Swine flu

As if we don't have enough problems, health officials have discovered three confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Baltimore City.

Still MORE Random Attacks

by packs of "wilding" teenagers, most recently in Federal Hill/ South Baltimore.

CHUM shooting

5/23 1801 E. 28th. Adult male

Prop 8 Won't Pass

But it doesn't matter, predicts Law Dork 2.0

Whole Lot of "Special"

A courthouse fight ensued after a U.S. marshall put a witness in the same holding cell as Gilbert, Dinkins and Goods, the "Special" gangsters accused of killing murder witness John P. Dowery Jr.

North Avenue fender bender part III

IV now has photos of accident damage to a car involved in a fender bender that lead to the suspension of three school police officers

82, 83

Two new victims added to '09's toll:


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# 83. Lee Johnson, 28, shot Sept. 27, 2008, 1900 block of Frederick Ave. (5/22)


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# 82. Tavon Crawford, 26, shot April 12, 2005, 2700 block of Saint Lo Drive (d. 1/2009)

Too Much Attention, Too Little Attention

Court of Appeals: city's "problem-solving" drug courts are legal

Former deacon of Beth El Temple Church of Christ in Park Heights accused of sexually assaulting a teenage boy

Legislature closes sex-offender loophole

Hagtown corrections officers to be tried in groups for inmate beating

Mom-napped 555-pound teen found in town (wonder if she's like that creepy "Half Ton Teen" mom, spackling extra mayo on his sandwiches)

Wow! The American Brewery in Broadway East has been restored to serve as HQ for a nonprofit. Broadway East is aka "a Neighborhood Abandoned"

Pending

A backlog of "Pending" cases, like those of the bodies found in the Harbor, leave some questionable deaths in purgatory

Fed. Hill Assailants on the Streets

Ashley Adoline Zion, 22, (right) and Brittany Meekins, 19 are out on probation after pleading guilty to second-degree assault for their roles in a triple stabbing in Federal Hill.
If the JIS is up-to-date, it does appear Zion still could face charges of juror intimidation and parole violations in Anne Arundel County.
UPDATE: The SAO tells us the Sun story is inaccurate-- they were not sentenced to time served, but eight years suspended and three years' probation.
Don't ef it up, ladies!

Jayne Miller has video of what appears to be some highly questionable police search action at an unnamed West Baltimore bar

More Random Attacks

in Charles Village and Mt. Vernon, a second-hand source tells Hermann police hung up on the victim

More prostitution than usual on St. Paul street

Faith Bocian's murder bears stolen

Public Transportation = Dangerous

A mother and daughter were attacked by teenagers on the metro Monday while on the way to Hopkins for treatment for daughter's neurological condition. Three teens were arrested and charged as juveniles; the MTA won't release video of the attack.

"Baltimore police said a man is in critical condition after his throat was slashed Wednesday during an argument at a bus stop near Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. in the 4900 block of Eastern Ave."

Guilty verdict in Timonium light-rail assault, Kiheem Malik Taylor, 22, faces a maximum of two life sentences plus 140 years in jail.

BPD: 84-year-old homeless Lucio Solorzano beaten to death with his own walking stick

"Gov. Martin O’Malley signed legislation on Tuesday requiring a judge to confiscate firearms from people who have final protective orders filed against them."

BBC's world news programme features a segment narrated by "Baltimore's Crime Scene Reporter" Peter Hermann with a cameo by Gus Sentementes

Two years for kidnapping, torture of teens

Luke blogged this already, but did you catch it? "Two of the five men accused of kidnapping two teenagers from a bus stop and torturing them in an attempt to elicit information about a stolen PlayStation game console pleaded guilty to second-degree assault Monday and were sentenced to two years in prison."

Bealefeld: "... if it happened in a white neighborhood in any other community in this state, we'd still be talking about it, and people would be talking about life sentences"

81 = 84

Police tweet: "HOMICIDE ARREST: Hector Jose Posado H/M/35 arrested JUST NOW for the homicide of 84 yr old Lucio Solarzano which occured Sunday" ... found beaten to death behind the Texaco at 7001 Reisterstown Rd.

Also, "Xavian Chriscoe M/B/DOB-1/6/78 was arrested yesterday @ 4026 W. Century Blvd.
Inglewood CA. for the Murder of Shaun Williams which occurred on 4/27/09 @ 2200 Christian St." (right)

A shot fired at the bucolic Jarrettsville BP station, county police are ISO a do-rag'd dingus and his blond female friend

Workshop for Families of Homicide Victims

From the SAO:

Survivors Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) is sponsoring an Information Workshop for Caretakers of Children (that have lost a parent to homicide). The session is scheduled for Saturday May 23, 2009, 10:30am-12:30pm at the Enoch Pratt Library, 1303 Orleans Street (parking in the rear). The purpose is to provide useful information for families whose loved ones have been murdered and are faced with the additional challenge of raising their children.

For Further Information Contact:
Robin Haskins
(410) 361-9301
(443) 226-3497

School police

IV editor Regina Holmes rants on the controversy surrounding the suspension of three city school police officers.

Tuesday morning cheer

• They were two college-bound 17-year-olds from Baltimore County in the back seat of a car at the Timonium light rail station.

But their “make out” session quickly turned into a traumatic attack when two men kidnapped them at gunpoint, forced the boy into the trunk and sexually assaulted the girl before dumping them both in Baltimore City’s Cherry Hill neighborhood, the victims testified Monday in Baltimore County Circuit Court.

• Baltimore police found an unidentified body Tuesday morning in the Inner Harbor near the Maryland Science Center. 

• A federal grand jury indicted a Reisterstown couple on four counts of child sex trafficking, alleging that the pair recruited, housed and prostituted three minor teenage girls, in part by advertising sexual services on Craigslist.

• Two of the five men accused of kidnapping two teenagers from a bus stop and torturing them in an attempt to elicit information about a stolen PlayStation game console pleaded guilty to second-degree assault Monday and were sentenced to two years in prison.

• One Carroll County man has been arrested and another is awaiting extradition from Florida on charges related to recent burglaries in Manchester, according to Maryland State Police.

State Pursues Attempted Murderer/Cell Phone Smuggler for VOP

From Margaret Burns of the SAO:

A violation of probation hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19 at 9 AM before Judge Lynn K. Stewart in the case of State vs. Jerrod Rowlett. The State intends to proceed on a violation of probation without a conviction (Rule 4 Violation). Rowlett is alleged to have possessed a cell phone and charger while held on bail at the city jail and prosecutors believe this violation constitutes Rowlett’s failure to obey all rules.

On August 8, 2007 Rowlett pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance and first degree assault. He was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years suspend all but time served leaving a suspended sentence of 14 years and 11 months and five years probation through August 8, 2012.

On June 7, 2008 Rowlett was arrested and charged with attempted murder and indicted under case number 108185009. That case is scheduled for May 26, 2009. On August 20, 2008 while incarcerated at the Baltimore City Detention Center and awaiting trial, Rowlett was allegedly found in possession of a cell phone and charger. Following an investigation by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, he was arrested and charged with possession of a telecommunications device in December 2008. That matter was ultimately placed on the stet docket.

Since that time, prosecutors have reviewed Rowlett’s probation case with probation agents assigned to the Division of Probation and members of the Violent Repeat Offender work group and have determined to proceed on the above violation. Nancy Olin of the Collateral Division will represent the State.

Sigh.

Shooting death in Dundalk

Tires slashed in West Baltimore

Homeless man beaten and robbed of art supplies

Two CV Incidents

From JHU Security:
Armed Robbery – Rear of 3246 Abell Ave. – On May 15th at 1:10 AM, two undergraduates walking east on 33rd Street were approached by two unknown males who emerged from an alley. One male displayed a handgun and repeatedly mumbled, “Give it up.”  The suspects took a wallet, cell phone and keys from one of the students and then fled south through the alley.  No injuries.  Baltimore Police responded. The incident was reported to Campus Security on May 15th at 1:23 PM. Investigation continuing.

Commercial Burglary – 3100 St. Paul St., Suite #1, Video Americain – On May 17th at 1:55 AM, Baltimore Police and store owner responded for an alarm. It was found that $200 cash had been taken from store. Entry had been gained by forcing open an interior basement door.  Investigation continuing by Baltimore Police.