December 13

Nakie Harris, 30, Richard Royal, 21, and Terrence Smith, 24, were found guilty of trying to kill Edna McAbier.

John Edward Kennedy Jr., 19, pled guilty to first-degree murder for shooting William A. Bassett at Towson Town Center.

Opening statements in the murder trial of David Ellerby, 32, of E. Lanvale Street began at 2 p.m. today before Judge John Glynn. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Ellerby August 24, 2004 for first-degree murder and handgun violations. Court documents allege that on September 10, 2002, Ellerby shot and killed Reginald Tyler, 27, in the 300 block of E. Lafayette Avenue.

Damian Mitchell, 28, was fatally shot in the head in the Northeastern district.

Ameer Taylor, 31, was arrested and charged with the murder of Samuel Richardson (shown above, with his nephew).

More on the mysterious homicide of the Reverend Lorenzo Handy, whose body was found in Charles Village about a block from where Samuel Richardson was murdered in June.

The case of the firebombing of Edna McAbier's house goes to the jury today. Chilling revelation: the leader of the area Bloods initially wanted to shoot her in the head with a shotgun, but the gang dismissed the idea as not dramatic enough.

A 22-year-old man was carjacked and stabbed in Annapolis.

There was a second gun incident at Towson Town Center, and in spite of the mall having more than 200 security cameras, nothing was caught on tape.

A fourth police dog has now died under mysterious circumstances.

December 12

A Catonsville special-ed student, Steven Andrew Cearfoss, 17, and his adult minder Anthony Vernon Creek, 25 (who was assigned by the school to keep the boy out of trouble), have been arrested for illegal handgun posession and other felonies related to a burglary at the boy's grandfather's house. Turns out that Creek was convicted in 1999 of armed robbery, assault and the use of a handgun during a felony.

Two Baltimoreans, Kim M. Douglas and Darryl Edward Lomax, are in jail in PA for trying to steal a safe from a turnpike service station.

Former Orioles pitcher Sidney Ponson got five days in jail and a $500 fine for drunk driving.

This mind-blowing WJZ story contains only one sentence without a grammatical error. (Also, a 15-year-old stole a Ford Explorer.)

A man was shot in the side on Loyola Northway.

Walker Gladden III is trying to stop the killing, one cemetary tour at a time.

Armed robbery in Dundalk, stolen Christmas decorations in Essex and hot sauce squirted on a wall after a party in the blotter.

Gregory Kane gives Snoop Dogg the "Negro, please" award in this article about Crips founder Tookie Smith.

December 11

A 13-year-old girl has been cleared of all charges for the beating death of a four-year-old boy.

Reginald Graves, 42, of Glen Burnie is accused of assaulting his "girlfriend" Syretha Johnson, 24, with a lug wrench, then setting a car on fire with her inside.

Are city police falsifying crime statistics?

An alert citizen stopped a robbery at the Rent-A-Center.

A Baltimore County public school employee, David Lukes, 34, faces trial in PA for six counts related to using the Internet to solicit sex from someone whom he thought was a 13-year-old girl.

In Westminster, police are seeking one Shawn Anthony Jones, 27, for the murder of Donnie Bowman.

Someone left their gun at Towson Town Center.

Maryland schools have seized 63 percent more weapons from students since five years ago.

Finally, an answer to every city resident's question, What're all those damn police helicopters up to? Says the commander of the Aviation unit, "We look for guys with shopping carts in alleys."

A Timonium church has redecorated a room at the Mitchell courthouse to be comfortable for children who are crime victims or witnesses.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up Dept.: the head of the task force for the new Baltimore slogan is a Princeton-educated scholar of Byzantine art, and the San Francisco agency working on the project has successfully convinced lots of people that BP is a group of enviromental activists and that it's hip to suck on revolting little mints. Punch line of the story: "officials worry the promotion may become a punch line."

December 9

A West Baltimore grandmother was tied up, her son stabbed and her Christmas tree set on fire by three home invaders.

James Dinkins, 33, was arrested for the murder of Michael Bryant, 22, on Tudor Arms Avenue. Also two attempted murder arrests and lots of the usual thievery in the blotter.

Baltimore City, County and Feredal Courts were closed to today on account of two inches of wet snow.

The MD Court of Appeals yesterday threw out the conviction of Erik Stoddard, convicted in the 2002 killing of three-year-old Calen Dirubbo.

A Florida consultant submitted a report on the problems at central booking, but when prison official submitted the report to Judge Glynn and the Sun, five of its 10 pages were censored, making it impossible to see what the recommendations were.

A 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death in bucolic Crisfield. And a double shooting in Carroll County made Donnie Bowman the county's first homicide victim in more than two years.

In PG County, Wei Shu of Clinton was arrested for fatally stabbing his wife Jin Shi Chen, 28, on December 1st.

Federal prosecutors rested their case yesterday in the McAbier firebombing trial.

Two Baltimore men were arrested for stealing almost $1 million worth of jewelry when the wife of police officer David A. Williamson tried to sell the booty to a pawn shop. What was she doing with it? Good question...

In the County, a third police dog has died under mysterious circumstances.

Black & Decker is being sued by a shareholder for giving company funds to a Mormon temple.

December 8

A 15-year-old boy was stabbed a block from Southwestern high school.

The Justice Department has returned to the city jail three years after their "scathing" report to see if improvements have been made in jail conditions.

Burglary, robbery, and six bundles of wacky tabacky in the blotter.

Robert C. Griffin, 71, is scheduled for a Circuit Court bail review and a preliminary motions hearing 9:30 tomorrow morning, before Circuit Judge Gale E. Rasin (231 Clarence Mitchell Courthouse). Griffin was found guilty in 1986 of stabbing and strangling 20-year-old Annie Cruse and leaving her body in Druid Hill Park. Last Month, Judge Raisin granted a motion for new trial due to the results from a recent DNA test.

The trial of Matthew Craighead, 22, of the 1900 block Walbrook Avenue, scheduled for yesterday, was postponed due to a witness' failure to appear. It is rescheduled for January 18, 2006.

The trial of Myron Merrill Gladney, 19, is scheduled to begin 9 tomorrow morning before Judge John Glynn. The BC Grand jury indicted Gladney on June 1 on charges of attempted first-degree murder, assault and intimidating a witness. Court documents allege that on April 6 Gladney approached the victim, who was scheduled to testify in the homicide trial of his brother, at E. 25th Street and Harford Road and shot him in the stomach.

In the arraignment hearing held Monday, December 5, 2005 Amanda Johnson, 23, failed to appear and a re-arraignment date of January 4, 2006 was chosen. Clyde Meadows was arraigned on Monday. His trial date is January 20, 2006 in Pt. 6 (Judge Hargadon). Kenneth A. George, also charged with intimidating the same witness is currently in BCDC's infirmary and was not transported. He too has a re-arraignment date of 1/4/06.

The theft trial of Samuel Terrell Mercer, 29, is scheduled to begin 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge John M. Glynn. A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Mercer on May 24, 2004 for continuing theft. Court documents allege Mercer stole $323,836.10 from the Baltimore Museum of Industry. If convicted, Mercer faces a maximum possible prison term of 15 years.

Sign O the Times: Some members of the AA County police narcotics unit are training at Quantico to learn how to dismantle meth labs.

December 7

The man fatally shot in Endor Gardens was identified as Thaddeus Riley. Also in the ink: Charles Massey, shot in 1987, who died of his injuries; Eric Smith, 39; Torrey Garland, 36; Troy Marine, 30; Antonie Grandy, 18. All of the murders this week were black men killed by gunfire.

CSA: to white people, black people really do all look alike.

An Eastern shore lawyer, J. Christopher Llinas, who served as an assistant state's attorney and an assistant public defender, was indicted in federal court in a cocaine and heroin distribution conspiracy case. He may face life in prison and a $4 million fine.

Oprah is offering a $100,000 reward for helping to caputre Edward Claire Reisch, left, an 11-year-veteran of the Baltimore police force wanted for raping and sodomizing a young female relative.

A teacher who served three years for molesting a 12-year-old student in MoCo is in court fighting for custody of her own children.

Curran: we've got ourselves 2900 totally unsupervised sex offenders in Maryland.

Continuing the Baltimore holiday tradition of robbing the less fortunate, someone stole $4,000 worth of tools from volunteers building apartments to house children traveling to Hopkins with their families for bone marrow treatment.

In Annapolis, two women fought off a would-be purse snatcher (warning: don't try this at home).

State police to Carroll County: get your own force!

Gregory Kane: City Council has plenty to say about Iraq, but not so much about the war at home. (Thanks Galt)

December 6

Four murders over the weekend brough the city's toll to 254. Rashard Thomas, 19, Troy Marine, 30, Raphael Grady, 18, and an unnamed 43-year-old man are the latest victims.

Edna McAbier came out of hiding yesterday to testify in federal court about the firebombing of her home.

Twenty-two-year-old Aaron M. Brown got 15 years for killing his 20-year-old cousin Kevin Moulden last year after an argument about a ten-dollar debt.

The manslaughter conviction of Anthony Skidmore was upheld by the CSA. Baldwin's car struck and killed the driver of an oncoming car, Kelley Guckert, 20, of Jarrettsville, and Skidmore admitted to police he'd been nodding off at the wheel.

Anthony A. Garbutt, 22, got ten years for the June 17 robbery of five teenagers behind the York Road Plaza shopping center.

The trial of Matthew Craighead, 22, is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. tomorrow before Judge Shirley Watts. Court documents allege that on June 21, 2004 Craighead attempted to threaten a witness in a homicide investigation. The victim reported that Craighead assaulted and threatened her with a shotgun.

Motorcycles, a laptop, purses, cameras= stuff stolen in the Northern of late.

Ehrlich: deciding to play God and put a man down like a dog wasn't easy.

The death of a newborn found in a Dumpster in AA County has been deemed "suspicious."

The MoCo mom who filed a false kidnapping report on Nov. 27 has been charged with making a false statement to police.

In a case that could impact the Hoey defense, the Supreme Court has agreed to consider a case from Arizona involving the insanity plea.

December 5

We the people executed Wesley Baker. He was pronounced dead at 9:18 p.m.

A couple shot and burned in West Baltimore November 18 are believed to be Michael E. Wright and Thomasine Evans.

Juanita Long, 46, was charged with stabbing Dumont Jones to death in White Marsh.

The murder trial of David Ellerby, 32, is scheduled for 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge John Glynn. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Ellerby August 24, 2004 for first-degree murder and handgun violations. Court documents allege that on September 10, 2002, Ellerby shot and killed Reginald Tyler, 27, in the 300 block of E. Lafayette Avenue.

Jury selection is supposed to start today in the case of the firebombing of Miss Edna's house.

Down in St. Michael's, six kids were charged with holding an underage drinking party that ended with a 15-year-old being sent to the hospital.

U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein will reorganize the Maryland office to clarify the chain of command and group prosecutors by focus.

Who's who on death row? A rundown of Maryland's Dead Men Sitting.

The Sun ran a correction re. their John Booth-El story from last week.

"As If" Dept: TV news reporter wants Ben Cardin's job. If he gets elected I am like so totally moving.

December 4

Wesley E. Baker's death warrant goes into effect at midnight.

There was a quadruple shooting in Cherry Hill last night. The most seriously injured victim was a 14-year-old girl.

DNA testing has been ordered in a 20-year-old rape and murder case. Robert Griffin, now 71, was convicted for the 1985 murder of Annie Cruse.

There will be a public hearing January 4 re. alledged Baltimore police "Gestapo" tactics. (How is it that the city's stats and the FBI stats disagree so significantly? Also odd: finding out about the meeting from a DC paper.)

Baltimore's stop n' frisk method did help catch a(n alledged) murderer wanted in Hendersonville, NC.

An article on the difficulty felons face in finding jobs.

December 3

Eighteen-year-old Karl Sowers is now the sixth person arrested for the Owings Mills murders of Dante and Howard Thacker.

A 14-year-old girl was shot in the leg on her way home from Mervo.

Danielle Riley is out on $50,000 bail.

Information about Jane Tyson, the murder victim of next week's death penalty recipient Wesley Eugene Baker.

December 2

A body found in an alley near Charles and 25th streets has been identified as that of 67-year-old pastor Dr. Lorenzo Handy.

The murder trial of Michael Johnson, 15, of the 1600 block of West Franklin Street, is scheduled to begin 9:30 Monday morning December 5 before Judge Lynn K. Stewart. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Johnson for first-degree murder and handgun counts May 18. Court documents allege that on December 1, 2004 Johnson shot and killed Flenall Carter, III, 19, in the 4100 block of 10th Street. Johnson is currently being held without bail.

An arraignment is scheduled for 9:30 Monday morning December 5 for Amanda Johnson, 23, of Abingdon, Maryland and Clyde Meadows, 26 of the 2000 block Huntington Avenue, before Judge Lynn Stewart. Court documents allege that on or about October 14 Amanda Johnson and Clyde Meadows knocked on the front door of a witness in a pending attempted murder investigation. It is also alleged the two threatened the parent of the witness in an effort to persuade the testimony in the investigation.

Riley: "I didn't do what they said."

A shooting and a lot of robberies, burglaries and thefts in the blotter. (I think I've finally figured out the difference: robbery is when someone steps right up to your face and takes your shit, burglary is when they break in somewhere and take your shit, and theft is when they steal just one thing.)

Two witnesses, a mystery individual and some guy called "Skip," (not to be confused with campaign manager "Chip") will be supoenaed to testify about Ehrlich's so-called "Shadow Government" December 13.

Freaky pervs dept: A parking valet at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring copied the housekey of a nurse who worked there and broke in to her house with condoms and a video camera.

Bwahahaha! Poseurs Creed and 311 got into a fight at the Explorers Lounge of the Harbor Court Hotel. Apparently groupie action was so nonexistent for the wussy has-beens that the Creed singer was reduced to hitting on the 311 bassist's wife.

The tag "Oracl" is suspected of being the handiwork of one Kenneth D. Ellis, 25.

December 1

Two murders and one arrest in Baltimore on Tuesday: Eric Smith was found shot in a car in West Baltimore at 9:00 Tuesday night, and Torrey Darling was fatally shot 30 minutes later Tuesday in the Northwest. Farrakhhan Jenkins was arrested for the Sunday murder of Antwon Torain in West Baltimore.

Jennifer Lee, the 21-year-old daughter of a Baltimore County firefighter, was killed in White Marsh on Monday night when a drunk driver crossed the center line and hit her car head-on. According to the article, the drunk driver was taken to Shock Trauma, charged, and "released on citations."

Suspicious: the body of David Ross, 55, found November 19 at the bottom of an elevator shaft in the Dundalk/Canton area.

In keeping in the Baltimore holiday tradition of robbing the less fortunate, two collection bins containing Christmas toys were set afire in Towson.

Former Villa Julie student Danielle Eboni Riley of PG County, 22, turned herself in yesterday and was charged with first-degree murder in the October death of her newborn daughter. The Medical Examiner ruled that the child' s death was a homicide, caused by asphyxia, blunt force, head injury and environmental exposure.

Still no leads on the murder of Jeryl Singleterry, the kidnapping victim who was found dead after his family paid over $10,000 in ranson. Singleterry was unemployed, had no criminal record, and was not apparently involved in drug use or other illegal acts.

A 16-year-old Annapolis honor student who wanted to "catch a body" got a 40 year sentence for murdering another teen and attempting to murder two women. Anthony Deyonko Switzer fired a shotgun randomly at a motorist. Not knowing he had just killed 18-year-old Doray D. Jones, he later shot at another car and narrowly missed the two women.

A 42-year-old East Baltimore dealer named Darrell Alston received a life sentence on Wednesday. His comrade-in-arms, Anthony Chandler, received 24 years. In an unrelated sentencing, Kenneth Butler was handed a 10-year sentence for attempting to deliver a half-kilo of heroin to a city dealer. (How is it that the drug trade seems to be the only entity in America on the metic system? -BVderC)

November 30

A homicide on Presbury Street in the Western, and a 17-year-old was shot.

Last week's five murders brought 2005's body count to 247.

A 23-year-old guy was found suspiciously dead in College Park.

Maryland inmate Ralph Manna got 20 more years for trying to hire an undercover officer to kill his ex-wife and their son. He was already serving two "life" sentences.

A motions hearing in the matter of John Booth-El, 52, is scheduled for 1:30 tomorrow afternoon before Judge Kaye Allison, 451 Mitchell Courthouse. A Baltimore city jury convicted Booth-El in 1984 of first-degree murder for the 1983 stabbing death of Irvin Bronstein and sentenced him to death. The death sentence has been vacated, and reinstated, four times since. Booth is being represented pro bono by five lawyers and a legal assistant from the firm of Arent Fox, who will presumably be challenging the court's failure to consider mitigating factors that were permitted under Maryland sentencing law at the time.

Charges were dropped against 17-year-old Antonio Newsome, accused of firebombing Miss Edna's house. So let's review: three guys, Jackie Brewington, 18, Isaac Smith and Andre Wilkins, 31, copped a deal with Federal prosecutors (snitches!) to plead guilty to witness tampering and use of an explosive device. Trial will begin for Terrance "Buck" Smith, 24, of the 7 Deuce 1 Bloods, Shakia Watkins, 19, Richard Royal, 21, and head snowman Nakie Harris, 30 on December 5. Edna McAbier is alive and hiding in an undisclosed location.

Three old people, Deborah Henry, 46, Kevin Musser, 42, and Robert Shallcross, 50, were busted for operating a portable meth lab.

The prosecution has rested in the Irv Lorenzo money-laundering thing. Says the defense, Lorenzo just hung out with "Supreme" the drug kingpin because he "provided a certain street credibility." The "poet" is also said to have be involved in a plot to kill 50 Cent.

A lot of to-the-point two-word headlines out of Annapolis, including "Teen Beaten" and "Shoplifter Sprayed".

Ehrlich: closing the Hickey School with nowhere to send juvenile offenders was a good idea. (The election race might get interesting after all: gov has announced he endorses Bush's military policies and linked the Iraq war with the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Great $10K idea, Chip. Read much?)

November 29

The murder trial of Shane Burton, 20, Ronald Sturgiss, 21, and Dominic Warren, 21, originally scheduled for 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge Shirley M. Watts, has been postponed until January 11, 2006. Earlier this year, a Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted all three men for first-degree murder and conspiracy to first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Jerry Evans. If convicted, the maximum sentence the defendants could face is life in prison. Court documents allege that on June 16 police officers responded to the 1100 block of McAleer Court for a shooting. Evans was later pronounced dead at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The defendants were identified through eyewitness accounts.

A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Davi Ralph, 17, in connection with the shooting of a uniformed Baltimore City Police Officer, Robert Hayes, 30. The indictment charges Ralph with the non-fatal shooting of Officer Hayes that occurred on November 12 in the 1700 block of Montpelier Street.

Shooting, robbery, robbery, shooting in the Blotter.

November 28

Two more murders in Baltimore City: 22-year-old Ronald Gervin was shot to death at the Cedonia Inn in Northeast Baltimore on Saturday night, and an unidentified man was fatally shot in the head on N. Payson St. in West Baltimore early Sunday morning.

A 22-year-old woman and her 5-year-old son were abducted by an ex-boyfriend at the Wheaton Metro station in Montgomery County. The ex-boyfriend was driving a red 2003 Dodge Ram with a red cap on the back and the words "Red Scorpion" across the top of the windshield. It has Maryland Chesapeake Bay plates 49914B/Y. He also owns a 1996 Toyota T-100 pickup with Maryland tags 1EG807.

Uh, yeah... About that last item... she was, uh, fibbing a wee bit because she didn't want her family to know she was still with her boyfriend. She's a real winner, that one. (Thanks for the heads-up, John.)

51-year-old Tony Campbell and 27-year-old Christino Purisima were the two men killed last week in the adjacent Furrow St. rowhouses in Southwest Baltimore.

The Police Blotter has a 43-year-old man being beaten in his West Baltimore home with a metal pipe, a pizza deliveryman being robbed by two young men with a knife, and a whole lot of theft (including a handicapped parking permit from a 1998 Pontiac).

Sex offender Karen Diane Hammond cannot be found by Howard County police. The 49-year-old heroin addict pleaded guilty to having sex with her then 17-year-old son three years ago. She is the only sex offender in Howard that cannot be accounted for.

A gunman in a double shooting in Hyattsville is still at large. In an unrelated incident, a Hyattsville teenager was shot in the face and stomach after giving up his North Face jacket with no resistance.

Mayor O'Malley is looking into opening a free boarding school after watching a The Boys of Baraka, a documentary about Baltimore students who moved to a boarding school in Kenya. That school then closed, forcing the boys back to the Baltimore school where they had been failing. WJZ writes, "O'Malley says city kids shouldn't have to be shipped overseas in order for them to get the breathing space they need to learn and grow."

In the "crime against art" department, the Dime Museum will be closing at year's end unless the money fairy pays it a visit.

November 26

Along with two armed robberies, the Sun's Police Blotter reports that a 79-year-old man was arrested for attempted murder.

Police are still puzzled by those pesky light pole thieves. And thanks to John for pointing out that our missing light poles are now receiving national coverage on CNN.

Civil disobedience is alive and well, unless you try it at the mall.

November 25

More about Jeryl Anthony Singleterry, the kidnapping victim who was murdered despite the fact that his ransom was paid.

Updates on the double homicide in West Baltimore and the shooting at the Glen Burnie restaurant supply company in the Metro Digest.

More on witness intimidation in the Sun: Baltimore County police have spent over a year looking for witness Ronald Patrick Johnson, Jr., but he can't be found.

Speaking of witness intimidation, John posted some interesting comments under yesterday's post.

A newly launched campaign to stop human trafficking in Montgomery County this week.

A bank robbery in White Marsh lurks amidst the theft and burglary in the Sun's Police Blotter

There must be something in our fine city that is more deserving of an In Depth Investigative Report than a dirty bathroom in a Wal-Mart...

November 24

Two men in two adjacent rowhouses were shot to death in West Baltimore.

35-year-old John Lewis escaped from PG Corrections officials who were transporting him between facilities. Lewis jumped out of the van while it was stopped at a traffic light. Maybe it's just me, but doesn't it seem as if the Corrections officers might have been prepared for something like that?

Dissent in the legal system over the fact that victims aren't being called to testify at their attackers' trials. Circuit Judge Alfred Nance said, "The state has a responsibility not simply to seek and obtain a conviction, but to seek justice." Does getting killed or having your house torched because of your testimoney now qualify as justice?

Judge John M. Glynn declared a hung trial for William Crudup yesterday. One of the jurors apparently made up her mind at the beginning of the trial and refused to consider any evidence. Crudup is accused of attempting to kill to police officers in March.

The Sun's Police Blotter tells of stolen money from St. Frances Academy (a private school that primarily serves inner city kids who are dealing with extreme family/personal difficulties) and stolen money from an 84-year-old woman who was shoved to the ground during the theft.

A Cecil County robber has expanded her territory into Pennsylvania.

Jeremy Justin Lepone is facing state and federal charges after his Harford County carjacking stunt, which included stealing a car from an elementary school staff member and then crashing through the gates of a military facility.

Ehrlich has agreed to pardon 12 prisoners, including two women who were convicted on charges of theft and/or shoplifting, and one man who has served 44 years for murder.

Harvey Edward Brown, a man who attacked one woman and pursued four others on the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail, was sentenced to life in prison.

The yet-to-be-determined fate of the Charm City Church gives a microscopic glance into the ongoing class struggle in Baltimore.

Ten police officers were required to restore order (if not sanity) to a throng of unruly shoppers at an Elkton Wal-Mart who were waiting to buy the Xbox 360.

Biffy will be away until November 30. Please leave stories of interest.

November 23

Four murders last week brought the total '05 body count to 242.

Kidnapped 26-year-old Anthony Singleterry was found dead after his family paid ransom. Detectives have no suspects or motive.

Three people were shot at the Glen Burnie food distribution company Wagner & Sons, including the gunman.

A fight between two off-duty Baltimore police officers ended with one guy going to shock trauma for stab wounds.

An attempted murder arrest for the Sunday shooting of William Delrio, robberies, shootings and arson in the blotter.

A former Towson police officer, Samuel Chambers, will serve five years for sexually abusing a young girl.

Future voter on the hot-button juvenile civil rights issue of today: "curfews are so gay." Speaking of juvenile rights &tc, there are 15 Marylanders serving life-without-parole sentences who committed their crimes as juveniles. And chilling stat (which I would like a source on because I just don't buy it, but I'm sure the real number is no great comfort either): "reports show that 92 percent of cases filed in adult criminal courts in Baltimore City involve minority juveniles."

A CP story traces the retelling of the Steele Oreo Urban Legend.

Mayor to Councilman Keiffer Mitchell: the help of state troopers would not do much good. Also re: local politics, Councilmania really caputres the feel of the slow grind of government. That would be great if they abolished ground rents ... but you get the feeling it would take a quarter-century for anything that ambitious to happen.