August 11

The Baltimore Police Department Media Unit has embraced YouTube. Did you know? Crime lab supervisor John French is also a writer of "hardboiled" fiction! And Debbie Owens, the Chief of Patrol, once managed six Wendy's® burger franchises!

Results are in: Bcrime readers, certainly the most pissed-off people in the most pissed-off city in America, have spoken. They have no hate for cracker-ass crackers, Koreans or Democrats, but when it comes to Jean Marbella, fergetaboutit-- we'd rather be stuck making conversation with a jailhouse tattletale. Even worse are Suburbanites, who are are tied with Hezbollah. And the most-hated demographic, more detestable than even Vegans, are .... Republicans. Sorry, galt!

The murder trial of Dennis Bowers, 21, and Aaron Scott, 19, is scheduled to begin at 9:30AM Monday, August 14 before Judge Althea Handy. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Bowers and Scott April 18, 2005 for first-degree murder and handgun counts in connection with the shooting death of Jonathan Colbert, 21. Court documents allege Bowers and Scott shot and killed Colbert on the street in the 1400 block of E. Preston St. after attempting to rob Colbert.

At a hearing today, Raymont Hopewell, 34, of the 2800 block of Chelsea Terrace, pled guilty to five counts of first-degree murder, four counts of first-degree rape, and numerous related charges for incidents between February 1999 through August 2005. Under terms of the plea agreement, announced in open court, Judge John M. Glynn will sentence Hopewell to four consecutive life without possibility of parole prison terms at a September 14 sentencing hearing. He also faces numerous other concurrent sentences, including life and several 25 year and 20 year prison terms. To summarize:

On February 20, 1999 Hopewell entered the home of Constance Wills, 61, 1113 North Ellamont Street and burglarized it. He then raped and murdered Ms. Wills.

On November 30, 2002 Hopewell entered the home of Sarah Shannon, 88, 2503 Violet Avenue and burglarized it. He then raped and murdered Ms. Shannon.

On May 27, 2005 Hopewell entered the home of Sadie Mack, 78, 635 North Gilmor Street and burglarized it. He then murdered Ms. Mack.

On August 21, 2005 Hopewell entered the home of Carlton Crawford, 81, 3700 Greenspring Avenue. He then murdered Mr. Crawford.

On August 30, 2005 Hopewell entered the home of Lydia Wingfield, 78, 2701 Mount Holly Avenue and burglarized it. He then raped and murdered Ms. Wingfield.

Hopewell is currently in the Baltimore City Detention Center held without bail.

Hon. Althea Handy: Murder charges against Jason Moody can charge on.

Warren Young got more than 12 years for dealing crack. And an MTA officer was indicted for insurance fraud.

Police officer's son: cops stole $20k.

Two missing Egyptian students were found in Dundalk.

It appears police have found that guy who kept robbing the Family Dollar stores.

Blotter: Dice game robbed; lots of stealing, people arrested for various crimes.

Baltimore Circuit Judge John N. Prevas received a public reprimand for, among other things, losing his temper and calling a defendant a jerk.

Paula Johnson Branch, City Council representative for the 13th district, saved the butt of a former campaign worker.

There's 53 fewer Crips in the sticks.

Pervert Roundup:
Three sick perverts have disappeared from a Carroll County city, and several sick pigs have disappeared from a Carroll County farm.
The FBI is looking for victims of a Canuck pedophile.
A teenage babysitter testified against her 30-year-old pastor.

Attorney General candidate Tom Perez is going after manufacturers of lead paint.

The forced marriage of Old Navy and Baltimore DIY punk.

Napping and parking don't mix.

Smoke crack in Baltimore, but don't beat your fetus in DC:
The Court of Appeals held it's not reckless endangerment to smoke crack while pregnant ("'Such ordinary things as skiing or horseback riding could produce criminal liability,' Judge Alan M. Wilner wrote for the court.") The DC Court, on the other hand, decided attacking a pregnant mother = cruelty to children.

August 10

A man was found beaten to death in the stairway of the Executive Inn Motel on Pulaski Highway (#169).

A judge will decide today if murder suspect Jason Moody can be set free because his right to a speedy trial was violated.

The family of drug suspect Cheryl Noel, shot to death during the execution of a warrant, are suing the police department.

Warren Brown: Mark Beckwith may not have acted in self-defense.

"I don't believe [that] individuals that urinate on the street are a threat to our peace."

A rash of robberies in the Sun blotter, many stolen license plates and one purloined teddy bear in the Messenger.

August 9

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Antoine Oliver, 22, for first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery. Court documents allege witnesses saw Kemoni Sterrette and Antoine Oliver moments before a shooting incident at the Unity Hair Salon in the 2200 block of Garrison Boulevard on May 13 in which the victim, Justice Georgie, was shot and killed while trying to stop the robbery. The Baltimore Grand Jury indicted Sterrette July 17 for first-degree murder. Sterrette is held on $250,000 bail at the Baltimore Detention Center. Oliver is held on $750,000 bail.

Six murders this week, plus new information on Gary Shipman. Also, William Gibson's 1983 death on E. Pratt St. has been added to this year's homicide count (#168), and Dennis James Wallace of Highlandtown was arrested for the crime.

Dewayne Blanche Jones Jr., the man who was shot to death in Middle River yesterday morning, was a well-liked middle-school teacher.

A very strange shooting on Liberty Rd. this morning.

Fox 45 reports on a racial attack at the exclusive St. Paul's School in Baltimore County last spring. The two white students who chased a black student with a noose, put it around his neck, and attempted to pull him into the air claimed they were just joking. (Unfortunately, there's not a useable link on Fox's site yet, but for now try this link.)

Interviews with jurors from the Canela/Espinoza trial.

Now is a bad time to be a prison guard.

Donald Gladden was arrested for 19 recent armed robberies.

You mean "full service" means sex???

A man was charged with raping his 67-year-old neighbor nine years ago.

Former school teacher/principal Daniel Harner was convicted for being a perv.

Applications for search warrants are apparently immune from libel.

A former Hagerstown cop admitted to "terrorizing the city he once served."

An Elkton teen was arrested for setting fire to cars in a movie theater parking lot.

Lots of people are helping find Oxter.

ABC2 apparently needs a new proofreader: "Viral Video’s; feature films of the online world"

August 8

Gregory Moore, shot during the course of a robbery in the Northwest, was #167.

The jurors have announced a verdict in the retrial of Policarpio Espoinoza and Adan Canela ... GUILTY!! Judge David Mitchell ordered a pre-sentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for September 21, 2006.
For backstory, Julie Bykowicz has a guide to the case.

In the Western, a man was shot in the head and a teen was stabbed in the back.

Dewayne Blanche Jones Jr. was shot to death in Middle River.

Dennis James Wallace, 52, was arrested for the 1983 murder of William Gibson.

From Sunday's Post-- "The general public has no idea, and I mean no idea, about the messed-up lives these kids lead until they're dead. The public has no idea about the neglect, the foster homes, the violent acting out, the filth, the mother's boyfriend that abuses them -- the public doesn't know. Doesn't want to know."

Weathered windbag Dan Rodericks blogs about the case in which Judge Schwait accepted a "softie deal" which resulted in 7 months in prison for the pedophile who (allegedly) later stabbed 11-year-old Irvin Harris to death.

A high-school football coach pimped a 15-year-old student to a D.C. police officer, who is now out of jail.

Black widow Josephine Grey, rumored to have used voodoo to intimidate witnesses, was resentenced to 40 years for insurance fraud.

Boozehound Dwayne S. Williams, who killed a woman in a drunk-driving accident, also had a criminal record.

You'll shoot your eye out ... because the gun is just too cute!

WTF? A Forest Hill man assaulted his neighbor with a leaf blower and BB gun.

Former Ehrlich homeslice Joe Steffen, who'd previously agreed to cooperate with investigators, is fighting a subpoena to testify before the legislature. Update-- Judge to Steffen: T.S.

Still into "The Wire"? Cast, writers and crew will be signing copies of the third-season DVD tonight at 7 at Sound Garden.

August 7

Horace Joseph Fauntleroy (#166) was killed yesterday morning in North Baltimore's Parklane neighborhood.

Gerald Edison (#165) was the man whose body was found locked in a Lexus on Evergreen Ave. last Thursday morning. The two men who were found dead in a parked car last week were belatedly ID'd by the Sun as Dante Watson (#153) and Adjeala Graves (#154).

A homeless epileptic man's helper dog is missing from downtown.

Breaking news from the Ministry of the Obvious: Most convicted felons have previous police records.

Beware of scooter thieves!

Getting robbed: a primer

Hi Crimesters, I'm back from France for at least a little while to take care of some business at home.

First of all, dear 'Non, here's some tips about what to do if when you get robbed, and I hope readers will chime in with other helpful suggestions.

• Right this minute, write down all of your credit card numbers (and customer-service phone numbers) somewhere and keep the list in your house, this will make your life much easier after, especially if you get robbed on the weekend. It's also sensible to get a passport and keep that at home so if you lose your license it'll be easier to replace (and in the meantime you'll be able to get into bars and flee the country if necessary). And don't carry checks. If your checkbook gets stolen you have to close out your account and open a new one and that is a huge, huge asspain.


• Get yourself one of those magnet keyboxes that go under the car or wheel well, and keep one housekey and one car key in it so you won't get stranded. (Sounds risky but isn't-- crackheads are smash-and-grabbers and do not have the patience to grope around your wheel wells.)


• Don't stop for anyone on the sidewalk. It's common practice for someone to distract you by asking for the time or a cigarette, then rob you. For walking around downtown, wearing headphones (with the sound turned down low) makes it easier to ignore people trying to distract you. Stay alert and confident-looking and be wary of people walkng in your blind spots. If you think someone in your proximity is acting sketchy, don't hesitate to turn around fully and look them squarely up and down and in the face.


• When you get accosted, first of all, relax, imagine you're dough. Obviously, don't resist-- people get shot that way. You want to project calm, because any panic will increase the robber's stress, and stressed-out robbers are the ones who shoot people. Don't look at the weapon. Take your wallet or purse and gently toss it away from you in the robber's general direction, turn your pockets inside out of you have any. For extra fun, carry a wad of singles in your pocket and fling them into the air like confetti so the robber will be scrambling around on the ground a la "Diving for Dollars."


• A possible execption to the "no resistance" rule: if someone holds a gun to you and tells you to get in a car (especially if you're female and get the perv vibe) it may a better bet to say, "no, shoot me here," and take the chance that they'll get flustered and look for an easier target.


• Don't fall for the bump-and-jump. If a car bumps your bumper, just keep driving and write down their license number if you can. Remember Carl Schoettler?


• At home, get some of them motion-activated lights for your front and back walks. And don't open the door to strangers. There are probably more scam artists in operation around town than robbers anyway-- people coming door-to-door to sell you nonexistent candy, solicit donations for pretend political groups, spin you some yarn about a grandma who needs money for dialysis or yap about their bozo religion. So just leave that door shut!

Any other tips, readers?

August 5

A man on a mopehead was shot to death by police in Cherry Hill.

Christopher Parr was indicted on nine counts in the rape of a 62-year-old woman in Brooklyn.

Four shootings and two armed robberies in the Blotter.

The NAACP and ACLU are suing the city about its quality-of-life arrests, and the case has been transferred to federal court.

Officer Che Christopher Jackson pleaded guilty to stealing the rims and tires from an impounded Caddy. He resigned from the force as part of his plea.

A LoJack transmitter led police to over 15 stolen cars and boats.

August 4

Two more murders yesterday: Howard Jones (#164) was fatally shot in the head in the Southwest just after midnight yesterday, and an unidentified man (#165) was found locked in a Lexus in Northeast Baltimore with fatal gunshot wounds to the head.

The body found in a Lansdowne elementary school chimney has been identified as Zachary Scott Miller, the 19-year-old who went missing after reporting a robbery.

We've already had 16 juvenile homicides this year, three more than all of 2005.

A memorial was held for murdered Jessup guard David McGuinn: "When I consider David, I see a dreamer, and dreamers are important in our society."

A 14-year-old boy was shot repeatedly early yesterday morning, and a 23-year-old woman was shot in the face during a robbery on Tuesday.

Oh good. The cops who interrogated Tion Jamaar Bell -- the guy who fired a stray bullet that hit a 4-year-old Columbia boy as he played in his living room -- didn't read him his Miranda rights.

An Iraq veteran who lost an arm and a leg in the war was mugged with his wife in Bethesda.

Maryland's high court decides pregnant coke addicts can't be convicted for reckless endangerment.

A Towson woman was sexually assaulted in her apartment by a home invader. A 20-year-old man was arrested and charged.

Tip to criminals: if you're going to shoot at people in a car, make sure they're not undercover cops.

Violent prison gangs? Who'd'a thunk it?

Yesterday we got a woman who embezzled $7,000; today we get a woman who embezzled $860,751.88.

Hopkins researchers are studying trash to learn about the quality of life in different neighborhoods.

August 3

The Baltimore Hebrew University was attacked with a Molotov cocktail.

An unidentified body was found in the chimney of a Lansdowne elementary school. The family of Zachary Miller, the 19-year-old who has been missing since reporting a roberry on July 20, were at the site in case it was Miller's body.

Two teenagers were arrested for the murder of Said Sawab, a man was arrested for the murder of Elroy Long, and a man was arrested for the murder of Shawn Ruffin.

The jury begins deliberations today in the Espinosa/Canela case.

A crazy lady tried to steal an unborn baby.

Don't mess with mom when she's drunk.

The Baltimore cop who was arrested for identity theft was actually using five counterfeit credit cards.

A Columbia accountant was convicted of embezzling $7,000.

Channel 11 raises some interesting questions about the accuracy of the city's crime statistics.

August 2

Murder Ink covers nine murders in the past week, which brings us up to 161 homicides this year.

Hindsight is 20/20. The State's Attorney's office reports that Melvin Jones was denied bail. An investigation is being launched against the boy's family since his mother knew that Jones was a registered sex offender yet still allowed him to see her son. (Simple logic leads me to the conclusion that we should consider charges against the state as well: they also knew he was a registered sex offender yet still allowed him to be free.)

Two men were killed in two separate shootings yesterday. Davon Hines (#163) and another man were shot in Middle East at 5:30 yesterday morning, and Darron Gaines (#162) was killed at a playground in Cherry Hill at about 3:00am.

An innocent bystander was killed in Hagerstown by a man who reportedly said, "I missed whoever I was aiming for."

A candlelight vigil for murdered prison guard David McGuinn.

Brandon Morris claims he doesn't remember breaking out of his shackle, grabbing a gun, killing officer Jeffery Wroten, taking a hostage, carjacking a cab, robbing the driver, having a car chase, or crashing the taxi. He does, however, remember waking up outdoors in his boxer shorts.

Martin Rocha-Garcia was arrested in North Carolina for charges including "perverted practice" against a 13-year-old Carroll County girl.

People having sex in the backyard??? Oh, and a man was charged with stabbing three people.

Sharif Taylor got four years for carrying a handgun, on top of the 10 year sentence for voluntary manslaughter for killing his uncle last year.

Charges were dropped against a teen who brought a stolen gun to school.

The above article also reports that a 12-year-old in Annapolis is in stable condition after being shot by his 8-year-old cousin.

Eric Pinno was sentenced to 12 years for his cross-country coke operation.

A Baltimore cop was arrested in PA for using a stolen American Express card.

A cabbie crashed his car and caught a bank robber.

An incoherent bank robber and a vain man with a butcher knife in the Blotter.

A $44M dollar award in a local police brutality case.

August 1

"Irvin, a bright boy with a big smile who loved to dance and sing, disappeared Friday afternoon as he headed to the Belair Food Market to buy a snowball, his family said." - Baltimore Sun

Rest in peace, Irvin. (#159)

July 31

19-year-old Jordan Christopher Morgan pled guilty to first degree murder today. On September 22 of last year, 17-year-old Abdul-bari Muhammad, his teenage brother, and a friend were walking through the parking lot of Mondawmin Mall on their way to the food court when Morgan approached the group, pulled a gun, and announced a robbery. He then shot Muhammad once in the head without even giving the three people a chance to give up their possessions. His sentencing resulted in a 40 year prison term.

Melvin Jones Jr. was arrested this afternoon, and a body that matches the description of 11-year-old Irvin J. Harris was found in Clifton Park. The child was last seen with convicted boy-molester Jones, who served a whopping seven months for his last offense.

Baltimore County police are searching for 19-year-old Zachary Miller, who disappeared a few days after being robbed and warned not to snitch.

A man on the west side was wounded after shooting two women and firing at police.

Looks like last week was the most murderous so far this week, with 10 killings from Sunday to Sunday. I would be a nice project to map all of them but in 12 hours I'll be in route to 11 cite du labyrinthe. So long suckers!

Justin Watson of Taneytown was stabbed to death in Gettysburg.

The squeaky wheel of Edgewood is getting some grease. In a move that Galt will surely support, Harford County sheriff's officers are being shifted to the troubled area while the County Executive decides whether they really need to hire more police.

Anthony Willoughby faces a whole bunch of charges for setting his girlfriend on fire. WBAL and WJZ face no charges for writing terrible headlines about this story. At WBAL ("Man Charged For Allegedly Setting Girl On Fire"), anyone under 40 is apparently still a girl; WJZ ("Hyattsville Woman Set On Fire Recovering") suggests that the woman was set on fire as she was recovering. Great writing, y'all.

A shooting, an armed robbery, and a thief who just wants to clean up.

Hmmmm... Is $15,000 and a survey really what it takes to conquer gangs?

All you need to know about last week: Jessup a nightmare; Baltimore patriots killed in Iraq, sent to Mexican border; Steele calls Bush his homeboy, and Park School's Stanley Virgil Butch Ashman made national news for having sex in a closet with a student 30 years ago.

July 30

Look... down there beneath the article about the water main break in AAC and the bacteria at the beach and the poor man who was killed when the excavator he was operating flipped over. Do you see it? Hidden way down at the bottom? Numbers 157 and 158, Teon White and Santana Stansfield, were murdered on Friday and Saturday (respectively).

July 29

More death on Loyola Southway: a man was found shot on a bicycle (#156).

Another woman in PG County was doused with gasoline and set on fire by a man! WTF?! And by eerie coincidence, on the very same day, Richard Palumbo announced he would retire, not-so-coincidentally prior to his discipline hearing. You'll remember him as the [insert cuss word] who dismissed Yvette Cade's protective order and threatened to have a police officer fired for trying to give him a traffic ticket. Good riddance!

An inmate at Central Booking was found dead in bed.

As expected, Greg Doda of Crownsville pled guilty to criminally negligent homicide for killing a skiier while snowboarding in Jackson Hole, WY. He faces a maximum one year in jail and $2,000 fine.

In AAC, Ranardo Morton has been charged for beating to death Joseph Cortina Jr.

RJR: A buttlegger got six months in jail, and a 48-year-old woman pled guilty to buying a gun for some guy who wasn't supposed to have one.

Frederick deviant Emil Moldovan was indicted for distributing child pornography.

Police in Arlington arrested Paul C. Cofer, 20, the "genius" who crafted handmade hash gumballs for kids.

A man in HarfCo went apeshit at the dentist's office.

Rambling diatribe dept: Plagarism isn't a crime in nonfiction, but ... one day after the NYT published a story about drug makers buying lunch for doctors, lazy Sun reporters dished up the reheated leftovers. It's a good story and all, but isn't there enough going on in our own town without having to take "inspiration" from other (better) papers? And does it really take three reporters to do it? And a day after the Post reported the details of the stabbing of guard David McGuinn, the Sun again rehashes, and adds nothing. And then there's the gumball story. Three warmed-over half-assed stories in one day, not counting stuff lifted right off the wire. With 350 reporters (supposedly), why are only three of them doing any actual work? That tears it, I'm making a new poll!

Poll results: In spite of the prospect of a body-cavity search, most Baltimoreans polled would welcome a night in Central Booking given the alternatives. Six months in Bangladesh was, surprisingly, the second-most-appealing fate. Worst of all was the home invasion: twice as many readers would rather be violated by a large Savannah quarterback than be duct-taped in the basement. Fascinating!

July 28

The theft trial of Che Jackson, originally scheduled to begin today, has been continued by the court until August 4. The case will remain before Judge Alfred Nance.

Douglas Pulley, 27, was fatally shot (#154) during a robbery on Warwick Avenue in West Baltimore. Also, the man shot during the incident that killed Bernadette Reed has died (#155).

The talent agent shot to death in Hanover, AAC has been identified as Richard Preston Shaw, 56.

Kathleen Cullinan: Murder victim Warren Porter of Waverly was shot near his ex-girlfriend's house a day after he pled guilty to riddling said girlfriend's door with bullets. However, police don't believe the two are related. Since the door-shooting and related death threats, Porter and the girlfriend had gotten back together and the dumb bitch recanted her story.

The Post has harrowing details from a witness about the stabbing death of Jessup guard David McGuinn. Both of McGuinn's killers were serving life sentences for murder. Prosecutors say the pair may now face the death penalty.

A man is in critical condition after being shot multiple times in the Eastern.

Police are seeking a 1990 Nissan Maxima after a carjacking last night in Edgewood. (Releasing a tag number might help)

Police say prosecutors are "thrilled" by video cameras' grainy footage.

Dept of scam artistry: MHIC investigator Jennifer Grimes helped the FBI convict grifter Craig Oliver. Oliver has fled and is now a fugitive. And Roy L. Roscoe, 65, pled guilty yesterday to collecting $87k worth of social security checks on behalf of a guy who'd been dead 15 years.

Dems: Steele = forked-tongue liar who signed off on quotes.

Annapolis: murder rate doubled, mayor's nerves frustrated.

PG County: "Goodness, Maddie, this is a funny flip!"

Frederick: A man is suspected of running an illegal liquor store from his home.

Quote of the day: "Maryland is not a Democrat state. Maryland is a far-left kook fringe state."

July 27

The Grand Jury indicted Lavar Omar Shedrick, 20, for first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Court documents allege that on January 24 James Ronald Wright, 32, was found suffering from a gunshot wound at the rear of GreenMount Elementary School. He died a short time later. Eyewitnesses later identified Shedrick as a suspect and police arrested him June 30.

Former officer Walter Jackson-Hill pled guilty to bribery today for taking money from a suspect in exchange for not appearing at his trial."They don't pay police officers enough," noted his lawyer. Judge Handy must have agreed, (or someone paid her brain not to appear) as Jackson-Hill got nary a minute in jail. Outrageous. The maximum penalty for the one charge the crooked cop copped to was 12 years. According to recent statistics compiled by the State's Attorney's Office, in the month of June 2006 in District Court cases, Baltimore Police officers failed to appear 249 times, resulting in the dismissal of over 180 district court cases and 50 postponements. Jackson-Hill failed to appear nine times since between September 2005 and March 2006.

The theft trial of Baltimore City police officer Che "Rim Job" Jackson, 35, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. tomorrow before Judge Alfred Nance. The Grand Jury indicted Jackson April 26 for one count of felony theft. The indictment alleges that between January 4 and January 6, 2006 Jackson removed four 20-inch Rox Fossill rims and four Wanli tires from a 2000 Cadillac Deville belonging to one Lisa Smith. Smith's vehicle had been seized as a result of an investigation into a shooting that occurred in the 3600 block of Brehms Lane and rims and tires were removed while the vehicle was being stored at the Northeastern police district. The tires and rims were subsequently located on a 1999 Cadillac Deville belonging to Jackson.

Quote of the day: "With all of the cameras that pepper poor black neighborhoods all over the city ... city officials need to raise a few more ... inside Baltimore City police stationhouses."

Warren Porter of Govans, shot yesterday in Halehorpe, has died of his injuries.

Mark A.C. Brooks has been arrested for stabbing Russell Duckworth to death, and Sean Ramseur has been arrested for the murder of Gary Shipman.

Down in Virginia, Michael Lenz, who murdered as part of his Asatruic religion, will be executed tonight.

Methodists at the Sharp Street Memorial Church and Payne Memorial are praying for the eternal soul of thief David McCray.

So happy police have arrested a smash-n-grabber. Hope he gets life!

Joaquin Leycock, who evaded police by jumping in a pond even though he can't swim, has been recaptured.

Itchy's conviction stands.

Dept. of Tragic Figures:

• Antonio Davis, who played with a gun and shot his older brother in the head.
• Maricela Knight, who got six months for killing her own husband in a drunk-driving accident. Tough luck honey, you should've been a lacrosse coach.

From Comments:
Not all of my readers are a annoying as Simon! This "advice if you are stopped by a cop in Baltimore" is worth printing out and keeping in your wallet:

1) Shut up. You are not in a persnickety high-school debate session. Don't attempt to explain the law to an officer, even if he is "wrong."

2) Keep your distance from a crime scene. Don't dare ask questions until everything is under control.

3) If you are stopped and being questioned, don't start gesticulating and shouting. This will get you handcuffed and seated on the curb. If you continue after that, they will lie you face down in the street and step on you for an arbitrary amount of time.

4) Answer all questions carefully and clearly. Don't lie and don't embellish. Don't get emotional or irrational.

and Galt has another good one: don't mess with small female cops. (Actually, don't mess with small females in general. We often carry pepper spray.) With a size and strength disadvantage, it's easy to see how someone could percieve a threat when you may not intend one.

- thanks readers!

July 26

Sounds like two men (#s 152, 153?) were shot to death last night in the city ... but the only report of the event is on a Salisbury channel. Quite a sad comment on the state of local coverage, assuming the news is true. (Wait, I take it back, a Sun story has now been put up. Better late than never!)

Sorry state of reportage part II: Anna Ditkoff reports four murders from last week; The Sun reported two of the four.

Three men were shot in a rowhouse on Park Heights Avenue. (If they were shot in the morning and taken to the hospital "last night," then they were shot on the 25th and taken to the hospital more than 12 hours later?)

Life imitates poll: In Glen Burnie, a family of four was duct-taped and robbed in their apartment in the middle of the day.

A teenage girl was stabbed in the chest in the Western, and an arrest was made for the shooting of one Leory Sanders.

For the second time this year, an officer has been killed in the line of duty at Jessup.

Did Park School fail to report the statuatory rape of a student by a teacher? And how is it there are 11 registered sex offenders who are also still "certifide" teachers? (That explains why WBAL's copyeditor can't spell... but he gives a hell of a hummer!)

From the Dully Wrecked: three leaders of the Old York and Cator Boys drug gang, Eric "E. Man" Bennett, Solomon "Monkey Bird" Jones and Tavon Bradley, will get a new trial after Judge Andre Davis tainted proceedings by encouraging them to take a plea deal. (ps. now there's also a Sun story.)

For a guy who welcomed a fund-raising visit form the smirking chimp himself, Michael Steele sure is talking a lot of smack. So running for senate we've got an alleged rapist, Josh Rales, whose PR firm bussed drug addicts to his rally, a guy who calls himself "The Wig Man", Queasy Fumes, with multiple babymommas and at least one son who's a criminal ... oy effing vay!

July 25

In Annapolis, Gerald Parker, 25, got 10 years for beating his girlfriend's 18-month-old daugher to death.

At a hearing today, Payton Brown, 22, pled guilty to second-degree murder before Judge John M. Glynn. Judge Glynn will sentence Brown on September 25, 2006 at which he faces a maximum of 25 years in prison (a pretty sweet deal considering murder in the commission of a crime gets the death penalty in other jurisdictions). On October 12, 2005, Brown and an unidentified suspect known only as "G" attempted to rob the victim, Brandon Cherry, 21. During the robbery, Cherry resisted and was shot and killed. The murder occurred in the Northwood Shopping Center near the Morgan State University campus.

Back in America for the next five days! Let us all take a moment to kiss the ground of this wonderful country where we have the right to information, assembly, a speedy trial, a free education to age 18, drinkable tap water, the opportunity to pick one's own career and to gossip about the love lives of government officials. May we never take it for granted! If you're reading this, you're one of the luckiest people on the planet, even if you live in Oakenshawe. I love you Baltimore!

A drop of blood may link murdered children to Espinoza and Canela.

I was amazed to see the headline "Senate candidate accused of raping wife", because when I was studying things legal there was no such thing as spousal rape. The good news is that as of nine years ago in Maryland it did indeed become a crime. Old men marrying Latvian teenagers = still legal.

Demetri Greer, 18, was charged with killing 15-year-old Dion Williams (#145).

Rapist of 91-year-old woman: "I don't know what kind of drug-induced coma I was in."

The person shot on Loyola Southway (#148) was a woman, not a man: 47-year-old Bernadette Reed. Sunday's other victim (#149) was named as Norman Tyrone Handy, 33. And, up in the Jewniverse, a couple was kidnapped but foiled a would-be robber.

A former Park School teacher, Stanley Ashman, who worked at the school for 35 years, was accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in the '70s, and also assaulting a girl recently in Michigan.

NAACP president Doc Cheatham: "I'd like to be buried in a blue suit."

Alan Syvlester of New York got a life sentence for using taxi drivers to haul crack to Frederick.

It's so totally time for a new web poll. (If you can't see the poll, scroll down to the bottom.) Results of the previous can be seen here. O'Malley's in the lead, though no one seems terribly jazzed about it.

Dept. of Baltimoriana:
Atomic Teevee has a priceless reel of old Natty Boh TV ads.
Experiencing difficulty with your street credibility? Stopsnitching.com.

July 24

Two men (#148 and #149) were murdered in separate shootings on Sunday morning.

A Frederick man was shot after trying to run over two Howard County cops, and a North Carolina man was shot after trying to shoot two Cecil County cops.

Christopher Parr, the alleged rapist of the 62-year-old woman in Brooklyn, was identified from security footage and found at Sinai, where he'd been admitted for a psychiatric evaluation.

Another article about the struggle against crime for some Edgewood residents.

The FBI is investigating a pesticide-filled hate letter that was sent to the president of the Baltimore NAACP.

Two shootings in the Southeastern, and a thief in the Northwestern who apparently still needs training wheels.

A woman in a wig has stolen over $200K in Montgomery and DC.

A hypoglycemic Pomeranian was returned to the pet store in Columbia where it was stolen three weeks ago.

Thank God! O'Malley still cares!

July 23

A 62-year-old woman was strangled and raped in a Brooklyn laundromat.

An 18-year-old St. Michaels man is accused of raping an 11-year-old girl.

Itchy Man's lawyers are trying to overturn his recent conviction.

Howard County police arrested 25 people on drug and/or prostitution charges in Laurel, Jessup, and Elkridge.

Dan Rodricks on his guarded optimism for Baltimore.