May 31

In Hargerstown, a 17-year-old got two years' probation for shooting a mother of three.

WBAL reports the 10-day-old story of gas-jacker Joseph Boulware.

Though the Inspector General pooh-poohs Project Exile (source of the billboard on the jail), local officials say the Feds have been taking over gun prosecutions successfully, upping them by 82 percent in the past quarter.

From the SA's office:

[BC State's Attorney Mrs. J] will join law enforcement partners, community leaders and guests at The Maryland Gang Summit, Sheraton Hotel Columbia, 10207 Wincopin Circle, Columbia, Maryland at 9:30 AM Thursday. Jessamy's participation in The Maryland Gang Summit continues public education and awareness efforts underway by Baltimore prosecutors and community coordinators. Citizens, neighborhood leaders and school officials have expressed interest in knowing more about gang activity in their communities. In response to this high level of community interest, the State's Attorney's Office sponsored a Gang Awareness Summit at the University of Maryland in April. The SAO is also promoting gang awareness and positive decision making skills at city schools through the G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance Education and Training) program, a cooperative effort begun by the SAO and City School Police.

Donte Hudson, 28, was shot to death in East Baltimore and a potential witness is clinging to life. Hudson was homicide #112. There have been six murders in the past five days.

The CP reports on the city's homicides between May 15 and 26. Aaron Wilson, 23, was identified as one of the two men shot in Maple Glen Apartments.

One of the "Sweet 16" killers, Jamal Charles, 16, has an arraigment scheduled for 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge Glynn. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Charles and Drake May 4, 2006 for first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and handgun counts.

The rape trial of Jemini Jones, Steven Hatley, and Brian Shaffer, originally scheduled to begin today, was postponed until August 21 before Judge Wanda K. Heard.

..and Sophia Coppola is pregnant, and it isn't Spike's!

May 30

Supreme Court to Govt. Employees: Stop Snitching!

Federal Bureau of Justice Statistics: while 42 percent of sexual assaults are reported to police in the general population, 13 of 14 black women who are sexually assaulted don't file a report.

Councilman Kenneth Harris Sr. wants to know why police are arresting people for minor or questionable crimes.

John Allen Muhammad was convicted of first-degree murder in Montgomery County for killing James Martin, Premkumar Walekar, James "Sonny" Buchanan, Sarah Ramos, Lori Lewis Rivera and Conrad Johnson.

Trial began for William Langley, 49, in 225 Courthouse East. He is accused of shooting Nae Chun Pak, 46, to death. Pak, Baltimorean from Korea, was the only Asian male to be murdered in the city last year (that we know of). Linda Trinh, daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, was the only Asian female.

A woman at 300 W. 31st may have been # 112.

Gag Forced on Police Rape Case Facers

Army Sgt. Juwan Johnson of Baltimore was beaten to death in Kaiserslautern, Germany.

A suspect lost consciousness, then died after struggle with police at the Canton Liquor House in Fell's Point.

A man was abducted from Reisterstown Road, beaten and stabbed.

In Silver Spring, six gunmen tried to jack three ATVs, caused 12-car pile-up.

MoGoCoians are puzzled by the five teenage boys who robbed the Bethesda Smoothie King.

Kimberly Dozier, a CBS correspondent wounded in an Iraq car bombing, attended BMS, St. Tim's.

May 29

Four homicides this weekend; RIP Darnell A. Spearman, 32; Donye Blackston, 22; two mystery men, bringing The Number to about 111.

What the stat?! Baltimore police are in 10 1/2 car accidents in an average week?

Marion Meade on NPR with the Dorothy Parker/ Lillian Hellman/ MLKJr/ NAACP story. Dish! Hellman was bitter, jealous liar, hated newspapermen. Parker's ashes sat in a drawer in a Wall Street office for 15 years until Ben Hooks raised $10,000 to make her a memorial garden. Quote: "Everyone made jokes that [Baltimore] was a fate worse than death, but after you've been hanging around on the shelf, dead for that long, what difference does it make? And some nice people took her in." Here's Tyne "Lacey" Daly reading the n-word repeatedly in "Arrangement in Black and White".

May 28

Rey Rivera's wife gave police his suicide note Wednesday.

Another reason to hate Team Ehrlich/Constellation: Maryland power plants have been flagrantly violating pollution laws, unpenalized.

Following a robbery, a Bowie man was Annapolis' 4th homicide.

A 19-year-old and a 17-year-old were stabbed in a knife fight in Edgewood.

Darnell Foreman, 21, was shot in Frederick and flown to shock trauma.

Julie Bycowicz's story about change to the FBI's gunshot analysis policies made the L.A. Times.

Now that's a story: Dorothy Parker's ashes belong to the NAACP, and have been sitting in their Northwest Baltimore headquarters for years ! Parker reportedly willed her estate to MLK Jr. and the NAACP after she heard snarky Sun reporter H.L. Mencken tell racist jokes.

May 27

An arraignment for Rodney "Skinny Suge" Thomas, 35, of Edmondson Avenue, is scheduled for 9:30AM before Judge John M. Glynn, Mitchell Courthouse, 110 North Calvert Street. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Thomas May 1 for first-degree assault. On February 13, following an argument, Thomas assaulted an employee of the USA Boutique. The victim sustained a chipped bottom tooth, black eye, busted lip and a fractured nose from the attack, say court documents.

Justice Department: government crime program doesn't work.

Four men invaded a home and tied up a woman in White Marsh.

Baltimore subway trains are running again after a man was killed on the tracks this morning (we have a subway?)

An article about the "kewl" FBI pedophile-hunting office in Calverton.

Numbers: Baltimore County police dealt with 10,912 domestic violence incidents last year. Baltimore City got 26,000 domestic violence calls and arrested @5300 people for incidents in '0). The county's population is about 750,000, the city's about 636,000.

EwW! The Rotunda Giant was closed due to filth!

Smoking paraphernalia, opaites excavated at historic Baltimore outhouse.

John Waters on B:gitinonit: "What they're saying is [come to hear] people talk about how much their house cost at parties."

May 26

In Bel Air a 23-year-old man was stabbed to death by two teenagers.

275 pole cameras @ $2,500 (or $8 million)/ 6 months / 61 convictions = between $11,270 and $131,000 per conviction.

A man in his 30's became 2006's 108th homicide after being shot in the 2000-block of Woodborurne Avenue.

A 2-year-old was fatally struck by a car in West Baltimore when she wandered into the street at 9 p.m. last Saturday night. Police are seeking a man driving a burgandy car.

That Kaufman! He's still in sandals and socks, though now he's thinking about buying a gun. Hope he gets some kidneys.

A 15-year-old was arrested for the attempted murder of Edward Terry, 18, last Sunday.

Harris Hauffen, 18 and a member of MS-13, got 4 1/2 years for stabbing two teenagers at Springbrook High School in Mongtomery County.

Spelling counts: WBAL news trounces May sweeps with double JZ's market share. Fox's 10 O'clock was the second-most watched news broadcast.

Another police-car accident.

HoCoProfHo's postponed in tan polyester.

May 25

The Baltimore City Grand Jury has indicted Janet Lee Johnson, 18, for attempted first-degree murder and first-degree murder. Court documents allege that on April 11 Johnson and other unknown suspects jumped a city man in the 1900 block of McCulloh Street, stabbing him multiple times in the neck, back, shoulder and arm. The victim survived and was able to call police. Court documents also allege that in the early morning hours of April 12 Johnson was part of a group that stabbed and beat to death Terrance Randolph, 19. Police discovered his burned body later that day in the rear of the 1900 block of Division Street. Johnson remains held without bail at the Baltimore City Detention Center. An arraignment is scheduled for June 20, 2006 before Judge John M. Glynn.

At a hearing today, Henry Leon Davis, 42, pled guilty to attempted second-degree murder before Judge Lynn K. Stewart. Judge Stewart sentenced Davis to 12 years in prison and five years of probation. On June 13, 2005 Davis beat and stabbed A. Robert Kaufman at Kaufman's home in the 2000 block of North Hilton Street.

The Sun reports a man in the Southeastern was abducted and shot ... five days ago.

Police are seeking at-large sex offender Marcello Malcolm Jackson, left.

Christie Shipley, former Baltimore police officer convicted of the "Dover torso murder," died in prison at age 68.

A 16-year-old student was shot in the back near Walbrook High, not fatal, #107 if he and all of this weeks' victims are found to have intentionally died at the hands* of others.
*hands to exclude matches, bumpers or weak spots in hotel roofing. Numbers can get confusing, fast.

The man shot to death while driving, homicide #103, was named as Harry Gillespie of Gambrills.

The body of missing Rey Rivera was found in a second-story conference room of the beleaguered Belvedere Hotel, a possible homicide (#106?), more likely something else.

Myspace helped solve the attack of three Crofton students; one was beaten so badly the roof of his mouth and two of his teeth were broken, attackers tried to drown him in a decorative pond.

One can only pray there's a special room in hell for certain advertising executives, where Ford Fiesta colors flash night and day, fake funk blares and giant-nippled hoop-waisted freaks pelt them with tiny white balls.

May 24

BCrime exclusive: "Get in on it" is not just a crappy slogan, it's also soon-to-be crappy tv ad campaign filming now! Actors are currently attempting to film a musical jingle in spots like Fort McHenry and environs, but a source from the set says "the lyrics were so awkward the actors kept fucking 'em up!" The city plans to spend $1.2 million with Carton Donofrio Partners.

Trial updates:
At an arraignment this morning, Walter Jackson-Hill, the policeman charged with accepting bribes to make charges go away and other counts, pled not guilty. The court set a trial date of July 26 before Judge Alfred Nance.

At arraignment this morning Jobrea Lodge and Sherray Douglas, charged with the attempted murder of Det. Dante Hemingway, pled not guilty. The court set a trial date of August 7 before Judge Alfred Nance.

At an arraignment this morning, Che Christopher Jackson, the "Rim Job" cop charged with theft, pled not guilty. The court set a trial date of July 28 before Judge Alfred Nance.

A man was shot to death while driving early this morning, murder 103 (unless it's ruled a suicide, or 104 if yesterday's stabbing victim dies, 105 if Whitney Wiley dies).

Whitney Wiley, 19, was shot in the head and dumped at the Sinai emergency room entrance by a 1993 Cadillac Fleetwood.

A 10-year-old girl stabbed a 12-year-old girl at Stewart Hill Elementary.

No jail time for Greg Raymond.

Viva la Magnet Bar!

Three inmates were shanked at Jessup.

Somebody went to Calvert Hall: The Examiner has a serious boner for this Loyola drug-flushing story! Now there's another follow-up (on the cover!) in which alum Joe Curran defends the school, plus a question-mark-laden editorial (C-). Answer key for private school students only: yes, no, yes, Boy's Latin is punishment, yes (see previous), yes (see previous), define "punishment," yes (see previous), please rephrase the question, why are you asking me, it's your editorial, dude! May I be excused? I've got an away game.

Far-flung pervs dept.: A federal case may be persued for accused Internet predator/rapist William Henry Ransley III of Finksburg. And in Easton, Alan Roger Travers, 43, is charged with 52 counts related to filming guys changing and showering at the Y. And Brian Doyle, a former Department of Homeland Security press aide from Silver Spring was extradited to Florida and pled not guilty to 23 counts related to attempting to solicit sex from someone whom he thought was an underage girl (but was really a Polk County detective).

May 23

A person was stabbed near Thurgood Marshall High School. The school is "famous" for lacking adequate heat, drinking water or toilet paper, numerous student-set fires, vermin infestation and being a general lightening rod for crapulence. A Thurgood Marshall student was also arrested for attempted murder last month, and two teenagers were shot near the high school in October of 2004.

The body of a man who had been shot mulitple times was found in the basement of the Maple Glen apartments (on the Northeast side near Herring Run Park). Residents say they heard a shot at 3 a.m. but did not call police. And yesterday Lynn D. Lettley, 28, was fatally shot in Dundalk, bringing the city's murder count to 102 (and homicide count to about 106. "About" because there are cases pending).

Police and family members are seeking help in locating Rey Rivera, a 32-year-old man who disappeared under mysterious circumstances last week.

The Bloody Preakness of '06: An assistant trainer at Pimlico was stabbed by two assailants in barn number six.

At a hearing yesterday, Judge Thomas Waxter sentenced Jermaine Winkler, 23, to 40 years for first-degree murder (and 20 years, of concurrent, aka cloud-cuckooland pretend time, for use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence.) A city jury convicted Winkler February 13. Say court documents:

On October 1, 2004, Winkler attempted to rob John Shivers, 42, while he was in the bleachers of Forest Park High School on Eldorado Avenue. The defendant and an accomplice approached the victim and demanded money. The victim refused and attempted to flee and was fatally shot one time in the chest.

A home invasion and shooting on E. 20th street in the blotter.

BaltCo former "drug Czar": Loyola Blakefield sent bad message by flushing drugs. The Examiner reports that the Jesuit boys' school has had at least four drug-related incidents lately.

Down Greenbelt, Baltimorean Wallace White, 23, got 19 years for gun posession. And speaking of Nigerian scams, five Marylanders and a New Yorker were indicted for bank fraud in a scheme in which they allegedly impersonated account holders. Also, the Beils of Millersville pled guilty to cooking up a batch of speed.

Baltimore city police are recruiting in Puerto Rico to find bilingual candidates, and officers are being moved from desk duty to the streets. and TDR broke a story that was picked up elsewhere!

Because he hasn't spent enough of your tax dollars yet, at Hargrove District Court this morning, Kenneth "O?r$a(i?)cl$" Ellis, 25, decided he wanted a jury trial for his "malicious destruction of property" charges. An instant jury trial for the artless ass will be scheduled or heard tomorrow in room 406 Mitchell Courthouse.

Another murder/suicide in Western Maryland. Patrick Stewart, 46, shot 59-year-old John Hartman and then himself after an arguement.

J'heart eBay! Lonely socks, drinks with Mrs. J. & Hammy, now your own Baltimore City Liquor license!

May 21

A 22-year-old man was wounded Saturday morning in a gun battle with police.

A drunk driver is dead after he "sped off at speeds," flipped at Franklin, gagged on guardrail.

AACoPo: Though we shot two crazy people in two weeks, we're not changing procedures.

A murder/suicide in HarfCo when 50-year-old Larry Randal Bank was shot by a 48-year-old Bel Air man.

Post: Former professor Brandy Britton likes potbellied pigs, red-eye mochas, may now be using "Claire" as her nom de ho.

In Carroll County, a 14-year-old boy is charged with attempted murder after stabbing his 19-year-old stepbrother.

May 20

The story of the VA couple has hit UPI, adding to the count of horrible Baltimore stories going international of late. (Let's see... "Stop Snitching," Oprah calls school system "atrocious," the "Tipping Point" syphillis chapter, "The Boys of Baraka" ...)

Three men were arrested for a Columbia gang-bang.

Excellent reporting of shitawful stories from Ocean City.

Another Marylander after Sgt. Marion Flint Jr., Robert Seidel III, has died in Iraq. Meanwhile the BBC reports a major uprising at Guantanamo.

Disgusting: Robert Carey, 52, pled guilty to storing more than one million pornographic pictures on his NOAA-owned work computer, including images of himself having sex AT WORK with a young female family member.

Yes, it's true. "Get in on it."

May 19

Darryl Long was murdered in Northeast Baltimore in a brutal home invasion, and Jamal Gwaltney, 23, died after being shot in the upper body, making 100 murders for the year according to BPD and FBI, who do not count vehicular homicide as a murder, even if the killing happens during the commission of a felony.*
(Or if your brother runs you over and keeps going.) Deaths as a result of arson are also not counted. According to the Medical Examiner's office, the current homicide number from January 1 to the present is 104.

Also not counted in the murder numbers: deaths in state custody, such as the beating death of Raymond K. Smoot. A motions hearing in that case is scheduled for Monday in Part 8, Room 236, Mitchell Courthouse. Former correction officers Dameon Woods, Nathan Colbert, and James Hatcher were indicted on August 16, 2005 for second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, and conspiracy to first and second-degree assault. According to the corrections officers' union, Smoot was beaten by 25 to 30 guards.

Matthew Capp, a city homeowner, called the police when he thought he was being burgled was instead arrested and taken to Central Booking, shoeless. Arrests are up this month.

Police are looking for the family of Chandra Williams, who is in Shock Trauma after being shot in the face.

Timothy Loose was arrested for the third time for stealing luggage at BWI.

Ew, ick, ew, ick. Former Carroll County School Superintendent William H. Hyde, 64 was released from the Carroll County Detention Center after serving less than 12 months of an 18-month term for raping a young girl but still wanted his probation shortened. TG Judge Luke Burns denied the request.

Assaults by metal pole and bayonet and an attempted murderer arrested in the blotter.

*Though if Tom and Harry go to rob a store, and Tom shoots someone, Harry would also be charged with first-degree murder and would be eligible for the death penalty. Wacky!

May 18

The kidnapper of 19-year-old Delmy Beatriz Rivera, Jose Francisco Padilla-Colin, got four years.

A woman was killed after being hit by a stolen car in West Baltimore.

One of Tuesday's murder victims was named: 24-year-old Aaron Wilson.

Police: arrested VA couple were argumentative, grabby.

Scott Luty shot his wife Jennifer and then himself in the middle of the day in downtown Frederick.

State police will be handing out photos of Dusty Shuck and her tattoos at Western Maryland truck stops.

The MD Transportation Authority is accused of making strippers strip, taking Polaroids of them and stealing their money.

Organized Crime: A Bel Air man who pled guilty to insurance fraud, a gun charge and making a false statement on a passport application kept his records in a folder labeled "SCAMS." And file under "tacky" 30-year-old Bryn Phillips, who used some of the $860k she stole from her employer for a pink mink with faux trim and a trip to the Venetian (
Footnote to criminals: if you're on the lam, Vegas is the dumbest destination choice ever.)

Diplay: (verb) To reprint an AP story without bothering to read the headline. (The Wash. Post took the story down)

May 17

The Ink notes last week's murders of David Snow, Jeremiah Pinder and Justice Georgie. Two murders of unidentified males last night bring the total toll for the year to 98.

Shamvoy "Don Papa" Smith, a reputed local Bloods leader wanted for the murder of 19-year-old Terrance Randolph was arrested in Las Vegas. Randolph had been beaten, bound and set on fire in a West Baltimore alley April 12.

Often-charged but rarely convicted murderous crack dealer Craig E. Winkey was arrested for conspiracy to distribute. will he finally get jail time?

Blotter: 17-year-old was shot in the leg, plus a carjacking and plenty of theft.

A couple from Chantilly, VA up for an O's game was arrested and had their car impounded when they asked a policeman for directions in Cherry Hill.

Howard County police arrested Marc Ward for the 2002 shooting of Edwin Aytes in Columbia.

Mega Patria, 17, has been charged as an adult in AAC with second-degree murder in the Dec. 4 death of her newborn son.

May 16

Teandre Lanathian Draper, 22, was arrested and charged with the murder of Eula Uverde Osbourne in Woodlawn.

Montese L. Thompson, 23, was sentenced to 25 years for the murder of of Verna Brown, 35. A jury convicted Thompson March 29 of second-degree murder, for which he could receive a maximum of 30 years in prison. Thompson assaulted Brown in a house 1800 block of North Montford Avenue and later followed her outside and beat her in the face with a shovel on June 28 of last year. Brown died of her injuries on July 3, 2005.

Police are seeking some crazy bitch who threw bleach in a woman's face on Pennsylvania Avenue, plus two nonfatal shootings and two murder arrests.

Retype press releases much? The Sun has a story about gangs that's almost identical to the one WBAL ran yesterday.

At a hearing yesterday, Judge Waxter sentenced Cedric Stancil, age 30, to 50 years for the murder of Edwin Boyd, 17, and another unidentified individual who were shot execution-style next to a barbershop in the 2300 block of East Oliver Street. He also got a concurrent (aka pointless) 20-year prison term for a handgun count. On October 24, 2005 a city jury convicted Stancil of first-degree murder and use of a handgun in a crime of violence. Edwin Boyd was an eyewitness in a homicide that occurred on May 28, 2003 and was murdered shortly after speaking with police.

Steven Richie Craft, 39, pled guilty to one count of automobile manslaughter and one count of second-degree assault yesterday. Judge John M. Glynn sentenced him to seven years for the manslaughter count and a consecutive five year prison term, suspended (if it's concurrent, why bother?) for the assault count. On July 16, 2005 Craft was driving a stolen automobile that struck a vehicle in the 700 block of Eden Street. Cheryl Broadnax, 45, who was an occupant in that vehicle, was killed in the collision. Craft also attempted to run over city police officer Edward Mendez, striking him with such force he was airborne.

Murdered inmate Philip E. Parker Jr.'s parents are suing the state, claiming guards were sleeping and watching TV instead of intervening and did not perform CPR.

Wow indeed: AAC police seized $9.3 million worth of doobage, yay-yo, bobo and disco biscuits.

"I'm Keith, and I'm an addict." Well duh.

Donna Lee Bell, the HarfCo animal collector, is in jail after evading police in Bel Air.

May 15

Police say the Bloods are recruiting kids as young as 10. (And though the East Baltimore organization may be eight months old, there's at least one group claiming to be affiliated with the Bloods which has been active on the North side for much longer than that.)

Eula Uverde Osbourne, 49, was found dead in the basement of a house that was being renovated in Gwynn Oak.

At a hearing today, Judge Roger W. Brown sentenced Charles Benedict Knott, Sr. 52, of Clipper Heights Avenue to seven years in prison for the homicide of James Garrett, 56. Knott was the guy who beat Garrett to death with a cane in front of the Hampden family center on 36th street as kids were on their way home from school. Local rumor had it that Garrett had molested Knott's granddaughter. Knott pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter March 13.

David Evans, 23, of Bethesda and Duke University was indicted for first-degree forcible rape, sexual offense and kidnapping in Durham County, NC. He pled guilty to alcohol violations last week.

Five teenagers were arrested for assault and a car and plenty of cash stolen in the blotter (back after a nine-day hiatus).

May 14

Police barricaded blocks around Garrison Blvd. and Gwynns Falls Parkway after 36-year-old Justice Georgie was shot to death at a hair salon yesterday evening.

An unidentified male body with a bullet wound to the head was found floating in the harbor near the Bay Lady.

Police shot 18-year-old Justin Fisher to death after he stabbed his girlfriend and himself with a large pair of scissors.

A Crofton father of three turned out to be a member of an international drug cartel.

Hugh McWhinney, 73, shot his 76-year-old-wife Constance and then himself in Garrett County.

A Frederick County man lost is girlfriend and was driven out of town when FBI officials mistook him for a child molester. Good advice: "don't mess with suburbia, because we will chew you up and spit you out."

A Marine in Annapolis left his kids in the mall play area to apply Brazilian jiu-jitsu to a jewelry thief.

May 13

Dusty Shuck's mother says that the murdered 24-year-old suffered from schizophrenia and had walked away from a treatment facility in New Mexico.

Dundalker Steven Liller Jr. spent two months in jail for carjacking and assault in what turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

Two shockingly stupid Montgomery County teens are charged with setting 17 fires after posting pictures of their handiwork on Myspace.

Crazy shit, yo: A 57-year-old woman in Harford County hoarded more than 100 pets in conditions so squalid a hazardous materials response team shut off electricity for fear that the methane could cause an explosion.

May 12

Stephan Vaughn, 27 (or Baughan, if you're JZ), got 20 years in prison for counts related to a burglary, police chase and accident that ended in the deaths of Avon Holman, 15, and Denis Jurkiewicz Jr., 24. Said the state,

On July 29, 2005 at 4:53 a.m. police observed and pursued a black BMW 325i being driven at excessive speed and failing to stop for red lights on Broadway in Fells Point. The BMW crashed into a Mitsubishi Galant killing its driver, Denis Jurkiewicz, 24, a nearby resident who was on his way home from work. Both vehicles then struck a parked Chrysler Concorde, traveled up onto the sidewalk and into a tree, totaling both vehicles. The driver of the BMW, later identified as Stephan Vaughn, was observed to exit through the driver's side window and run into an apartment building at 3 N Broadway where he was eventually apprehended after forcing his way into an apartment. Further investigation revealed that the BMW had been reported stolen. Found inside was the deceased body of Avon Holman, 15. Also recovered were three plasma TVs and two cash registers which had just been reported stolen from a commercial establishment, the Red Fish, located at 845 South Montford Ave.Vaughn has a previous conviction in Baltimore County and could face 15 years additional prison time. More than 50 family members and victims were in court this morning and many offered victim impact statements.

A Baltimore City jury convicted Damien Whitaker, 26, of attempted second-degree assault and carrying a dangerous weapon with the intent to injure. Judge Shirley Watts sentenced Whitaker to five years plus three years of probation. Says the State:

On May 26, 2005, Damien Whitaker, along with other unknown associates, allegedly to held a woman and her grandson hostage inside their home in the 2800 block of Hilldale Avenue for several hours. Mr. Whitaker threatened to kill someone if he couldn't find his money and his "stuff" which he alleged was stolen from him the day before. Mr. Whitaker lay in wait at the residence until the woman's son returned home. When the son returned to the house, he was assaulted with a baseball bat and beaten by Whitaker and two of his associates. The victim's car keys and money were taken from his pockets and Mr. Whitaker forced the victim to drive to a motel on North Avenue to find the person Mr. Whitaker believed stole his property. The victim was eventually able to escape Mr. Whitaker and called 911.

A Baltimore City jury late last night convicted Herbert Wyche, 55, of West Saratoga Street, of attempted first-degree murder and a related handgun count, but acquitted Wyche of first-degree murder in the death of William Staten, 60. The jury deliberated approximately three hours following two days of testimony. Sentencing is scheduled for July 12. Court docs allege that on April 21, 2004 Staten was cleaning the steps andsidewalk area in front of his home at 1031 N. Stricker St. when Wyche dropped some orange peels on the sidewalk, angering Mr. Staten. The two began to argue and Mr. Staten hit Wyche in the head with a bottle. Wyche then pulled out a gun and shot the victim once in the abdomen. Mr. Staten died 15 months later.

The murder trial of Nathaniel Broadway, scheduled to begin today, has been postponed until August 3 before Judge Schwait. The defendant had indicated to the court he was going to plead guilty in this case but changed his mind.

The Capital: Four members of the MD PSC, Kenneth D. Schisler, Allen M. Freifeld, Charles "Kinky Boots" Boutin and Karen A. Smith violated the law when they secretly met with the governor's staff regarding the BGE rate hike (weren't they supposed to have been fired already?).

The Sun catches up with last week's murder news and misreports the age of murder victim Zion Clemmons, who died from blunt-force trauma at the age of 16 months, 3 days.

Bitch, please: Melissa Harton plans to appeal her 10-year sentence today, claiming her chock-full-o-lies police interview should not have been used against her.

AAC police are seeking the public's help in finding some shotgun-toting convenience-store robbers.

Donald Handy of QAC got 17 1/2 years for selling the crack, Timothy Fisher of HC got 13 years for being a felon with a gun (and crack, and cocaine, and ammunition).

The Sykesville perv is described as fat, bearded and driving a blue compact car. And a Rockville school bus aide has been accused of groping a 9-year-old.

Banks have been robbed in Westminister and Fallston.

May 10

Daughters of a 62-year-old rape victim have taken it upon themselves to publish a sketch of the suspect (left) who attacked their mother in the driveway of her Northwest home with a barbecue fork. They claim police have "discouraged" them from publicizing the sketch.

Officer Rodney Price, who pled guilty in 2002 to the first-degree murder of Tristan Little (who was having an affair with Price's wife), asked the court to reduce his 50-year sentence.

The murder and child abuse trial of Nathaniel Broadway, 26, of E. 31st Street, is scheduled to begin at 9 tomorrow morning before Judge Allen L. Schwait. On June 7, 2004 Broadway and Sierra Swann, the parents of infant twin girls, were indicted for first-degree murder and child abuse in connection with the death of their one-month-old twins. The indictment charges them with the murders of Emmoney Broadway and Emmonea Broadway on May 11, 2004 at their residence. On February 13 Sierra Swann pled guilty to two counts of child abuse resulting in death and she is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30. Nathaniel Broadway and Sierra Swann are being held without bail at the Baltimore City Detention Center.

The judge in the case of Terry Jones, a 24-year-old man accused of beating his 15-year-old girlfriend to death has reversed her decision and now will allow DNA evidence (warning: story rife with typos). Meanwhile, during jury selection this afternoon, defendant Jones became ill and was transported to the hospital for medical care. The matter has been continued until tomorrow and will be heard in Administrative Court.

The Police Blotter has been suspiciously absent this week. Maybe Richard Irwin is on vacation, which would explain why three of the five deaths in "Murder Ink" -- including that of an 18-month-old child -- weren't covered in the Sun.

I think I'm getting this one right, but it seems too absurd to be true: David Allen Cullum was charged with first degree murder for shooting his stepsister's boyfriend yesterday. The boyfriend, Billy Wayne Corbitt, had beaten her, threatened to kill her, come to Cullum's house with a gun, and continued to advance on Cullum even after he had fired a warning shot. I guess Cullum was supposed to stand there and watch his sister get murdered by Corbitt.

An 18-year-old was injured and a 25-year-old man was shot to death in Northwest Baltimore.

A military hearing began yesterday in Iceland for the accused murderer of Airman 1st Class Ashley Turner, a resident of Frederick.

A Carroll County pervert has been offering middle school girls rides to school.

Dusty Shuck may have been killed by a trucker.

A 69-year-old woman who owned an assisted-living facility was sentenced to 18 months house arrest for patient neglect. One patient died after being found with bedsores on 40% of her body, gangrene in one foot, and maggots in the other.

Robert Nicholas Pyle will do three years for stealing a truckload of plasma TVs.

A man who cheated the Social Security Administration for over $20,000 was sentenced to 366 days in prison.

Utech, the employer of City Council President Sheila Dixon's sister, cannot contract with the city for at least two years.