Week-end

Officer Jerome K. Hill, who punched an undercover cop, was cleared Friday (08/01/08) afternoon of assault charges

City Officer Indicted for Rape

From Margaret Burns at the SA's office:

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Rohan Mays, 27, of Rosehaven Road, Baltimore, for second-degree rape. It is alleged that Mays, who resigned from the Baltimore Police Department on July 23, 2008, raped a 16-yr. old female between June –July 2007.

Mays was taken into custody late Friday night and will have a bail hearing next week. The Court set a no-bail status.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceeding.

An arraignment has been set for August 27, 2008.

(rec'd on a Saturday morning, more than a week after the indictment-- odd)
More Less from the Examiner.
More from the Sun

Murderous Heroin Gang linked to Killings, Kidnappings

... and Warren Brown's involved. "As many as five Baltimore homicides over the past three months" may be related to the April kidnapping of the teenaged Blackwell brothers.

An arrest for the murder of Omar Phillips at the Linden Liquors.

The Boyfriend was charged in relation to the lady found in the sleeping bag in Aberdeen.

Was the guy who mailed anthrax to The Enquirer from Frederick?

Oh, snap. Adam Meister's got something to say about Jessamy's BMag feature, and it involves references to "Animal Farm".

Ten shootings in six days

gee, that's kind of a lot.

But there's plenty more to know and be outraged over! This just in from TBC:

Did you know that alleged strangler and rapist William Vincent Brown may have been rendered unable to kill three people if the Judiciary had done a halfway decent job? Read more to find out why!


BCPD is back on the case of Clarence "Buddy" Downs III, who police suspect was killed by scary lady Cindy McKay.

From the "Damn, you stupid" department: a Frederick citizen was busted after turning a stereo over to Best Buy, but not before removing his crack.

The City State's attorney's office will have a chance to crack down on Witness Intimidation in the case of "Robo" Jones...

Plenty of nonfatal offenses in the Blotter. Gee, that doesn't sound so bad when phrased that way...

So apparently Gerald Mungo Jr - arrested after riding a dirtbike - was arrested because his mother complained about the officer's treatment of her son.

Never bring a knife to a geranium fight?

About Kids, Not For Them

This week's CP cover story
"Puzzling Evidence:
The Confession of a Boy Convicted of Raping and Murdering a Child Outweighed Indications That He Might Not Have Done It"
retells the very disturbing story of young Ronald Hinton.

Child Arrest, two Murderers and a Rat-Eating Possum

More to the story of the arrest of 7-Year-Old Gerard Mungo Jr.-- 311 transcripts and allegations that "Sgt. Colburn and Officer Hayes made 'some type of a bet as to whether or not they could lock up a 7-year-old'"

28-year-old Paul Highfield got 10 years for beating two-year-old Anthony D'Urso to death.

Luke and Janis report that Baltimore cold-case detectives have charged William Brown, 41, with killing a 25-year-old woman with a prostitution record and a 15-year-old girl in 2004, and with raping another woman in 2003.

A woman's body was found in Aberdeen.

And then there's the story of how a "Trashy House Breeds Raccoons":

Wt first I wasn't too taken aback by the raccoon but when I saw the possum I was like ‘whoa’! But then I was told by another neighbor you really want the possum's around because of the rats they eat the rats. I just don’t want them around me! ... They're running around rampant! I had to have my roof repaired as well as my mom and several other neighbors.

What the Hamburglar's Eating Now

"Nobody thinks prison food is haute cuisine, but could it be so bad it's unconstitutional?" Slate magazine taste-tests prison Nutraloaf.

Also in this mien from Jeff Quniton's Inside Charm City: "Satellite TV coming to MD prisons"

Bang bang bang bang bang bang. Bang. Shank!

A man found bleeding in the 1200 block of Orleans street reportedly died at Hopkins hospital last night.
Monday's four shootings have been mapped by spotcrime, and a fifth shooting proved fatal early Tuesday morning.
Here's more

"I guess some people are listening to Drowning Pool's 'Let the Bodies Hit the floor' because another one was found in Northwest Baltimore today." -- TC

Grandpa's got a shiv: Tyrone Alsberry pleaded guilty to killing Willie Clayton Joyner after stabbing him during an altercation over money.

.. and three other assorted area crimes from yesterday.

At a hearing yesterday, Judge Paul Smith sentenced Tranell Dansbury, 25, of the 1600 block of North Broadway Street, to 20 years in prison for second-degree rape, 10-years consecutive for second-degree assault and 20 years concurrent for second-degree sex offense for a total prison term of 30 years. A Baltimore City jury convicted Dansbury June 12, 2008. Details:

On November 18, 1997 Dansbury, who was 15-years old at the time, forced the victim behind a brick wall located at 1400 East Madison Street where he raped and sexually assaulted her. Police identified Dansbury with a DNA search of the Combined Offender Data Index System (CODIS) in April 2007. Assistant State’s Attorney Katherine Moxley of the Sex Offense Division prosecuted this case.

At a hearing yesterday, Judge John C. Themelis sentenced Kim Hargett, 25, of the 600 block of E. 30th Street to 20 years in prison. A Baltimore City jury convicted Hargett of possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine on March 26, 2008. Details:

On August 25, 2007 in the 1600 block of E. 30th Street officers observed Hargett engaging in hand-to-hand drug transactions. When Hargett realized police presence, he stashed what was later identified as heroin and cocaine under a porch at 1603 E. 30th Street before running into that residence. Police arrested him inside that house and recovered more than $700 in US currency. They recovered 25 blue top vials of cocaine and 20 clear gel caps of heroin from under the porch. Assistant State’s Attorney Robin Daitch of the Narcotics Division Prosecuted this case.

This just in from TBC: As mentioned in the comments, Barney Frank (D-MA) is proposing a bill to decriminalize possession of smaller amounts of marijuana. My question for you, Mr. Frank, is this: How does it feel to support TERRORISM?

Media Blabber

Peter Moskos, author of "Cop in the Hood," was on Ed Norris yesterday. The podcast isn't up yet but I assume it will appear on this page eventually. In the meantime, why not listen to the Paige Croyder interview again?

Tuesday...

Brandon Morris, who was convicted of killing a corrections officer, was transferred from supermax to a federal penitentiary in Kansas. Sounds like he's made it to the big leagues.

Rozza Alston is no longer the alleged POS robber and felon. If only we could Kentucky fry him as a fitting punishment.

Impressive research: BCPD police have arrested a man for a rape that happened more than 20 years ago. CSI - Baltimore, anyone?

Plenty of thieves in Baltimore City and County, so where's Ali Baba?

You have to admire the tenacity of the County State's Attorney's office, who will pursue Life without parole for a 16 year old accused of killing another teen. No, John Galt - the County cannot annex the City.

The other side of the story: Its only fair to take an alternate view of Pat Jessamy in light of all we've recently seen. Here's one from Baltimore Magazine.

In other news, I'm considering places to host a summer Baltimore Crime get together, any suggestions?

4 shot, 3 killed, in 40 minutes in city
Mapped by Spotcrime.com
- Residents in Govans talk about the murder of Tyrone McCray, found near a PAL center on Ivanhoe and Tunbridge

"Jewel Williams was just 4 years old in 1998 when she watched a man kill her mother and her mother's friend in a Reservoir Hill apartment ... She stayed in the apartment with the bodies for two days, caring for her 1-year-old stepbrother and trying to treat her mother's wounds with toilet paper and a toy stethoscope."

UPDATE: Nicholas Browning will be tried as an adult

Don't miss this!

"Jessamy can't do anything without Burns. They are almost the co-state's attorneys right now."
"I have a file of the things [Burns] did to undermine the police department, and a lot of it was false."

Blistering accusations from retired high-ranking prosecutor @ the State's Attorney's office, Page Croyder, who breaks down the SA's office drama 4 yr earhole (scroll down to the middle of the page)!

.. and there's more from Meister, who also dug up a link to the 2006 TDR article in which Judge Glynn calls Burns a liar.

Affirmative Action for Republicans

Was Rod J. Rosenstein hired because he was the best candidate... or because he was the best Republican candidate?

Just another Manic Monday...

The death of Tyrone McCray, who was shot and killed yesterday, has been ruled as a homicide, the City's 122nd.

Baltimore Police are investigating a shooting of a 21-year-old off of Hillen Road on Shadyside Road. I would classify that street as "ironic"...

The two men fatally shot in a Jeep on Friday have been identified as Quinton Hogan and Donell Rogers.

A 20-year veteran of BPD is attempting to clear his name amidst charges that he showed nudie pics at work. If you're going to get busted allegedly doing naughty things on the computer, why not solitaire like everyone else?

Annie Linskey describes an odd relationship between a man standing trial for drug charges and an officer who has come to his aid for an appeal.

Holy burgles, Batman -- lots of robberies in the blotter!

As part of a larger probe, two city employees were suspended for stealing copper from the Mitchell Courthouse as well as City Hall then selling it for profit. You're supposed to go before the Board of Estimates first before stealing from the City , you didn't get the memo?

New media? The Sun Guild and the Daily Record have been a-posting YouTube videos.

The CP has more on the White Bros's 4th of July shootout at the union hall

A suspiciously dead body was discovered in NE Baltimore.
(Thx Glt)

Police ID'd the men killed in their car on Friday as Quinton Hogan, 23, of Parkville, and Donell Rogers, 21, of Baltimore. (WBAL says it was Wabash & Northern Parkway, WMAR says Wabash and Rogers Ave.)

BOB Time Again

Vote in the CP's Best of Baltimore poll if only to fill in the "Best Local Blog" line!

July 25, 2008

Two killed in a drive-by shooting on Northern Parkway!
Police are looking for a white Pontiac.

An armed purse-snatching right next to Roland Park Elementary!

Both the Sun and the Daily Record cover yesterday's courthouse rally with Anna Sowers and her supporters.
Cham may be tired of this story, but I think it's pretty interesting.
Meister blogs that he has an "inside source" in the SA's office who says that Burns will "probably go quietly sometime before the election."

The man with the bomb at UM- Baltimore was ID'd as one Dallas J. Smith.

An AAC woman who left her newborn in the trash is out of the pokey after serving 8 months.

At a hearing today before his trial was scheduled to begin, George Scruggs, Jr., 34, of the 3100 block of Artaban Place pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Judge Gale E. Rasin sentenced Scruggs to 30 years, with all but 15 suspended, and five years' probation. The facts he pled to:

On August 29, 2007 at approximately 11:42 p.m., Scruggs and the victim, Darnell Thomas, 24, began arguing outside Scruggs’ door. Thomas struck Scruggs in the face with a beer bottle. The argument further escalated with the eventual fatal shooting of Thomas. Scruggs confessed to police but stated he believed the victim was armed with a handgun.

Thursday (and nothing is sacred)

An 82 - allow me to repeat this - Eighty-Two year old woman recalls the mugging and vicious assault she allegedly suffered. Apparently one of the men did it after asking for change for a $5. Lesson learned: Don't give anyone in this city anything.

If that doesn't boil your blood enough, the city blotter features people robbed, cars broken into, and homes burgled, while the county blotter has explosive devices and hate crimes. Business as usual in the Baltimore Metropolitan region, I see.

Though she was to receive mental treatment in return for pleading guilty, Vernice Harris continues to rot in prison.

My apologies for forgetting Anna Ditkoff's Murder Ink, an invaluable and informative resource here in Harm City...

WMAR TV examines the controversial and -- above all -- local issue of racist license plates. With news mediums like this, who needs propaganda factories? filler?

In a complete and absolute display of her innocence, Mayor Sheila Dixon has retained well known and respected defense attorney Arnold Weiner to represent her in the ongoing perjury/misconduct probe of her office. Weiner, of course, represented former Governor Mandel during his little tryst with the law.

Lame.

State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy released a statement regarding the Sowers case, click here to read it. A statement that you're not going to make a statement? What's the point of that?

Quality Readin'!

Don't miss the article in this week's NYker about medical MJ in CA, aka "Dr. Kush."