"The city is burning down"

Jhoma Blackwell's mom had some choice words for city officials

Murrell Alfred Hearns Jr., 31, shot in a Pigtown parking lot, died of his injuries

What the?! A mother and her son were both arrested for the murder of Reginald Wragg

East Baltimore developers to City Council: mistakes were made. Relocated resident: "You gave me nothing but heartache"

Don't Drag Race

Donneil Raeburn's trial for a fatal drag-racing accident on I-70 began on Tuesday.

Gun stolen from businessman registered to police commander. I had no idea that the owner of Arcos was "politically connected." They did have good Mexican food a few years ago.

Classics

In Edgewater, a man was arrested after a stand-off in which he swung a sword at officers

A knife fight over a pee bucket in the Baltimore Guide blotter

Fifty years ago, says Baltimore or Less, police busted a stripper for dancing provocatively with a snake. The dancer's lawyer said it was strictly art.

41

The man shot at the Frankford Gardens Shopping Center at 5400 Sinclair Lane has died

More details on the fatal stabbing in Remington-- Fenton Tweeted that she was 16, WJZ says she was an 18-year-old nursing student, IV says "teenage woman"-- and the murder of Gregory Davenport, who (Lord forgive me) sounds like he had it coming.
UPDATE: The police ID'd the victim in Remington as Johma Blackwell, 18

Fenton also dropped by a creepy/sad memorial for 48-year-old Mary Williams, killed in one of our many if-the-killer-had-been-in-jail-like-he-was-supposed-to-be-this-wouldn't-have-happened murders.

Last week's three murders in the Ink

Shomrim is being sued for assault by "notorious gadfly" Leonard Kerpelman

TDR says the city council held a hearing re. East Baltimore Development Inc. last night. Also in politics, The CP visits elected officials' homes, SRB cut $65 mil from the city budget, the Senate Leader says the odds of the "trans bill" passing are "next to none (rallying certain commentors against the "homopromo" lobby), and the House Minority Leader said multiple poaching bills are "overkill". And, reports JZ, "A man on trial for sending Governor Martin O’Malley a threatening email is getting a groundswell of support."

& finally quote of the day from Fark: "Perhaps Justice Scalia wouldn't get in car accidents if he rode a horse, like the Founding Fathers intended"

more details on stabbing

teenage girl was stabbed to death...

Fox says..

"Breaking News: Baltimore City Police are investigating after a woman was found dead inside a home on Huntingdon Ave. We have a crew on the way and will bring you more information as it becomes available."

This can't be happening

A supervisor is suspended without pay for allowing DOT employees to party all the time.

ugly, dangerous, depressed and angry

40 years for 20-year-old Donald Vaughan, who slithered between the cracks of probation supervisors and sexually assaulted a Canton woman and slashed her neck with a knife. He also pleaded guilty to a 2007 rape, and faces charges related to two rapes in VA.

30 years for Taron K. Melvin (including five years without possibility of parole ...ooooo) for the murder of Shawn Williams, 28.

The city council approved the new district map. More details from Patch.com on how this affects the North side (there goes Belinda Conaway's neighborhood...!)

The MD Senate passed the wine shipping bill 45-0.

The Dooce is starting a new cold case news series next Tuesday

That's-a interesting: Caesar's Den, Chiapparelli's, Da Mimmo, Sabatino's and Vaccaro's have joined a lawsuit against the State Center project

"Baltimore is ugly, dangerous, depressed and angry, according to national lists."

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was ID'd as Steven Oglesby, 17.

Melee this weekend that started with a girlfight at the Sheraton

and a food delivery man was robbed and stabbed

‘Whether he’s Mother Teresa or a sex offender, he earned the money’!

So says the lawyer for Dennis Mclaughlin, the sex offender and ex-city employee who was paid sick leave courtesy of city taxpayers while serving out a sentence for sexually assaulting a 13 year-old girl in a seedy motel room.

"Good, minimal protections"

At least we don't live in Uganda! The House passed the "Trans Bill," which will make it illegal to discriminate against a bio-dude who looks like a lady or vice versa when it comes to jobs or housing (though it is apparently still legal to kick someone of questionable gender off of a bus, out of a restaurant, out of the mall, etc.). Interestingly, supporters included the two Dels. who waffled on same-sex marriage, Sam Arora and Tiffany Alston.

And a "questionable death" at 36th and Falls this morning

Re. the county murder arrests announced on Friday, Hermann notes that the Jan 8 murder of Nathan Bowles hadn't been disclosed to the public in the first place, and asks "What made Friday the perfect day to release weeks- and months-old news?"

Worse and worser

The man stabbed in Barclay was ID'd as Reginald Leon Wragg, 46

Crazy video of four guys beating the tar out of a guy at the Charing Cross shopping center in Edmondson Heights.

Horrible: Social Services placed foster children in homes "despite credible evidence that the care providers had abused or neglected children," said a General Assembly audit, and "also failed to follow up on 159 children born to parents who had had their parental rights terminated."

In the county, arrests for the murders of Nathan Bowles, Vincent I. Thomas and Gerardo E. Botello.

Wilkens Ave RoFo robbed again

Alleged East Coast Rapist Aaron Thomas pled not guilty, is rather unremarkable-looking

Better news: House passed the bill to limit natural gas drilling in Western Maryland, probably after members read this freaky-deaky hydrofracking story in the NYT (or watched the "Gasland" documentary)

Also on the Patch, "Dumb Maryland Laws You May Have Violated"

DOT at work, gambling

13 DOT workers busted last night for playing dice on the job.

37? 38?

A fatally stabbed man found in an alley in the 2100 block of Barclay Street

Crazy standoff situation in Cherry Hill

30 years or less for the 7th "Bounty Hunter," Anthony Williams, involved in the murder of Petro Taylor in 2008. (In 2009 Judge Prevas, via his clerk Susan Janoski, mailed me a hefty packet with the details of this case, oddly paired with an unrelated, banal illegal-weapon-seizure case-- page after page of tragic, pitiful details of Petro Taylor's torment and torture and begging to call his mother and trying to escape. I always meant ask Prevas why he sent that to me, esp. aired with some random weapons case- did he mean to say that that is what it's like to be a judge, boring cases then cases that make your neck hair stand on end?)

30 years for a woman whose robbery plan killed her neighbor

"Maryland's Court of Special Appeals has struck down the conviction of Darryl A. White Jr. on weapons charges stemming from a 2008 shootout with police in which two men died"

Remember John Nicklas and Shannon Leigh Honea, who did things to children in Essex/Middle River that that made a neighbor "want to vomit"? (Not to be confused with Jesse Aaron Davison and Tiffany Bolner of this month's other child-abusing-porn-making puke-inducing story). Niklas got 60 years, Honea has a plea agreement pending for 30-35 years.

President of the Baltimore county FOP is accused of drunkenly displaying his weapon and punching a sedan driver in the face.

Twenty years for Aaron Davis, convicted of robbing a Towson liquor store

And corrections officers in Hagtown "have filed a petition asking that a union leader be banned from the prison for allegedly threatening them during a meeting"

Some good news, the house has passed a bill to ban BPA in sippy cups and baby bottles. BPA shrinks your 'nads, and there is some credible evidence that exposure contributes to obesity, among other things.

Adam Meister claims that Frank Conaway is also a water-bill deadbeat, and asks "why is the Sun going after Jill Carter?" Says Carter, "Reporters and editors like to keep a close relationship with the politically powerful. The gov, speaker, et.al, steer them in the direction of who to cover and how to spin the stories." .. do you think the Sun has it in for Jill Carter?

More Dennis Edwards Drama

Former JZ personalty's wife has been charged with assault and use of a handgun.

Sin, the wages of

"Alcohol tax increase advances to full senate." Fun fact I learned from this book:before Prohibition, all government activities were paid for by the alcohol tax; the income tax was supposed to get the government off of the teat. But of course now we have both, because there's no such thing as the government ever wanting less money. Also poised to pass, the wine shipping bill. So how long until I can order 18 cases of Trader Joe's 5-buck chuck to dodge the jackassed tax?

Also approved in the Senate: medical marijuana.

Doug, put ya Ballys on. It started on White Marsh Drive, and now county police are looking for Seth Josiah Burgess, 21, a suspect in a shooting at Bally's Total Fitness White Marsh.

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Man found stabbed to death in vacant home on North Ave

Creepy & sad: officer shot on the same block where another cop was killed a decade before

It all seemed like just so much grousing, but now I'm starting to wonder if the Sun (or at least Laura Vozzella) really does have something against Jill Carter. "Deadbeat" is an awfully strong term for someone with an unpaid water bill, whilst there's nary a word in the papers about Belinda Conaway, who either doesn't live in the district she represents, or does but is cheating on her taxes by claiming her primary residence is somewhere she doesn't actually live (a sin of commission, as it were).

Making the scene

Whoa! City officer charged with sexually abusing a minor, and the dept apparently has no compunction about putting his name right on out there.

Can you ID any of the people in these photos from the scene right before the fatal stabbing of David McLaughlin Jr.?

The Ink has last week's four murders and some updates.

Former marine Tyrone Brown was shot by off-duty officer Gahiji Tshamba, who was indicted for first-degree murder and assault. The police department is being sued by his family for $270 million, and today Tricia Bishop delves into the victim's sketchy mental health history (and the officer who shot him is apparently no prize pig either). Also witness accounts and charging documents

More on the Landsdowne murder of 17-year-old Keon Dobbs

Hee hee! Van Smith covers the drug bust of Reptilian Records' "Chris X," noting that the reporter was familiar with X's pot-dealing past, "having purchased small quantities of marijuana at the store more than 10 years ago while working as a freelance journalist and bartender." Then Van and Mike get into it in the comments section. I love this town!

Inside the mind of child killer Melvin Jones

Inside the case of the sex offender who killed an 11 year-old boy for cheating on him, by the BPD homicide detective who worked the case.

Might as well face it...

The Justice Policy Institute trains its sights on drug courts in its latest report, "Addicted to Courts: How a Growing Dependence on Drug Courts Impacts People and Communities"

Four more shootings yesterday, and Fenton says the total over the weekend was 18, WBAL says 20, in any case the highest weekend total I can remember. Said FHBIII, "we should punch these guys in the mouth that are contributing to this violence."

A teenage boy shot & killed on Birdknoll Court and Songbird Circle

Police say Kenyon McClain, 35, has been missing for a week

Crazy/awful details in the Bethesda lululemon murder. Guess the perp was "living in the moment" and doing her "one thing a day that scares you"

Family of comatose cyclist Nathan Krasnopoler are suing the octogenarian who ran him over

Alleged toilet terrorist Duane Davis talked to JZ hottie Adam May from Spring Grove hospital for the artistically misunderstood

Adam Meister questions Belinda Conaway's residence, wonder if he'll run by her house in the morning to watch her take her kids to school?

Inside Baltimore city homicide

Former BPD homicide detective Kelvin Sewell asks the question, "Why do we Kill?" revealing the inside details about the case of Devon Richardson, who shot a 67-year old Baltimore woman in the back of the head on a dare.

Dangerous interactions

Mom of David McLaughlin, Jr, father of four, says he was robbed and murdered for minivan money.

Shot police officer Michael Rice was a war veteran (wonder which war?), the suspect who shot him had a history of "increasingly dangerous interactions with police"

The perv du jour is Jeffrey Trantham, a HoCo 20-something who allegedly enjoys child rape, webcams and fleeing to Canada.

The gun that a 4-year-old shot himself with was not legal, say police

No bail for Brittany Norwood, suspect in the Lululemon murder

North Baltimore Patch, aka Adam Bednar, "live blogged" tonight's City Council meeting.

What tha...? Fifty-one poodles, yorkies and porkies removed from one home in the 'deener

Maybe the feds are fed-up

Lawyers cooperating with Feds investigating tax lien auctions drop claim against city resident fighting foreclosure for 12 years.

I apologize in advance

Not Baltimore, but can't resist this headline: "Crack Found In Man's Buttocks"

Park Heights shoot-out

At least nine shots fired in one of three separate shootings in Park Heights Sunday.

34, 35

Homicides 34, 35, and much, much more.

34 Id'd as Darshewn Freeman.

35 Id'd as David McClaughlin Jr.

Sad news keeps coming, a 4 year old boy accidentally shoots himself in the head and dies.

Also, an arrest for the February 22nd murder of Martez Hall. Respectable looking gentleman Patric Glasco arrested for the killing.

33

A 21-year-old man, id'd as Angelo Fitzgerald, killed in the 300 block of McMechen Street during the course of a crazy night last night, with eight (or is it 11?) shooting victims in four separate incidents, including the officer shot in the neck and the alleged gunman, who is in "grim" condition

A case against a 48-year-old man charged with raping a 15-year-old is dropped, Bernstein's office apparently doesn't believe the public is owed an explanation, and Peter Hermann is justifiably puh-issed.

William Vincent Brown's only known surviving victim confronted him in court (I ♥ u IV, but Fenton's story is much more in-depth & readable)

In the county, Jeremy Richards pled guilty to first-degree murder and admitted to robbing his 61-year-old neighbor and setting her house on fire

Bel Air residents busted for supplying booze to minors (and what is going on in that picture?)

Officer shot

An officer is in stable condition after being shot in the neck near East 25th Street and Harford Road

Wha?? "The 27-year-old co-worker of the woman killed at a Bethesda yoga store, who originally was portrayed as a victim in the violent outburst, has been charged in the killing of [co-worker] Jayna T. Murray"

Serial killer now tied to PA case

William Vincent Brown's only known surviving victim gave dramatic testimony at his sentencing hearing today. Prosecutors also revealed he had a prior conviction for "terrorizing" and imprisoning a woman in Philly.

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A man shot to death at the U.S. Fried Chicken on Pennsylvania Ave.

And in Frederick, a worker killed at the Burger King

Life with all but 50 years suspended for William Vincent Brown (so how much time will he actually serve?)

Senate says yes to medical marijuana, ignition-locking devices for drunks, bans on novelty lighters & smoking in a car that has kids in it, and a 180-day use-it-or-lose it parole deadline for the guv. .. and $60 million in new fees?! Effing effers!!

Page Croyder: "if the governor is simply removed from the parole process, prison and parole proceedings will be left shrouded in darkness and unavailable to the public."

WYPR’s Garland Thompson reports why three-year investigations of large drug-dealing conspiracies are worth it (audio link).

"Independent Examiner" Hassan Giordano reports that "The 49-year old former Baltimore City Council President, Lawrence Bell took the first step in exonerating the charges and clearing his name of allegations made against him. Shan Mabry, a longtime 'friend', who brought forth her second peace order claim against Bell in six months, while also filing a criminal complaint against the man she once shared her heart with." (includes a courthouse picture of the plaintiff, so totally not kosher!)
Fun fact: in 1999 Bell won a CP award for "Best Scandal"

Denied!

Perhaps spurred by the House passing the "Use it or Lose it Bill," looks like O'Malley is planning to make like the Circle Jerks and deny everything, starting with these seven cons.

Trunky McGuilford-Robber, aka John Couplin, got 20 years and the label of "menace" from Judge Lawrence P. Fletcher-Hill, but Mary Pat Clark thinks it's a load of crap: "Twenty years becomes 10 years becomes a modified sentence." The conviction also means Couplin violated his probation for a 2008 knife attack, but the wack-azz judge in that case is letting him serve that time concurrently.

Here's a picture of that a-hole disturbed individual who set his mother on fire

Police are ISO a guy with a tattoo on his throat reading "REAL GOON"

Yeeks, a doctor at a clinic owned by Bon Secours Hospital is accused of performing unnecessary eye procedures, including surgery that blinded a woman.

Adorable local hipsters create an app to help you avoid tickets

Say what? MD senators want to help sluts slots parlors dodge local taxes.

Changing minds

Intriguing article in the New Yorker this week about how childhood trauma can lead to health problems in adults and predispose them to violence later on.

The Ink has last week's two murders and lots of case updates

An inmate in a federal heroin case managed to get a list of witnesses against him and "convinced many defendants to change their minds about pleading guilty"

Van Smith on Jean Therese Brown's "terrifying pot-smuggling saga"

Have you seen these two suspected armed carjackers?

A drug dealer may get off because DEA agent & convicted embezzler Mark Lunsford "admitted to the FBI that he concocted information in the case."

P.G. County police confirm that a body found in a trunk was that of a missing man, but they're not treating the case as a homicide(?)

Confessions of a Baltimore serial killer

William Brown pleaded guilty two killing two women and maiming another between 2003 and 2004

Half psychotic, sick hypnotic...

A rare "not criminally responsible" finding for D'Lana Simmons, who beat her aunt Cecelia Mitchell to death.

The last two TTP Bloods defendants were sentenced yesterday to 100+ months each

A MoCo police officer is accused of helping to run a cocaine ring

Fox reports that "A Baltimore County man is accused of setting his mother on fire. It happened just before 11a.m. this morning inside a home in the 7900-block of Baltimore Street in Eastview."

Thoroughly, deeply, completely depressing

Not only was 19-year-old murder victim Tanise Ervin an "innocent bystander," according to police, she just came off of a 10-hour shift at McDonald's, then went back to have her last meal there. She left, was shot in the back, and when her mom arrived at the scene, she says "police wouldn’t let me touch her." Apparently the gunperson(s) were shooting at Ervin's companion; the male "friend" was shot also but is not co-operating with investigators.
Mourners gathered tonight in Better Waverly.

Truth in advertising

Hot topic of the week: forcing the guv to use or lose the option of parole for lifers. County SA Scott Shellenberger: "I view the need for the governor to sign off on the parole of a 'lifer' not as putting politics in the parole system but as a way of making sure that the person who makes the weighty decision of when a lifer is released is a person directly accountable to the citizens of this state."

And the General Assembly is set to begin debating the death penalty this week; yesterday Archbishop Edwin O’Brien hosted a prayer service aiming to increase support for abolishing it (wonder what religion he would be if the Roman Empire had had life without parole?).

Freaky story of a 7-year-old Amanda Mitchell, attacked by dogs: said her aunt, "They both were yanking. One was on the left, one was on this right side of the cheek."

Hey prospective divorcees, the Senate has approved a one-year separation requirement. In other marital news, "Bigamy costs Baltimore Co. man $500K"

Re. this MADD story, the trouble with drunk driving laws is that DUI is the only offense someone can commit and not know they're committing it. If we wanted to actually solve the problem, we'd put breathalyzers at the exit doors of bars or put interlock on every car-- 80 percent of DUIs are first-time offenders.

Under Armour sues the company Purple Armour for ripping off its logo & cybersquatting

The real crime

When you drive around Baltimore and see dozens of rotting homes, you might want to thank these guys for in part making it happen. Of course they're not going to jail, they live in Howard County, they just sucked money out of the city and got away with it because they were smart.

31

Nineteen-year-old Tanise Ervin was shot to death in Better Waverly

A 15-year-old boy shot on Friday, plus three other shootings and a man stabbed in the thigh

What is going on with all these missing teenage girls?! Police are now asking the public's help in finding Andrea Gardener, 15, right, if you see her call 911.

.. and eeeeeew, 10,000 gallons of sewage overflowed in the 400 block of East Eager Street. Survive the violence, die from the cholera & e. coli!

Huh? Judge tells Felicia Pearson she got no bail because "You are a good actress."

In Bethesda, MoCo, a worker murdered and another sexually assaulted at Lululemon Athletica

Serial bank robber strikes again, have you seen this guy?

Linskey & Bykowicz's gay marriage post-game recap, and Steve Lash's, and one from the WaPo; so much for personal appeals making a difference. Or maybe certain Democratic senators found $1 million mighty personally appealing.

It's not her fault

[says Jill Carter.] The failure of the gay marriage measure can't be blamed on a single delegate, but rather a lack of legislative foresight [opines Investigative Voice].

.. in other news

No bail for Snoop. Sixty-four people arrested in old Latrobe in a case that took three years to develop. (Why so tense, Bernstein?)

Police are asking for help to find Stephanie Jones, 21, and her infant son.

As part of a class-action suit, a debt collector will drop more than 10,000 cases

Media blabber: in a rare move, the NYT's public editor agrees with outraged readers that a "Gang Rape Story Lacked Balance"

And just like that..

Reports Fox, "The Maryland House of Delegates has sent the same sex marriage bill back to committee, effectively killing its chances of being passed in the House. There were not enough votes to pass the measure, so Del. Joe Vallario entered a motion to return the measure to committee."
More from the WaPo and Sun
Gawker: "last-minute pressure from church groups and the National Organization for Marriage apparently scared a few new, sensitive delegates"

Elsewhere, hundreds of people denuded the Rhode Island state house, where same-sex marriage hearings are being held, and on Wednesday, a U.S. House panel "voted 3-2 along party lines to direct the House counsel to come up with a legal defense" of DOMA

Gayest. Legislature. Ever.

One Charles County closet just got a little cleaner-- Delegate Peter Murphy is here, queer, and says his constituents are already used to it. This œuvre makes the MD legislature the nation's gayest, says the Washington Blade.
.. and I hadn't heard of Maggie Gallagher before yesterday, but I get the feeling we're all going to become very familiar with her tuberrific form, given the $1 million bounty her group has posted for the defeat of pro-equality legislators.

In other big gay news, WBAL has a clip of Snoop's perp walk posted and filed under "entertainment." Say what you will, she always has a flawless complexion. Here's David Simon's statement, and his notorious "jury nullification" essay from Time.

Oh, Snoop!

Felicia "Snoop" Pearson (& 29+ others) arrested for running a drug ring

Huh? "The city's no. 2 top prosecutor — appointed late last year by Baltimore State's Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein — isn't licensed to practice law in Maryland."

FBI suspects home-invasion robbers got some help from the MVA

Documentary exposes sex abuse in Baltimore’s Orthodox Jewish community. (Oh, CP. "'I didn’t know that I was going to become the molestation writer of Jewish Baltimore,' [Phil Jacobs] said. It was more or less thrust upon him ...")

This will Illinois you Pp -- the state just chucked their death penalty

Same-sex marriage bill goes forth with an official vote scheduled for tomorrow (or so says TDR, the WaPo only calls it "likely"). Thanks Cham for the "House Republicans & DOMA" video... that Brian Moulton just needs to meet the right girl. Love the people having smoke breaks in the background.

Web finds: the blog of Ehrlich's former "Prince of Darkness" Joe Steffan, who apparently enjoys puns, making up nicknames and white-on-black type (two out of three things I like in a blog). Shame he hasn't updated in a while.

30

Charles Hopsan, 22, stabbed in 2010 in the 1100 block of Cooks Lane and recently deceased, was posthumously awarded the title of the city's 30th homicide victim.

One Terrance Sims, 30, was arrested for the murder of 17-year-old Olympic hopeful Ronald Gibbs.

Tiffany Bolner, 21, pled guilty in federal court to sexually abusing a minor to produce child pornography; surely one of the most barfulent stories in BCrime history.

And a guy named Derwin declared himself guilty of pimping

Ten years for Rosedale home-invasion robber Antowan Bell, 25

Crack and guns confiscated on the East side

"Bathroom Bandits" nabbed, and Hermann has pictures of one of the alleged perps and her nappy-azz fur coats

Pawn star gets 46 months for money laundering

Lawyers for Policarpio Espinoza Perez and Adan Espinoza Canela have asked the Court of Appeals to grant them a third trial. In 2006, the childrens' parents told an AP reporter that they don't believe police arrested the right guys, though DNA allegedly linked Canela to the killings. Here is the Sun's guide to the epic mystery and related stories on the case.

Fertilizer control: All kinds of issues being rassled over down in A-town this week, including, of course, the melee that is the same-sex marriage debate. Oh Brooke Murdock, why did you have to wuss out and stay your opinion? .. and here's an article on what all those National Organization for Marriage polls were about.

Dixon's doughy swain is out, but the State Center project goes on.

More suspensions in tow case?

Police say there may be more cops suspended as the result of the feds investigation, but won't give a number.

Well that's odd..

I just got a letter in the mail from Talmadge Branch thanking me for my e-mail regarding "House Bill's #175 & #55, "Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act". Which is odd because I haven't sent anyone an e-mail -- I'm not even in the 45th district.
Could supporters or opponents be sending fraudulent letters? Anyone else get a letter like this?

Four times in the back?

The family of Dennis Gregory, a police informant shot by officers four times in the back in February of last year, is not getting any answers from the department about what happened.

County police are ISO two children, Tyquan and Shani’ya Wiggins, abducted from their foster mom by their bio-mom, Dannelle, shown left and here on her Facebook page (maybe her friend PrettyLaydee ButtButt knows where to find her?). Update: Hermann posted pictures of the kids, too. The JIS says Wiggins was arrested in '06 on narcotics charges & received a PBJ.

Capitol News Service tweeted that "The House of Delegates has delayed debate on the same-sex marriage bill until Wednesday," the Post is saying the vote will be Friday. Said Bishop Paul Wells, "you are either against God's word or for God's word. There is no in-between." Which is why I never shake hands with a menstruating woman and keep my adulterer-stoning arm limber at all times.

Baltimore hosted the U.S. House committee on oversight & reform this morning. Tweeted TDR's Danny Jacobs, "Behind Cummings is yellow map of city with green marks where foreclosures are. Looks like mold spreading."

The House just passed a bill that will force the governor to make parole decisions within 90 days. And you can watch the Justice Policy Institute's documentary on the parole process on their new YouTube channel. If you're into that kind of thing.

... kind of like my girlfriend who lives in Canada

Prosecutors' "Do Not Call" list officially abolished, but Bernstein evidently has a list of his own, and Tricia Bishop is on it: "[Bernstein] declined to be interviewed, saying in the 500-word message sent a week ago that his 'schedule is a bit tight' and he was not 'able to meet … or talk on the phone'."

Take-home car solution

BPD commander's predicament with a take-home car could have been easily solved, if city taxpayers were willing to provide some roadside assistance.

Taking it to the streets

The Baltimore Police Dept is henceforth posting regular online YouTube updates for concerned citizens. Here's the first of many, they say. Gun seizures up! ... meanwhile, three months in, the State's Attorney's office remains invisible, with nary a TV appearance from anyone in the office and no web presence whatsoever, other than two-month-old swearing-in photos posted on his Facebook page yesterday. What's going on up there?

Mysteries

The boy fatally stabbed yesterday was ID'd as Ronald Taijon Gibbs. The Sun reports that he was trying to defend his sister.

The mysterious case of two girls abducted near the Dollar Store and rescued by police

Mug shot of the day: Ellerson Carter, arrested for the murder of George Marshall

East Coast Rapist headed to court today. But I don't understand how keeping his mug shot "under wraps" will encourage more victims to come forward.

A two-week hearing starts today in Delaware for creditors of the Tribune Co.

Towson U police are ISO a "person of interest" following a campus assault

The bad part of getting arrested in the county: you may actually do some time. The bright side: adjudication in these spankin' new courtrooms!

Can you ID the police officers or reporter in these charming old photos?

Can't help but ask...

Six hundred and twenty-eight words in the Sun for George Marshall. Wonder how that word count compares to the word counts of the year's 28 other victims?
Update: a reader points out that Marshall did get "less than Hezikah Wilson (1,023) and Tyra Trent (898)." Duly noted.

Could this really happen?

Councilman wants us, city residents, to vote for a 50 percent cut in the property tax rate

29- @?$#!

what is going on this weekend? February was so peaceful!
The weekend's 3rd murder victim is a 17-year-old boy who was stabbed during an argument.

28

At 244 North Hilton Street, 23-year-old Paul Simons III was killed during a home invasion (the Deuce has the victim's age wrong).

27

A man was killed in the 2700 block of Hollins Ferry Road when a fleeing suspect ran over him

Weaves a-flying

Check out this crazy video of a girlfight at Towson Town Center:

Bad men

Police are looking for a dark-colored SUV with a tan stripe, driven by a tubby Hispanic man who tried to abduct a teenager last night on the east side.

A man shot in the stomach on Edmondson Ave

No smizing at the vigil to remember Tyra Trent.

Fifteen-year-old Deondre M. Pedersen arrested and charged with home invasion

A crazy melee in HarfCo: 25 people involved in an altercation and an 18-year-old stabbed in the back, shades of the 50-person brawl of '07 (unfortunately all of those links have expired)

A man in Pikesville arrested after holding up the Bank of America with a fake bomb.

Alleged Marley Station Mall mugger arrested, and JZ readers have plenty of elevated, enlightened comments. Also arrested in AAC, a pimp and his human traffic

Shreky-looking-guy arrested for involvement in a county stolen-auto-parts ring

In Fredneck, the "Sheriff's Office has charged a man with assault and harassment after he allegedly yelled racial epithets at a black man and pointed a gun at him."

WaPo: Digital billboards-> tip -> cigarette butt -> DNA match -> arrest of Aaron Thomas, alleged East Coast Rapist

The NYT publishes a positive police story: "An Angry Man Is Met by a Smart, Experienced Police Team"

Pass!

The Judiciary Committee has passed the same-sex marriage bill, with the help of Jill Carter but without the help of Tiffany Alston (and with a crude sideshow from Neil Parrott). Then Samir Arora, who was elected with lots of gay old dollars and a promise to support equality, backtracked before coming around.
... But you know what, no matter what happens in MD, eventually the Supreme Court will rule what even those against same-sex marriage already know: in this country church and state are separate and the state has no compelling interest in denying these people their civil rights. And time doesn't favor old bigots, who are going to keep dying off or changing their minds as they realize gay people are not freaks from another planet but friends, neighbors and family. There may be some honor in saying "my constituents are against this and I was elected to represent what they want." But there is no honor in being a backstabbing bigot or a waffler. /end rant

And don't mess with people with low body fat and tight shorts! Police now say that a spokesman's statement that charges were unlikely to be filed was premature, and that the investigation is still pending.

Breaking news: The "East Coast Rapist" was arrested in Connecticut

Gun toting deputies

Update: The City deputy arrested over the weekend pointed his gun at the employee of a downtown homeless shelter. Oh, and he was off-duty and intoxicated.

Delayed again

because Jill Carter was out sick today, says the WaPo. Said Tiffany Alston on Wednesday, "I don't think anyone should hold any of our decisions against us, because this is a very difficult decision."

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James Fields, Jr., 47, who was shot in 1992.

Hey, wait, child neglect is legal? What the heck am I doing here? Laters, kids!

It's not your fault

State Delegate Jill Carter takes the house leadership to task over same sex marriage legislation.

Lady troubles

A double-shooting yesterday in Woodlawn

Posted Fox 45 at around 10 last night: "Baltimore County Police are on the scene of a serious stabbing near the City/County line. Police found a 25-year-old man who'd been stabbed in the neck in the 600 block of Walker Ave. He has been taken to Shock Trauma, no word on his condition. Police are investigating the crime as a possible robbery."

Jill Carter told IV she "didn't block the vote .. we didn't have the votes ... I know we were at least two votes short" and added, "the truth is, I saved the bill."

What the?! "The minority development partnership that has co-headed the $1.8 billion redevelopment in East Baltimore has been barred from doing business in Maryland by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation because of unpaid taxes."

Look out for Earleen Denah Cottman, 49, last seen on W. Pratt St

Geeze, Louise! PGC police have charged seven "sorority sisters" (including two 26-year-olds) of U of MD's Zeta Phi Beta with assault related to the alleged beating of a pledge in October. The U has suspended the sorority pending investigation.

Afro: "Police vs Community = Shaky"

"Abortion opponents want tighter regulations" -- story says the state has 41 abortion providers. (I only count 21 on the "American Death Camps" web site-- maybe the 41 includes hospitals?)

Stolen cigars, an ex-boyfriend trying to choke a woman in her sleep and a teenager shot in the face with a paint gun in the Baltimore Guide blotter.

Wine lovers are set to "make their case" Friday in Annapolis, though it sounds like "the whole cow" was already deboned in private meetings earlier this month.

Tonight at 6 at 1505 Eutaw Street is the screening of "Blocking the Exit," "an exploration of the current "life means life" policy on parole in Maryland." The JPI claims that there are 2,657 people serving parole-eligible life sentences in Maryland. (Don't do the math on how much that costs. Your face will melt off and your children will weep over your exploded body.)

I'm Ready to Vote Now

Jill Carter tells David Collins.

Westboro wins

The Supreme Court has ruled that the First Amendment protects the speech of Westboro Baptist Church.

Best month ever

"February '11 had one of the lowest monthly murder tallies ever," and the Ink recaps last week's only murder. The murder of Edgar Wilson (allegedly at the hand of his own grandson) is horrible and tragic, but still, wow.

Nineteen years for "career criminal" Glenn Plato Brooks, 42, convicted of feloniously possessing a firearm.

White House Report on women reveals that while fewer women are crime victims, "the imprisonment rate for females quadrupled between 1985 and 2008"

Base! How low can you go...

Del. Tiffany T. Alston (D-PGC) says she's ready to vote on the same-sex marriage bill, and that her no-show was because she needed "a little more time to weigh my final decision." And, says Julie B., Jill Carter "predicted the Judiciary Committee would not vote on gay marriage until House leadership has appeased her." The Sun Op-Ed page predicts the opposite (the puzzle-- what does the Judiciary Committee have to do with school funding?)... the grab for attention has apparently worked, you can now follow FauxJillCarter.
WBAL has audio of Jill Carter and others talking about their issues.
And says Jill Carter on her Facebook page:

Andy green at the Sun was obviously spoon fed by someone-my money is on Maggie ... Andy Green's editorial is not only dishonest, it is scathing, character assasinating, and suspiciously, mean-spirited. If you followed my mayoral campaign, you should recall the Sun's consistent non-coverage, under coverage, and disparate coverage. I am NOT the reason the bill wasn't voted. The chairman knows it, speaker knows it , and a number of others.

The WaPo's Dana Milbank sees how many drug references he can freebase into one piece

Carter Holds Marriage Bill Hostage

not showing up this morning was apparently no coincidence: Jill Carter, D-41, is apparently holding up the same-sex marriage bill to draw attention to the horribly misguided "equal time" child custody bill.

Indecent Exposures

The grandson of Edgar Waylan Wilson was arrested for his murder.

Baltimore bikers' shorts in twist after police refuse to charge the octogenarian who mowed down a Hopkins student

Two months and still no sign of Phylicia Barnes. JZ commentor: "I would hall of the People who were in and out of the apt , take them all to jail and starve the hell out of them"

Your tax $ at work: bungling bureaucrats cost city $4 million in federal lead-paint-abatement money

DEA bans sales & possession of five types of faux marijuana, including "K2" and "Spice"

PA company fesses up to releasing 40 times the allowed amount of ammonia into the air at Sparrows Point. And if you flew from Baltimore to Denver on the 22nd, you may have been exposed to measles.

"High-end restaurant owners want corkage law"- would you pay $25 to BYOB?

Supreme court argues definition of "cocaine base" vs. powder, decides that corporations have no right to personal privacy

Same-sex marriage vote delayed when two members of the Judiciary Committee, Jill Carter and Tiffany Alston, didn't show. Meanwhile Sun publishes letter opining that "gay marriage is not a civil rights issue"

State health secretary, governor against medical marijuana

Naked & Tased®

How much would you charge to be strip-searched on a public street and Tased® while in handcuffs?

The FBI and local police are ISO the "East Coast Rapist"

"Judge Upholds 'Skateboard Cop' Firing," dude.

County police arrested Clinton Austin Bradley Jr. in the murder of 18-year-old Brandon Jackson

County police are ISO a woman named "Tre" with a bite mark on her hand who allegedly robbed a teacher

Sun "Second Opinion":"a sentence of life without the possibility of parole provides peace and certainty that the death penalty rarely can." (Bored? Lonely? Check out a screening of the documentary "Blocking the Exit" this Thursday with the Justice Policy Institute)

Medical marijuana hearing in the House today. "Good concept, convoluted bill," says the Sun's Andy Green. Heh.

Hey look, the Liquor Board docket is online

Huh? Wha? Eighth Naval Academy midshipman expelled for using "spice". Is that what Miley Cyrus smoked?

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Police Tweet: "FATAL STABBING: 2800 Blk Clifton Ave., Western District, 1:21pm, adult male found deceased in a house. Homicide detectives handling."
Update: he was ID'd as 62-year-old Edgar Waylan Wilson.

Gun toting deputies

Another deputy sheriff arrested for pointing his gun in public, looks like this guy was drunk

Love and marriage ...

Seven weeks after the shootings of Sean Gamble and Officer William Torbit, SRB has assembled a kind-of-independent review board.

Brian Lee Wonsom, accused of killing teacher Hannah Wheeling at Cheltenham when he was 13, will be tried as an adult.

A man shot in the chest at Coldspring Lane and Marble Hill Road drove himself to the hospital.

More on the Williams guilty verdict. (Witness on Williams: "he's a bug I'd like to squash"). Also on Friday, another conviction

in a killing that had also been preceded by a woman's request for protection. Gregory Tooson, 46, who was accused of strangling his girlfriend, Melonie Smith, in April 2009, was found guilty by a jury of second-degree murder. Days before her death, Smith had been granted a temporary protective order against Tooson, who prosecutors said was sending her threatening e-mails. Smith was found dead in her home in the 700 block of Yale Ave. after she had failed to show up for work.

And in AAC, Patrick Rhys gets 23 years of hots and cots for killing his 'girlfriend' by stabbing her 27 times

WBAL has your Friday same-sex-marriage-debate recap. Intriguing: Anne Arundel County Republican Delegate Don Dwyer "has sent out mailings ... [that] include samples of school curriculum that Dwyer feels will be taught in schools if same sex marriage is legalized. One lawmaker who received the mailings told Collins the mailings were 'graphic.'"

Williams guilty of 1st-degree murder

way to work it out, long-suffering jury

Pervy Thursday

Cleaven Williams' poor jury is still deliberating away after four days

From the Women's Law Center, some major changes to family law legislation being mulled over in the House, including a shorter separation period for divorce, a judicial preference for "equal parenting time" child custody (a horrible, horrible idea) and allowing court-ordered grandparent visitation.

Ten years for "Sonny" the crack dealer

Robbers who targeted pizza & video-game stores busted in the county, confessed to 19 robberies. (Aleks Katz, you really oughter wear a hairnet)

An insperminated Glen Arm hairron addict charged with burglarizing her own parents

O.C. man indicted on child porn charges for four images, Essex's Gary Lee Walden gets 70 months after his taking pictures of kids at the pool led detectives to his pornful computer; a guilty plea from "predatormike1203," no bail for CA woman charged with raping a 13-year-old Bel Air boy she met via Xbox game

Infrared cameras: not just for finding pot plants any more. AAC police used them to track down an elderly man.

More illegal rockfish nets. Mmm, PCB-a-licious.

In the Baltimore Guide blotter, a man who shot at a car, lots of domestic violence and barfights and a woman's purse stolen while she was in labor at Bayview.

In case you were wondering, it's not legal to stand on the courthouse steps passing out pamphlets that say jurors should ignore the law if they don't agree with it. (And in this town it's also not necessary)

Not crime, but annoying: if you can't make transportation or parking workable or safe in this town, there is no point to building anything new, much less $100 million worth of projects to be funded by future taxes. (No point for citizens, anyway-- plenty for SRB & the city council's developer buddies to like.)

Update on semen squirter sentencing

"Law-abiding and churchgoing member of the community" (and part-time DNA spreader) Michael Wayne Edwards Jr. gets 3 years probation. Apparently, "Edwards' actions were the result of misplaced anger after breaking up with a girlfriend." Ya think?

Although maybe he was just trying to spread good cheer (as well as his seeed).

Cheers!

"Senate Passes Gay Marriage Bill"

Thugs with badges

An arrest in the bus-stop murder of Joshua Matthews (#22)

In 1956, it was a very good year, a year for city cops and private lots with kick-back shops, to which the tow-truck driver would drive... also in 1965...

Also "Towing leader says she was arrested after complaining about accused company" and dirty cops called themselves "untouchables" & their filthy lucre = "coffee"

On the blog, still a lot of interest in the Erik Stoddard case.

Pastor Joel Kurz: "too many of our city's police officers are simply thugs with badges."

Have you seen this elementary-school burglar?

Oh JZ, I love you. Baltimore's cutest station reports that the same-sex marriage debate has been "hot and longer than expected". And Nancy Jacobs' piehole, the gift that keeps on giving: "Love between a man and woman that may lead to children is the only love that government has the right to recognize." Good for you, giving up all claims to your husband's 401k when your eggs dry up.

The Supreme Court heard a case yesterday on whether revised federal crack cocaine sentencing guidelines should affect binding plea agreements.

The question arises again, who should own public information?

City paid sex offender says no to pay back

The DPW employee who collected sick pay from the city while serving out a brief stint in jail for abusing a minor says he's not going to pay the city back...period

Duck and cover!

Semen squirter sentenced soon.

17 officers charged with extortion

and are facing 20 years for allegations of taking kickbacks from dirty towing company.
Jayne Miller: "one source said it's not the crime of the century, but it's not pretty."

Senate approves same-sex marriage

a 3rd and final vote is scheduled for tomorrow.
Also, "The Obama administration says it will no longer defend the constitutionality of a federal law that bans recognition of same-sex marriage."

BPD and the feds

R-rod has scheduled a press conference to discuss BPD corruption.

.. does this have something to do with the impound lot? Here's a link to WBAL's stream if you want to listen live to the press conference at 3. Officers arrested, oh my!-- MB