Scary numbers

... from the NYT
Cost to analyse a DNA sample: $1500

And guess what % of its budget CA spends on the state corrections system? No wonder they's broke!

News of the Weird

"A bizarre case unfolded in Howard County where police say a man was breaking into apartments and stealing women's underwear."
(What you want to bet this story makes every single local news channel?)

AAC sheriff pursues criminals with flair, Pat Sajak

One Year for Witness Intimidation

from the office of Patricia C. Jessamy:

THELMA WATKINS SENTENCED TO ONE YEAR IN PRISON FOR WITNESS INTIMIDATION, OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, & CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT ASSAULT

Baltimore, MD – October 24, 2008 - In August 27, 2008 a Baltimore jury convicted Wayne Morris, 22, of the 300 block of South Calhoun Street of second-degree murder, five counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, two counts of robbery deadly weapon, two counts of attempted robbery deadly weapon, four counts of first-degree assault, and four counts of conspiracy to commit robbery deadly weapon. This conviction followed four hours of deliberation and a six day trial.

While awaiting trial, Morris made numerous phone calls from the Baltimore City Detention Center attempting to prevent testimony in the home invasion case. Morris was charged with witness intimidation, obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit assault after investigators reviewed more than 36 phone calls Morris made to Thelma Watkins and others. In those phone calls, Morris commanded and directed Watkins to take action against the witnesses in the murder case in an attempt to prevent their testimony at his trial. Morris was heard in many calls, played in open court, describing how he wanted to get out of jail and come home, and needed help to eliminate witness testimony to thwart his murder case.

On or about April 26 Thelma Watkins and another woman broke into A Kuper Avenue residence to assault a witness to the home invasion. Subsequently she was indicted on charges of witness intimidation, obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit second-degree assault. Thelma Watkins provided testimony in Morris’ witness intimidation trial and was sentenced this morning by the Honorable John N. Prevas to 10-years suspend all but 1-year for her role. She was also sentenced to 5-years suspend all but 1-year with 3-years probation for obstruction of justice and 10-years suspend all but 1-year with 3-years probation for conspiracy to commit second-degree assault. Ms. Watkins was out on bail prior to her sentencing this morning.

A co-defendant in the home-invasion, David Marshall, was acquitted of murder, robbery and assault charges in April 2008. Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Shaffer of the Homicide Division has prosecuted these cases.
###

15 shootings this week

... mapped by our friends at spotcrime.

A man was shot to death in the 2700 block of Oswego Ave.

The city council has scheduled a hearing to get an update on the Ken Harris case.

More details of the Timonium kidnapping/ robbery/ assault

A new law lets city police seize dirt bikes whenever and wherever

Prostitution arrests in HoCo

#180, 181?

Another mysterious body, this in the 3500 block of Pelham Avenue in the Northeast.
(Thnx Glt)

The man shot by Coldstream Park Elementary was ID's as Dontay Monroe, 18.

Thanks to reader Dan who pointed out a numbering error in the toll-- the city has now had 180 murders. Which is still a remarkably low number.

The system works sometimes! A judge overturned Bruce Lamdin's decision to evict a domestic-violence victim at the expense of her knife-wielding husband.

Monday, police shot and wounded a man in front of Belmont Elementary School. Here's hoping it's once of those freaky city schools that doesn't have windows!

Drug dealers are getting probation, and Pigtown residents are puh-issed!

.. and speaking of, if you're transporting contraband, try going the speed limit, mkay?

Ok, time to go to bed now

Tyron Lydale Johnson of Waldorf got a year and a day for a counterfeit-check scheme that he used to pay for a Ford motor vehicle and a vacation in Georgia, U.S.A.

Ladies & gentlemen, the weirdest comment we've ever gotten.
... before I lose my digits: the SAO's office is the final say if a homicide = murder.
And "cause" and "manner" are two different things? decided by the Medical Examiner?
... what happens to #173

Two Guys, Four 'Guilty' Pleas for Murder

Press Release from the SAO, cut n pasted:

PATRICK D. WILKES PLEADS GUILTY TO THREE MURDERS OVER MONTH-LONG CRIME SPREE IN MAY 2007

CITY JURY CONVICTS HIM IN SEPARATE ARMED ROBBERY

ANTHONY WHITE PLEADS GUILTY TO ONE MURDER

Wilkes to Be Sentenced to 100 Years in Prison Suspend All But 60 Years; White to Be Sentenced to 50 Years in Prison Suspend All But 25 Years at December Sentencing Hearings

Baltimore, MD – October 22, 2008 – A Baltimore City jury convicted Patrick D. Wilkes, 24, of the 200 block of S. Bentalou St. today of robbery with a deadly weapon (armed robbery) and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence yesterday. The jury heard two days of testimony and deliberated approximately two hours before reaching its verdict.

Immediately following the guilty verdict, Wilkes pled guilty to a second armed robbery count and three counts of second-degree murder.

Judge John N. Prevas scheduled sentencing for December 5, 2008 at which time Wilkes faces a prison term of 100 years suspend all but 60 years.

The jury convicted Wilkes of the following case: At approximately 6:00AM May 21, 2007 in the 100 block of S. Pulaski St. Wilkes pulled a gun and robbed a cell phone and currency from a man on his way to work.

Wilkes pled to the following armed robbery: At approximately 6:00AM May 26, 2007 Wilkes pulled a gun and robbed a cell phone from a man on his way to work. Police respond and arrest Wilkes near the scene and recover the victim’s cell phone and the handgun. The handgun is tested and is linked to the May 5, 2007 murder of Adrian Beasley, 23.

Wilkes pled guilty to second-degree murder in connection to the May 5, 2007 shooting death of Beasley, who was found shot to death in the 1300 block of Herkimer Street.

Wilkes pled guilty to second-degree murder in connection to the April 18, 2007 shooting death of Johnny A. James, 25. James was found shot to death in the 300 block of S. Bentalou St.

Wilkes pled guilty to second-degree murder in connection to the May 15, 2007 shooting death of Deandre Salmond. Salmond was found shot to death in the 500 block of S. Smallwood St.

Following the court proceedings of Wilkes, his first-cousin Anthony White, 24, of the 200 block of S. Smallwood St. pled guilty to second-degree murder.

White pled guilty to second-degree murder in connection to the May 15, 2007 shooting death of Deandre Salmond. Salmond was found shot to death in the 500 block of S. Smallwood St.

Judge Prevas scheduled sentencing for December 12, 2008 at which time White faces a prison term of 50 years suspend all but 25 years.

Murder charges are pending against Antonio White. Those proceedings continue before Judge Prevas.

Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Phelps prosecuted this case.

###

# 177, 178

A 17-year-old boy was shot to death in the 600 block of North Clinton St.

The body of a young man was found near Coldstream Park Elementary School this morning, and though there's no reference to the manner of death, a natural cause seems rather unlikely.
UPDATE: He was shot, and elementary-school students found him.

Kenneth Ringgold, 34, was ID'd as the man stabbed to death in the 100 block of N. Janney St.

The man shot to death Monday on Preston St. was identified as Carlton Tremain Bethea, 29, of the 2200 block of E. Chase St.; a man was shot Monday in the 2200 block of Booth St.

More in the CP from photographer Frank Klein about murder victim Clayton Oxendine, #167, "a good, decent, kind individual trapped in a hole of predetermination"

More updates and names in the Ink

The SAO has two new 'witness locators', filling positions that had been open for more than a year

After his suspension, Baltimore County District Judge Bruce S. Lamdin is back on the bench and more sensitive than ever (the old Bruce would have given the domestic-violence victim a stream of profanity before making her homeless!).

hermann: overtime and crime, street patterns and crime

CofA: If you run when you see the cops, that's reasonably suspicious

County police have arrested a suspect in that attempted kidnapping in White Marsh.

Pepa's back, but she's not here to out-rap you, hoe! Instead she's in bankruptcy court! Her husband sperminated another woman, then his friend allegedly forged a lawyer's signature on a property document. Yet she's got a pretty good attitude about the whole thing.

LOLZ of the day: a woman says her car was a victim of "political violence." Sounds like somebody's dog is a Democrat!

Early AM

Last night, three men were shot last night at the 500 block of W. Preston St. One of them died, marking number 175.

Later on in East Baltimore, a man was stabbed 100 block of N. Janney St. and later died, marking number 176.

Its a good time to have more people on around the clock to protect us... but the police is slashing overtime along with the City wide hiring freeze. Because as you know its more important to have a green Baltimore with plenty of social activities than a safe Baltimore.

Happy Tuesday!

Another guy, one Kiheem Malik Taylor, age 22, was arrested in the Timonium light rail rape/kidnapping case.

Murders Revisited

Updated, with lots of death, very little jail time, including a guy who got 1 year, 1 month, and 12 days in prison for murder (and who'd been charged with murder before).

#174

15-year-old Delvon Butts has died 10 days after being shot.

One hand doesn't know what the other is spending

The BPD is stepping up its game, increasing the operations of its Domestic Violence Unit to cover the entire city. There's a few things that are perplexing here. First of all, what's happening for areas not overseen by the Domestic Violence Unit? Second, the Unit should probably check with Bealefeld, since the Department is now poised to cut $6 million from the budget.

'upsetting to the extreme'

A meeting of the mothers of the alleged victims of alleged serial rapist/ possible serial killer William Brown last week.
More on Brown, Emma O'Hearn and prostitute murders in the city

Alleged Rogers Forge child killer Susan Griffin: "I didn't kill this child ... at least I didn't think I did in any conscious way." Warning, the story really is upsetting to the extreme. If you're lactating, tuck in your breast pads. or just skip it. Seriously.

"Suspicious" human remains found in basement of rowhouse: a "worker was cleaning out the trash and accidentally pulled on the hand" aieeee! Video from JZ

Weekend

An off-duty Baltimore County police officer shot two burglars in his home early this morning in the 200 block of Evesham Ave. near the Baltimore County line

Jeanine Alice Blackwell, 34, pleaded guilty yesterday to the involuntary manslaughter of her newborn son, whom she delivered in a toilet March 9.

Tyrone Fields Jr. and Jawaun Harris, 18, have been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Bernard Solomon, 23, on July 29.

Buz wizdom: "robberies are the true measure of a community's safety--not murders. Robberies usually occur in a public place, between strangers, and involve force or the threat of using force. Murders, in this city (and most), involve either a domestic tragedy or business operations among people in 'the game'."

"A former Sinai Hospital patient is suing the hospital and a security guard for $77 million after he says he was assaulted in the emergency room on Labor Day."

Burbs
Trooper Dale Derr, whose cruiser was traveling 83 mph when it struck and killed a man two years ago, has allegedly assaulted the dead man’s brother

A panel of Howard Circuit judges is considering reducing the prison sentence of Marcus Owens, 37, of Columbia, who was was convicted in June 2004 for the second-degree murder and child abuse of his stepson, Kevonte Davis and is serving 60 years for killing his 2-year-old stepson.

A report for the General Assembly found big gaps in MD drug treatment services -- duh-- but surprisingly the city isn't the most, or even second-most, under-served area

In PGC, "Park Police Question Why Body Was Overlooked"

Have you seen...

Daniel DeBold, who has been missing since this morning. If you see him or have seen him please call the police and report that you have seen him and where you have seen him. He was last seen in Arbutus wearing a suit, family says he is paranoid and delusional.

Have you seen...

A tall white guy in a dark green 4-door 1997 Honda Civic, with Maryland tag 1ANV62, wanted for the attempted kidnapping of a 7-year-old boy in White Marsh.

Eleven Shootings

.. this week, mapped by Spotcrime.

Shocking. "Suspect in kidnapping has record"
(for you JIS searchers, look under "Brian T Scott," born 8/6/90. Yikes, he's also a DAD!).

No good deed... "A man who stopped to help three people on the side of the road early today was repeatedly stabbed by one of them"

Broadwater explains that cryptic statement a police spokesperson made about alleged rapist Ian Murphy ("He actually committed one crime and left at that crime scene evidence from another crime scene.") Said evidence was the victim's stolen cell phone, which he'd used to film himself. Blergh.

After 20 years in jail, DNA evidence freed wrongfully accused murderer James L. Owens.

Julie B. attended a West side Jessamy-sponsored community meeting on gangs.