
How much could taxpayers possibly get for a used, three-year-old system? Might it cost more than it's worth to take it down? .. on the other hand, couldn't she come up with some semi-plausible reason for keeping it, instead of hanging up on Jayne Miller?

If you really, really care

you can vote as early as Friday in the city, if you're willing to go to one of these ghetto-azz locations

Some real 'conviction rate' numbers

See question #8-- the Sun says of the current State's Attorney's conviction rate:

478 murder cases were adjudicated in Baltimore in 2006-2008. Of those, nearly 40 percent resulted in not guilty verdicts, dropped charges or pleas or convictions on lesser charges. Among cases that went to trial, prosecutors' record of getting murder convictions was about 50-50.

... pity the intern had to pore over death's three-ring binder to crunch those numbers!

Pitcairn Memorial Removed

says Charles Villagers for Peaceful Living.
Wonder if the DPW has a policy for how long they keep up memorials, and when/if they take them down?

Angelo Dangerfield

Gregg Bernstein's new ad features Doris Dangerfield, mom of murder victim Angelo Dangerfield.
.. according to the CP, there's more to this story than Dangerfield just walking the dog; a BPD forfeiture complaint says he was also a BPD informant, though whether or not that's really true or if it played a role in his murder we may never know. Said his mom, "he wasn't a snitch."
Here's the ad:

Another Hispanic man slain?

Last night's murder victim identified as Hispanic, although court records list him otherwise.

Monday crime summary

Knucklehead steals car, leads police on a chase, crashes into MTA Mobility vehicle.

Hookers and illegal immigrants in Howard County.

When the cops tell you to drop your assault rifle it's generally a good idea to do as they tell you. I've never heard of a "22-caliber assault rifle" though, sounds like the description of the weapon is a little questionable.

Dead body in Dundalk. Supposedly there are no signs of foul play, but OCME will be doing an autopsy.

A 29-year old man was shot dead near Westside Elementary School.

A new Gregg Bernstein ad is out. This one features the mother of murder victim Angelo Dangerfield. Dangerfield's alleged killers weren't prosecuted because there was only a single witness.

Bubbles, Troubles & Nuk Nuk

Judge David Ross: DNA evidence will be admitted in trial of alleged murderers of Ken Harris. And more on how the alleged killers were caught: "Weeks after the killing of Harris, an anonymous caller said he recognized one of the men in surveillance videos from the Northwood Shopping Plaza as 'Troubles,' one [of] two brothers known as 'Bubbles' and 'Troubles.'"

Dawson Family Blame Game Cont'd

Page Croyder: The Dawson Family and its Failed Response gets a response from Ditanya Madden, "star" of Gregg Bernstein's commericals, and Adam Meister gets a (sole) pro-Jessamy response on the Sun talk forums

... and Jessamy will be on the Marc Steiner show tonight from 5-6 on 88.9

Stand up and be counted!

One day left to vote for the City Paper's Best of Baltimore... we know what the best blog is, but what's "Best CSA" (under goods & services?) I'd have to say Fiscal Year '07, under chief judge Robert Bell -- that year was certioriari-riffic!
.. who's the best print journalist, do you think?

Task force shooting probed

A shooting during a warrant raid in 2008 in now being investigated by sheriff's department internal affairs

Afternoon shoot-out

One kid on foot, another on a bike exchanged ten shots.

Classy!

How tough is Walbrook High? One Carrington McNutt was murdered and at least eight people were injured after a huge brawl broke out at the reunion and a guy went on a "stabbing rampage"
Update: stabbing rampage guy was ID'd as James Dixon

Another "possible homicide" in South Baltimore

A 17-year-old girl shot through the front door of her home on Belair Rd

Former pastor Kevin Pushia pled guilty to killing blind, disabled Lemuel Wallace to steal his life insurance money. Said his defense attorney, "Mr. Pushia made some poor decisions"

Quality reportage from WMAR: "Folks in Roland Park like to walk....that's how the neighborhood is sort of set up."

Farther afield: melee at Folsom Prison

Van Smith on the race for city sheriff

Go f-youself

So said 14-year-old murder suspect Arteesha Holt to a school police officer, according to a police report.

Some chutzpah!

Politicians in the Jessamy camp call the Bernstein "Dawson" ad offensive to the Dawson family ... apparently without talking to any family members! Says Carnell Dawson of the ad, "it makes some good points ... Nobody should be saying what they think we feel." No kidding!
Meanwhile, the back-and-forth goes on over who in the prosecutor's office dropped the ball on the Dawsons, and the NAACP is planning some sort of.. something.

ps. here's the Marge Shipley radio ad

pps., for the next round, Jessamy's going after Bernstein's experience as a defense attorney.

and ppps., hope you can come out for our Bernstein Meet & Greet, next Wednesday the 1st from 6- 7:30 at the Falls in Mt. Washington. (The candidate will be there then, but the fun will also go on after he leaves if you can't make it by 7:30). We plan to have some crime-themed drink specials, little snacks and a rollicking good time, and it would be nice if you could join/ RSVP to our Facebook group so we will know how many people to provide for.

The Long Rod of the Law

A federal indictment for Steven Blackwell

Also 10 years for two-time armed carjacker

Ew gross, a decomposing body found near 25th and Guilford

"Man beaten by woman with baseball bat" while a "large crowd" looked on

Family says 14-year-old alleged murder perp was "unstable" & they tried to seek help for her mental health problems to no avail

County police ISO home-invading sex offender Lavar Rich

In Glen Burnie, man robbed while trying to help change a tire

Op-ed: "If I Hadn't Found Jesus, I'd Feel Pretty Shitty About My Crimes"

Don't call me dude

Guess it's safe to skate board at the Inner Harbor 'cause Officer Revieri has been fired.

more on the Roland Park Robbery

RP Robbery

A man and woman held up at gunpoint in the middle of the day near the Roland Park library yesterday

Another Bernstein Supporter

Marge Shipley, the mother of murdered witness Carl Lackl, has come out in support of Gregg Bernstein.

Somewhat off topic, but if the podcast of Shipley's interview on the Ed Norris show about a year and a half ago is still available I highly recommend listening to it. She gave the interview shortly after Patrick Byers was convicted and it was absolutely heart-wrenching to listen to.

The great debate

Candidates for top prosecutor job square off again, this time in Canton.

14 year old girl charged with murder

Police charge 14 year-old in shooting death of a Hispanic man.

Shooting

On Penn Avenue and North outside of library branch.

Gender Equality?

A 13-year old girl allegedly tried to rob two men, and when they resisted she shot them both. One victim was killed.

Feel free to assmble

According to new police policy you can no longer arrest people for standing on a sidewalk and protesting.

What the who?!

City voters, have you gotten your "Official 2010 Primary Sample Ballot" in the mail yet? Because early voting starts in 12 days and I have no idea who anyone is besides the prospective State's Attorneys and the Conaways, and the sample ballot looks nothing like the Web site. Who is Neil R. Bernstein? Who are these people running for judge of the orphan's court?!

Hate crime, beating the rap

Police say a man arrested for beating a hispanic male may be a hate crime.

But perhaps more important according to online court records he beat serious robbery and drug charges twice before working his way up to murder.

WTF?! Slumlord Running for Baltimore City Sheriff!!

Slumlord watch notes that Mike Schaefer, a slumlord so slummy he was jailed and fined $1.8 million, is running as the Republican candidate for Baltimore City Sheriff.
You couldn't make this stuff up!

Ken Harris

The trial for the killers of councilman Ken Harris is a go.

MD Clean Air Act lawsuit dismissed by district judge

TGIF

A 10-year old shot in the left hand was one of two shooting victims Thursday night.

At least one lawyer is claiming that the 12-year old who claimed she was raped in Woodlawn has "inconsistencies" in her story.

Anti-Jewish vandalism leads to increased police patrols in Northwest Baltimore.

Creepy. City and County cops have busted Darrell Lyles for impersonating a police officer.

Burglaries in Towson.

No voice mail in the SA's office?

Apparently Patricia Jessamy loves Facebook, hates voice mail.

Charles Village Bikejackings

Former Baltimore city narcotic detective sentenced for fraud, lying., and stealing a diamond Freeze watch.

Deadbeat!

TDR's Melody Simmons reports that Sheila Dixon's former lover Ron Lipscomb has taken his business out of state .. and stopped paying his bills. No word on where Mrs. Lipscomb is living.
.. wouldn't the Dixon story make such a great Urban romance potboiler novel?

This could be bad

The head of the BPD's Comstat unit has resigned.

Firefighter had issues

Just before he attacked a transsexual, firefighter Jerry Majette was suspended for over a month for insubordination.

Firefighter Jerry Majette accused of attacking transgender woman with a hammer.

check out the passive-voice and buck-passing in this Sun opinion piece on the SAO campaign:

"Some of what’s been heard so far — for example, whether Mrs. Jessamy likens city courtrooms to city public schools or that the police commissioner used to have a Bernstein sign — falls well short of the substantive facts the public needs to make an informed choice. That the city could be safer is obvious."

... Isn't the Sun supposed to be the go-to for facts and substance? What is Jessamy's conviction rate, anyway? And didn't you just tell us crime was down, dear paper?

Nol Pros in McCann case

A suspiciously dead body found in a stairwell near the Circuit Court building, and the 137th murder victim = a man shot in July who recently succumbed to his injuries. (WTF? 69 Facebook users "like" this story.)

Remember Annie McCann? One of the guys who admitted to police that he ransacked her car and removed her dead body from her Volvo to go joy-riding in it has gotten off scot-free. Prosecutors say a "lack of evidence" led to a nol pros of the case. Un.Frickin.Believable.

... speaking of prosses, State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy's fundraising reports show that she raised about $46,000 since her last finance report in January. The Sun notes two of the g's were from Jessamy's old pal Doug Duncan, whom she endorsed when he ran against O'Malley.

Severn a-hole charged in road rage murder

.. and in case you were wondering what the Ottobar lawsuit was about, TDR's John Cord has the backstory

So much for the 30 year low

Looks like we're now running neck and neck with last year's homicide totals

Who got hammered?

City firefighter suspended for allegedly attacking a transvestite with a hammer. Seems the equipment wasn't fully functional...

Vigil in the Village

The Charles Villagers for Peaceful Living says there will be a candlelight prayer vigil in remembrance of Stephen Pitcairn on Wednesday August 25th at 11:30pm. 26th Street and St Paul.

SWAT Raid report

The guy who started all the drama in Remington which lead to the SWAT team showing up seemed to be guilty of using his mouth as a deadly weapon.

Three murders and 13 GSW victims this weekend.

Another tortured dog in E Baltimore

Some good news: MD getting $1 million to battle health care rate hikes

Did the sign gambit pay off?

more on the SA's race

Some angry residents after a police stand-off

Jessamy -v - Bernstein round 2

The Vanguard for justice will host another debate between candidates for top prosecutor.

Media Blabber

Are you an unemployed news junkie with a large, plastic-like head? The Deuce is hiring a morning news anchor.

The sailing semen of Gaithersburg .. and other stories

No more fed oversight of city juvie jail

Lamont Harrell, in jail for two murders, now charged with a 3rd

Man found in trash chute of Park Charles Apartments probably fell by accident, police say, but tower worker says that explanation is hard to believe

Arrest in murder of Craig Bouie, dad of 3 shot in his home in Randallstown

Man robbed, shot & killed by teens in Brooklyn Park. Also in AAC, a man shot while walking on a wooded path

Crazy sexagenarian barricades himself in in Sykesville

And finally, Authorities in Maryland say a man accused of squirting semen from a bottle onto two female shoppers has been linked to three more cases." .. off to go barf now

Jessamy vs. Bernstein

Here's a stream of yesterday's debate between State's Attroney hopefuls Bernstein & Jessamy on the Rodericks show, and a live-blogged recap by Page Croyder.

.. and Fenton & Bishop check out the candidates' claims

WBAL says some city residents are offended by Jessamy's "public school" remark

Pensions versus pools

It may cost $400,000 to keep a few pools open, but it costs hundreds of millions to fund police pensions.

It's getting twisted

Okay, the case of the sex offender getting paid by the city while in jail gets even stranger...the fake doctor's notes turned in by his mother were forged in the name of Dr. Keiffer Micthell Sr., the father of our former mayoral candidate and city councilman.

Feud for Thought

You're probably sick of hearing about the Jessamy/ Bealefeld/ Bernstein feud. But it's so darned entertaining! A good point from Page Croyder : "Bealefeld hasn't feuded with anybody. He's been nothing but publicly respectful." (This is true. Last year he told Exhibit A's Melody Simons, "Listen, I don't do public battle with Pat Jessamy.") Cryoder also throws in a bonus Jessamy press-conference spoof.
If you just can't get enough of the fisticuffs, here's other bloggers blogging on this:
Rob Carlson: "[Bealefeld's] one plastic sign, now removed, has already planted the seed of an idea in thousands of minds in less than a week."
Red Herring: "When Pat Jessamy is re-elected City State’s Attorney -- as she surely will be --those who vote for her will deserve the criminal justice system that an indolent and irresponsible prosecutor such as she brings to the city."
The Baltimore Spectator: "Larry Gibson, Mrs. Jessamy, Mayor Rawlings-Blake; non[e] of them have spent much time, if any, at active crime scenes. So to put it frankly, when they speak on the issue, in all due respect, they typically don't know what they hell they're talking about."

Ok, so enough about that. Here's this week's Ink. Five murders this week for a total of 129 so far this year. I wonder what the backstory is with the Corwin murder?

Dine & Dasher Gets 18 Months of Free Meals

From the SAO:

Andrew Palmer, 43 years old, of the 500 block of
S. Broadway Street pled guilty to one count of theft scheme and received the maximum penalty of 18 months incarceration on August 3, 2010 after prosecutors presented evidence of his restaurant theft scheme to a district court judge.

According to the arresting officers, from April 26, 2010, through July 21, 2010, Palmer ate meals and consumed alcoholic beverages at several area restaurants in Baltimore City; including the Capital Grille, Burke’s Café, Ding How Restaurant, Maisy’s Restaurant and Borinken Bar and Restaurant. In each case, when Palmer did not have funds to cover the restaurant bill, he feigned a seizure that required the presence of medical personnel. In each instance, the value of the goods consumed was less than $100; therefore the maximum possible penalty for each offense was 90 days of incarceration.

After reviewing the individual cases, the State’s Attorney’s Office filed a criminal information incorporating multiple pending cases and proceeded on an additional charge of theft scheme, which carries a maximum penalty of 18 months of incarceration. After hearing Palmer’s record, which includes over 40 convictions for theft, Judge George Lipman followed the plea agreement recommendation and sentenced Palmer to 18 months of incarceration, which is the maximum allowable sentence on the theft scheme charge.

Can't a couple of guys get together and talk on North Avenue?

a few photos of Bernstein, the commish, and delegate Billy Taylor crossing paths, it is really worth an investigation?

Jessamy vs. Bernstein.. Live in Your Earhole

tune in Thursday at noon to 88.1 for a debate that's bound to be muy caliente!

Jessamy Mad as Wet Hen

...gets in scary-mommy mode and hand-delivers letter calling for an "independent fact finder" to probe Bealefeld's "serious credibility issue" and "establish whether our police commissioner is a person of truth and veracity."
Uhm, is that really the best campaign strategy?
WJZ has video of the press conference, and Hermann has Bernstein's reaction.

Mary Koontz of Glen Arm gets life w/o parole for murder of husband

Prosector sign wars

Director John Waters weighs in on city prosecutors' race.

Court laments

Former Pigtown resident finds that trying to press assault case in city court can be pretty frustrating

128

A 25-year-old on Germania Ave

In addition to the three homicides, lots of "gsw"s

And a homicide in Harford? That's unusual...

.. and a father of three killed in his home in Randallstown

An arrest in Fell's Point robberies, one Leonard Copeland

Bloody Weekend So Far

Three murders on Friday night/Saturday morning.

Four years later the murder of Dr. Albert Ro in Anne Arundel County has been solved.

A crazy woman in MoCo tried to kill her kids.

A misbehaving county cop is in trouble for a fight he got into in the city.

BCrime Meetup & Gregg Bernstein Happy Hour

.. will be Wednesday, Sept. 1 from 6 - 7:30. Join our Facebook group or e-mail me for location.

Execution-style slaying in Lake Clifton

Man stood over victim, shot at point blank range with shotgun.

Jessamy Blasts Bealefeld

.. uhm, is that really the best campaign strategy?

Listen up, cynical Cynthias

Gregg Bernstein CAN be our next State's Attorney ... pretty easily!
He & Jessamy are both Democrats, and with no Republican contender for State's Attorney, the primary on September 14 will decide the State's Attorney's race. With no other races in serious contention (except the clerk of the court, maybe), presumably the only voters who will show on Sept. 14 will be ones who really care about the State's Attorney's race.
.. so if you're a Democrat and care about this race, tell your mother, brother, sister and her friends to turn out September 14!

Bounty Hunters get plea offer, former Dixonite: Crime is down

Former Dixon spokesman says the media is giving Baltimore a bum rap when it comes to crime.

Two of the Baltimore chapter of the Bounty Hunters get plea offers.

Bealefeld likes Bernstein

Someone spotted a Gregg Bernstein sign in the police commissioner's front yard.

Audit this

Looks like the BPD doesn't want an independent audit of rape cases. And no one wants CC Prez Jack Young snooping around

Hoodlumery in my neighborhood!

Gangs of roaming teenage thugs are attacking people in Upper Fells Point. Several of the attacks occurred at a relatively early (9:30ish) hour.

Meow!

Who's suing the Ottobar?

Impound lot theft

Inspector General probes $6000 in funds missing from city impound lot.

Baseheads rejoice

The Fair Sentencing Act, expected to be signed next Tuesday, will reduce the disparity between cocaine and crack sentences.
(But still no end in sight for the crack-crazed squirrel epidemic...)

"Focus on shootings contributed to neglect of city rape claims, Bealefeld says," meanwhile, "Lack of police reports stalls review of city rape allegations"

Shooting at the Hilton

Gunman gets nabbed at downtown hotel.

Notes from the vigil

According to some attendees, taking away cable television has more to do with East Baltimore murders than policing. Plus the commish looks for "vile snakes."

PC: O'Malley Without Principles

.. and "taught Jessamy how to bully".
Not sure I agree with all of this .. but Politics Examiner Adam Meister does

.. the State's Attorney's office has launched a Facebook page. (To be fair, Here's Bernstein's.)

.. and speaking of social media, if you're tiring of your virtual social life, please save Wednesday, Sept. 1 between 6 and 7:30, for an in-the-flesh Meet and Greet Happy Hour with Gregg Bernstein, location TBA here and on the Baltimore Crime Facebook Group page.

Homicide in North Baltimore

Playing with a gun turns deadly.

ACLU says it's now okay to hit record

The group says the AG's opinion issued Friday means prosecutors should drop charges against Maryland man accused of recording a Maryland State Trooper.


Meanwhile, more on O'Malley's hedging on Jessmay,

Questions are being asked about the size of the new juvenile jail being built in Baltimore.

I hate these kinds of headlines. Mistakes by child molester's attorneys could set him free. The judge who ruled in this guy's favor was Andre Davis. Rod Rosenstein was nominated to Davis's seat during the Bush Administration, but the Senate never acted on the nomination.

Another murder near Penn Station is attracting much less outrage than that of Stephen Pitcairn. The victim may have been murdered because he was a witness.

Shooting at police officers is a bad idea.

The Attorney General's Office says it's probably ok to tape interactions with police officers in Maryland.

Jessamy & Bernstein debate

State's Attorney Jessamy and Bernstein squared off, and only channel 2 was there.. literally, it looks like. But you can check it out online.

O'Malley endorses Jessamy

Just ran into the gov at Belvedere Square ... (doing my best to recall the convo)
Me: So I have to ask you, you're endorsing Jessamy, really? I thought you were old enemies!
O'Malley: Early on I made some oversweeping remarks about her that I regret, but crime is at its lowest in 15 years, and she's been a big part of that.
Me: Really? But isn't there a possibility someone could do a better job? Is something wrong with Gregg Bernstein?
O'M: I could do a better job, we could all do better at our jobs.
Me: Yeah, okay, sure but.. what about the judges you've appointed and this Charles Village murder, didn't you appoint Braverman, who let one of the killers out?
Him: Actually that was Judge Howard, appointed by Ehrlich. And what happened in Charles Village is a tragedy. But the great thing is my vote counts just as much as your vote, and we have a choice.
Me:: .. but do we really have a choice? Jessamy was appointed to that position, and very few people pay attention to that race. If you endorsed a different candidate that really might make a difference.
Judge Katie O'Malley (hustling me away): It's not that there's anything wrong with Gregg Bernstein. He's a great lawyer. It's just that our administration and Jessamy have worked so well together.

.. so there you have it.

.. it looks like IV editor Regina Holmes also talked to O'M at the same event.. and while the governor is "supporting" Jessamy, he may or may not be "endorsing" her. Or something.

Long, violent week.

It wouldn't be an awful, violent week in Baltimore, without the tragic death of yet another upstanding elderly citizen.

A judge declared a mistrial in the Stephen Mauk murder case, after the jury took equally as long deliberating as the trial itself.

Two more names were added to the homicide tally with the shooting death of 36 year old Shawn Crawford, and the apparent beating death of 38 year old Steven Harris.

A witness was turned victim Thursday. As a second person is killed in Station North in a week.

Finally the police want to know, have you seen these men? They're wanted for crimes ranging from burglary to Attempted Murder.

Page Croyder: Shame on who for Pitcairn murder?

Census worker's death, the city (employee) that drives

Police search for clues in death of census worker.

Meanwhile city employee gets a free ride, courtesy of city taxpayers.