Evening

Today a Baltimore City jury convicted Elliott McLain, 31, of the 5200 block of St. Charles Ave. of first degree murder, conspiracy and other related handgun counts. The jury deliberated for approximately one day following four days of testimony. Judge Robert Kershaw will sentence McLain October 3, 2007. He faces a maximum possible term of life plus life plus 25 years in prison. Details from the SA's office, edited for clarity:

On June 1, 2004 at approximately 1 a.m. in the 600 block of Hazel Street, McLain and co-defendant Kevin Fletcher approach the victim, Tidell Harris, on the street. They each pulled a gun. Fifteen shots were fired and the victim was hit five times, twice in the chest and three in the face and head. Harris was pronounced dead at the scene. Fletcher confessed and had a plea deal in which he was to testify against McLain (Life, suspend all but 25 years). But Fletcher refused to testify in January when called to the stand during a pretrial motions hearing, so the court sentenced Fletcher to life in prison plus 20 years. Fletcher did testify in this case but his court testimony was inconsistent with his taped police confession, which was played in court. Assistant State’s Attorney Tonya LaPolla of the FIVE Division prosecuted this case.

Thirty-four-year-old Ida Susan Robinson pled guilty and got 20 years for stabbing her shack-up boyfriend to death in front of his eight-year-old son in Woodlawn.

An eagle-eyed PA trooper apprehended Lorenzo Presha II, wanted for rape in the county.

Whatever did they talk about? Dixon and Ed Norris met privately at a Hunt Valley hotel bar.
('on the QT'? What does that stand for?)

July 27 - the 1,000th post

Samuel Epps, 30, was chased and then shot to death at about 2:15 a.m. in the 1700 block of W. Baltimore Street.
And the victim found in the trunk of the car was indeed a homicide, killed by blunt-force trauma.

J'heart Judge Brooke Murdock! Not only did she shoot down the state's same-sex marraige ban, but she Reservoir Hill drug dealer Omar Parker the full 20 years for witness intimidation.

This week's Ink provides names and more details for last week's victims.

Maryland's Court of Appeals ruled that says that police officers can be sued for libel if they make false statements to obtain a search warrant.

Eleven boys have come forward to accuse Dundalk perv Robert Paul Layton of various sex offenses. He also faces federal indictment on child pornography charges. Gross. You may remember Layton as the guy with a pool table in his basement who plied young boys with booze and weed (<- WBAL audio link from last February).

In HoCo, Pastor Gerald Griffith, 41, got 15 years yesterday on two counts of sexual abuse of a minor.

Following the Michael Vick business, Baltimore is stepping up its investigaton of dogfights.

Some half-baked and twisted Chubby Hubbies broke three glass windows at the Inner Harbor Ben & Jerry's.

July 26

Baltimore City has identified five of its schools as "perpetually dangerous": 'to get on the list, 2 1/2 percent of its student body must have been suspended for arson, possessing a weapon or drugs, assaulting a teacher or other student, or sexual assault.' The list includes 'Calverton Middle School, Thurgood Marshall Middle School, Dr. Roland Patterson Academy, Dr. W.E.B DuBois Senior High School and the Liberal Arts Academy at Walbrook Campus'. The really amazing thing? Fewer than 200 students have transfered out of those schools, despite the fact that the designation allows any student who wishes to transfer.

A Lot of Jays: Jarrett Johnson, 22; Jerard Kane, 20; and Jonathan Kane, 21, identified as the three men who shot and wounded a man early yesterday morning.

So much for that murder-free streak: Body Found in Trunk. I guess the question is when, and how, he died. (I mean, if he was playing hide-and-seek and couldn't get back out of the trunk...)

Those thugs who acid-burned a toddler are to be tried as juveniles. Big surprise, the victim's mother wasn't happy and

broke into tears and walked out of the courtroom.

"I hope you guys are happy," the mother, Carol Duschl, later yelled at the defendants as they walked down a hallway. "A slap on the wrist. It's OK."

Drowning victim? Maybe the water in the Patapsco River is so polluted the river itself wants to get in on the homicide action!

AACo: South River High teacher gets charged for enjoying too much touching his underage students.

The Baltimore County Police Department's version of the Vietnam Memorial is "inaccessible". Wait, does Baltimore City PD have their own memorial to fallen officers? Because if Baltimore County = Vietnam, then Baltimore City = ______?

Rear Windowesque: the video of a street drug deal/robbery/shooting is on YouTube (and you can read the article, too).

An armed robbery of a Korean grocery is reported in the blogosphere after being ignored by the mass media: "Yesterday. July 25, at about 1:30 PM, three men came in to the store with handguns, and pointed them at customer's heads demanding money, cell phones, credit cards, etc.. but a BPD unit happened to be out front a few moments later (they were not alerted - just on rounds), and they captured the assailants. Today, [the owner] looked quiet, scared, sad, and uncertain. Mostly traumatized. This needs to stop - now." Amen.

July 25

The Baltimore branch of the NAACP wants citizens to get windowastic to display their outrage over the city's homicide rate.

Yesterday, I posted about a potential plan to create a gun registry, similar to the sex registry which already exists. Orlando Yarborough can be on both registries! What a lucky guy, huh?

CNN: Processed cheese stands in for a bomb during a possible terrorist dry-run in Baltimore, and other fun news from an unclassified TSA advisory.

Either I'm confused or WJZ is confused (or maybe we're both confused): isn't a "home invasion" generally a rather violent event which happens when the family is home? Because that's sort of always how I've taken to understand the phrase. I guess it's just another way of saying "burglary", and hopefully a.) no one gets hurt and b.) they get the dog back.

Baltimore City might take lessons from Baltimore County's squadPolice CAT Squad:

"A soft-spoken guy, Martin explains how the CAT Squad operates. "You throw a rock in some water, the rock is concentrated action there,” he says. “It disperses the water. We try to do the same thing with crime, by dispersing the crime, reducing the crime and get it out of different areas."

Hey, the headline writes the blurb: Pressures dictate plea deals, But sentences in city homicide cases aren't necessarily a bargain for the convicted.

A friend of mine once said Baltimore City was a lot like Mexico City: if you stick to the touristy areas, you'll be fine. Not quite so much -- three arrested in a shooting that left a man wounded in downtown last night.

There's a tidbit in that above article: "the city's last homicide occurred Thursday afternoon." Is this deserving of a celebration or just the result of dumb luck?

July 24

The City Police Union likes Mitchell for mayor, a decision that

the city's rank and file is dissatisfied with her policing decisions.

"We believe we will see change and progress under him," Blair [president of the city's police union] said. "And he'll be a mayor that realizes that law enforcement is very critical in the city and would make it his top priority that we're properly staffed and given the proper equipment and leadership."

Ouch.

Speaking of "new leadership", ex-commish Kevin Clark wants his old job back.

“As I see it, the city is in crisis, but I could turn this around in no time ... It’s my job.”

Continuing the theme of "new leadership" ... some of the "old leadership" is getting canned (er, sorry, "retiring.")

A busy weekend for police in AACo, and a bad weekend for dangerous fugitives!

There's only one thing you should be doing behind the wheel of a car: not text messaging, not reading the paper, not playing with yourself or receiving favors from your loved one leaning over from the passenger seat (remember that scene in Parenthood?). Not even daydreaming! Nope, the only thing you should be doing behind the wheel of a car is paying attention. This is a lesson Christopher Austin Carey, 17, will hopefully be more aware of in the future.

In a case of car v bike, the car wins --

An 8-year-old boy riding a bicycle was struck by a car in Southwest Baltimore shortly before 2:30 p.m. Monday and was taken to the Johns Hopkins Hospital's pediatric intensive care unit for treatment of a minor head injury, police said.

I don't think it's going too far out on a limb to say the driver "wasn't paying attention." Also: don't play in the streets, kids.

Mayor Dixon Proposes Public Registry of Gun Offenders: Too far? Or not far enough? I guess we'll know if the NRA gets itself involved.

A Baltimore resident, and member of MS-13, is off to jail. I wonder how the accommodations are?

Timothy Hartlove's sentence revisited: four years for "conspiring to distribute methamphetamine worth about $50,000." His original sentence was six years.

Former state Senator Bromwell pleads guilty for racketeering and tax evasion. A guilty politician? Perish the thought.

July 23

Maybe they've been throwing out seafood in the department's dumpster? Have you ever smelled a dumpster full of rotting fish? Gag on a stick! Seriously:

Something at the Baltimore City Police Department smells fishy to mayoral candidate Keiffer Mitchell, who on Sunday called for a federal audit of the city’s crime statistics.

The Baltimore City councilman will deliver a letter today asking for a Federal Bureau of Investigation audit, he said.

Mayoral candidate Del. Jill Carter has called for an independent audit of the city’s crime statistics, which show a 16 percent increase in homicides and a 32 percent increase in shootings, but a 17 percent decrease in violent crime.

In response, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon’s spokesman Anthony McCarthy said, “If we can find a third party to audit crime statistics, we’re all for it.”

A long time ago I worked at a place where we made "soda missiles." We'd take bottles of soda, shake them up, stand at the top of the parking lot, and hurtle them towards the dumpster down the hill. When they hit, they'd explode. We did this when no one was around, of course (because they would've told on us). However, "soda bombs" are a bit more serious, even if hearing the term makes me chuckle:

“It’s nothing like a pipe bomb or dynamite, ... but it’s still in that category,” said Jason Mowbray, deputy chief state fire marshal.

What do the members of MADD do at a police checkpoint? Smack the drunks with rolled up pamphlets? They should!

In the blotter, lots of break-ins. Be on the lookout for the landscaper thief:

A lawnmower, three ladders, a gas-operated leaf blower and two hedge trimmers were stolen over the weekend...

Brief Update: Dan Roderick has reprinted an anonymous e-mail from a Baltimore City Police Detective regarding the state -- or lack thereof -- of police leadership in the department:

First of all, "Zero Tolerance" is not currently the "Mission Statement" of the Baltimore City Police Department. I can't tell you what the Mission Statement is, because I don't know. Many of us in the rank and file do not. I don't really even think there is one. Oh, sure, we have had "pep talks" given by then Deputy Commissioner Bealefeld (now Acting Commissioner) and by Mayor Dixon, but those speeches focused on a general idea of what needs to happen in the City. There was no clear plan laid out... just ideas such as "omnipresence" and "getting back into the community."

Before I go, I must say I hope that Mangalore Chetan (or wait, is Mangalore a place?) will write more essays about our city that go into greater depth than "A City Called Baltimore - Pride Owner of Great Ethnic Variety"

Some of the streets of Baltimore give you a feeling of being in the outskirts of Mumbai, with tiny houses, lack of hygiene, people loitering about doing nothing. ... But how did it all happen? Just in the neighborhood of the Capital of United States, such a misery?

July 22, Evening

Hey'all! While Cybrarian's away on vay-kay-shun, I'm holding down the fort here at Bawlmerkram until her return (don't worry, she'll be back Thursday, so I won't have many opportunities to screw up, hopefully).

In AACo, guns and alcohol don't mix. Or, to be specific, badges and alcohol don't mix.

Very To Be Mildly Confusing Word Order, JayZee!, in Very Censorship Disturbing? In future, for great controversy avoidance, perhaps for to be arresting for when not anti-Bush buttons selling. (Am I overdoing it? For surely!)

July 22

A gunfight at round 2 .am. last night near Power Point Live, and 25-year-old 25-year-old army Corporal Alexander Larkin lost to a city cop.

Friday, brand-new commissioner Bealefeld took the genius step of firing notoriously unhelpful police spokesman Matt Jablow, replacing him with one Sterling Clifford. Said the CP of Jablow last September,

"he's declared himself an obstructionist to some of [the CP staff], saying we can only get information from him at the end of the statutory limits of the Maryland Public Information Act. He chalked this line for us in a threat, issued to try to keep us from printing on-the-record comments of his that he regretted. Then he took to ignoring some of our calls altogether."

Rodericks: give zero-tolerance a chance

Stat of the Day: "Blacks in the United States are imprisoned at more than five times the rate of whites, and Hispanics are locked up at nearly double the white rate," according to a study released Wednesday by the Sentencing Project, a "think tank" that opposes mandatory minimum prison terms.

July 21

Was the killing of Rosedale resident Carl Lackl really because he was planning to testify in a murder case? "Or was his death a drive-by shooting for no other reason than the shooter’s desire to do something 'crazy?'"

The city police pension board may have let Marcus Brown's million-something retirement payoff stand, but Chairman of the Police Pension Board, Steven Fugate, is still fuming, calling Marcus Brown a "crooked cop."

Former Senator Thomas "I don't use the N-word, but he was an N" Bromwell pled guilty to federal racketeering and tax crimes, "ending one of the state's largest corruption investigations in many years."
Will he soon resign from the board of First Mariner Bank?

In MoCo, a Liberian immigrant raped and molested a 7-year-old relative, but because of the difficulties finding an interpreter, after three years the case was dismissed.

July 20 evening edition

Monday the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Tracy* Asbury, 37, of the 4800 block of Pennington Avenue for first-degree murder and other charges. Police arrested Asbury in Talbot County today. Court documents allege Tracy Asbury and two other co-defendants were responsible for an incident on June 20, 2007 in which the body of Phillip Calvin Airey Jr. was found in a burning car on Route 295 in Linthicum. Airey had been beaten and stabbed before the car was set on fire. Robert Speake and Michael Martin were indicted on the same charges. An arraignment is scheduled for August 17, 2007 before Judge John M. Glynn, Room 236, Mitchell Courthouse. Homicide Division Chief and Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Cohen will prosecute this case.
* A male name in the South and a girl's name to Yankees, so could be male or female.

Two dead baby stories in one day! Sarah Wolf, 20, of Baltimore, was charged in VA with with improper disposal of a dead body after putting her newborn in a Dumpster after giving birth in a public restroom.

Sherman Kemp, featured in "Stop Fucking Snitching," was indicted on cocaine-related charges.

Two non-fatal shootings this afternoon in Northeast Baltimore: a man was shot in the back in the 1600 block of Ramblewood St., and a man was shot in the side in the 3500 block of East Northern Parkway.

July 20

A man was shot to the death in the 3100 block of Belair Road, and a man was shot in the Northwest.

An acquaintence of the comatose Zach Sowers recounts how the teenaged suspects smirked and laughed during the arraignment.

Another prolicide case goes to court: Megan Patria, 17, who presumably sucessfully hid her pregnancy from the world, gave birth on a toilet and threw the baby away in a plastic bag. The next day, says the SA, "she showed off her slimmed figure, watched a movie at home with a friend and went out to dinner with family and friends."

"Mr. Hamm could be excused for feeling a bit of whiplash; an absurd moment came this summer when 85 homicide detectives in this homicide-burdened city were taken off the job and dispatched, temporarily, to augment street patrols."
Whose decision were the foot patrols? Boo, passive voice!

How many times do we have to tell you people, if you're driving with 30 pounds of drugs in the car, watch the road!!

AAC caught itself an airport hooker.
(A most popular & lucrative profession)

A woman died after falling off the 65-foot roof of the Museum of Industry as she tried to climb onto a neon sign.

Evening

Meet the new commissioner (for now), Frederick H. Bealefeld III, who will likely keep the job until at least after the election. Will he have a plan of his own, or be expected to work his way through Dixon's PowerPoint? (Or was it his PowerPoint all along?)
Her Honor said nothing about the Brown pension scandal, the missing documents or the murder rate, but instead attributes the resignation she says that she asked for was because she "wasn't feeling the results" and "wasn't feeling that drive like I wanted to" and that the decision was difficult, but not because of Keiffer telling me to do this."
Yeah, well, I for one don't buy it... I don't think she had a clue!
She was just talking a month ago about what a bad idea a change of leadership would be!

Madison Smartt Bell has a piece about his Baltimore jury duty experience (MD vs. Crudup) in the Oxford American (a regional-interest magazine that slants itself as "the Southern New Yorker")

Jessamy: Dixon Wants my Opinion!

Jessamy's office released a statement on the Hamm resignation:

“It appears that the failed policing strategies of the O’Malley years have finally come to an end. For the first time, after a succession of eight police commissioners serving the Mayor O’Malley administration, Mayor Dixon has sought my opinion and counsel on how we can work together in the best interest of our citizens. I believe that this type of partnership will make a difference and end this deadly grip of violence on our city.

In a period of almost eight years, the former mayor never sought my input on any crime strategy or plan, technology or legislation that would help reduce crime in Baltimore. It is a refreshing and welcome change that Mayor Dixon sees the importance of such a collaboration. I am energized by the Mayor’s vision and optimistic that this commitment will yield results for our citizens and I pledge my support to her efforts. I believe in Baltimore. I want what is best for our citizens.

I am delighted that Mayor Dixon has asked for my participation in the Mayor’s national search efforts. I am happy to serve in this capacity.

Finally, I applaud the many hard working police officers who put their lives on the line every day and I stand by their efforts to make our citizens safe. They deserve our full appreciation and support.”

Patricia C. Jessamy, Baltimore City State’s Attorney
July 19, 2007

July 19

On Tuesday, a 29-year-old man was shot in the neck died in the 6100 block of Fortview Way.
Wednesday, Steven Brandon Sr., 41, was shot in the head about 5 p.m. in the 2800 block of Round Road in Cherry Hill and died a short time later at Harbor Hospital.

More on the Hamm story. The Sun reports that Dixon asked him to resign Tuesday night.

"Bupe" works okay, but not as well as methodone.

Why didst God smite the Baptist Church? Probably for buying a $150k Bentley Arnage with church funds rather than by paying their hefty debts!
(Then again, maybe the insurance check is God's way of repaying them for their abundant faith!)

Speaking of abundant faith, nervy candidate Jill Carter will be spending the night tonight at the crime-ridden intersection of Milton and East Biddle Streets, and tomorrow she'll be at Fayette and Monroe. Says Carter, "It is sending a message that we will not accept that our corners will be taken over."

This just in...

Hamm = out!
...but is it at Dixon's request? Sounds like she didn't even know he was planning to resign until JZ leaked the news!

At a hearing today James Summerville, 18, of the 800 block of N. Arlington Ave. pled guilty to second-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon (knife). Judge Lynn K. Stewart sentenced Summerville to 30 years in prison suspending all but 20 and four years probation. On March 3, 2007 in a house on the 700 block of N. Carey Street, Summerville assaulted Artesha Moses, 19, his girlfriend and the mother of his two-year old son. On March 27, 2007 Summerville fatally stabbed Moses at the same location, seven days after she sought a restraining order. Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Phelps prosecuted this case.

As expected, the four alleged assailants of Zach Sowers pled not guilty today.

July 18

An unidentified 29-year-old man was killed shortly after 11 p.m. in the 6100 block of Fortview Way in O'Donnell Heights.

The City Paper covers this week's murders and has updates:

• Christine Richardson, 15


• Clayborn Johnson, 59


• Ashley Bellosi, 23


• an unidentified man in an alley in the 200 block of Herring Court near Fells Point


• Jerry Crosby, 24


• Yemel McMillian, 20


• an unidentified man shot several times in the 1800 block of North Gay Street


• Wayne White, 24


• Maurice White, 22


• Earl Williams, 26

Blotter: Two teenage boys and a girl were shot in the chest, a man was slashed in the chest, plenty of break-ins.
(The Sun has a new look, but the Blotter is still in progress!)

A convicted cat stomper has been freed after being sexually abused in jail.

“It reminded me to buy Mace again,” said Katherine Kunkel of Burtonsville of the Columbia mall stalking/fondling incident.

More on the Cummings/PJ request for $90 million for U.S. Marshals to protect witnesses (the current Baltimore City witness assistence program consists of two people, I believe).
Like the new "comments"!

O'Malley is endorsing Stephanie for City Council President.

O'Malley's endorsement of Stephanie Rawlings-Blake...	... makes me more likely to vote for her ... makes me less likely to vote for her ... doesn't matter because I would never vote for that bitch reminds me of why I fell in love with her in the first place
	Current Results

Today a city jury convicted Myron Merrill Gladney, 20, of the 1600 block of Shady Side Road, of attempted first-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and witness intimidation. The jury deliberated approximately 1:40 following one day of testimony. Judge John C. Themelis scheduled sentencing for September 5, 2007 and Gladney faces a possible maximum prison term of life plus 25 years. Details...

Evidence introduced at trial proved that Gladney approached Stephen Arrington as he waited for a bus in the 3400 block of The Alameda on April 6, 2005 and told him not to come to court. Arrington was scheduled to testify against Gladney’s brother in a homicide trial the next day. Myron Gladney left the area then returned a few minutes later with a handgun and chased Arrington across The Alameda where he eventually shot him in the back.

Arrington eventually did testify in Anthony Gladney’s murder trial and Anthony Gladney was acquitted of murder by a city jury July 20, 2005. Arrington also testified this week and positively identified Myron Gladney as the man who shot him.

Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Phelps said calling this case “witness intimidation does not adequately describe the horrific and brazen nature of what Gladney did to the victim in this case.”

Congressman Elijah Cummings plans to ask Congress for $90 million to help the city fight witness intimidation, he recently met with Alberto Gonzales to talk about the issue.

July 17

A man was shot to death last night in the 3400 block of St. Ambrose Ave. in the NW (#181).

More witness intimidation: Myron Gladney, brother of murder suspect Anthony Gladney, is accused of shooting a witness while he waited for a bus on The Alameda.

With four suspects expected to plead not guilty to attempted murder tomorrow, Zach Sowers remains in a coma. Family and friends have organized a "Neighbors Night Out Against Crime" in various bars for August 5 to help raise money for Sowers' medical bills.

Kevin "Chopper" Barnes, former star of the MTV reality show "Making the Band 2" pleaded guilty to robbing a couple with a BB gun six years ago when he was 16. Now a judge has issued a bench warrant for his arrest for failing to meet with his probation officer.

Clothing confiscated from a police officer accused of sexually assaulting a teenager at a precinct house has gone missing from the police department's evidence control unit.

History corner: Baltimore's most murderous year was 1993during the Schmoke Years, when, with a population of about 724,000, 353 people were killed. As the body count piles up for 2007, Dixon blames the judiciary, and Judge Glynn blames The People: "If the citizens want to know what the problem is, I suggest they look at themselves. And, of course, the politicians are no better than citizens. But the heart of this problem lies with the citizens of Baltimore. They commit the crimes. They don't testify against the criminals. And they don't vote to convict the guilty."

The City Council race is "neck-and-neck" between the two 'legacy' candidates.

Tune in...

.... I'll be on the Marc Steiner show on 88.1 FM at noon tomorrow.