"Kick it out"

Press release from your SAO. On one hand Cheshire is a much cleaner writer than Sviatko was, on the other, could someone please show the man how to send out a text file instead of an image so the Internets will be able to search it & people can read it without magnifying? Does he type it on a manual typewriter or something? Come on now.

Lunchtime Crime

Probably not a crime, but a JV football team in Baltimore County had to forfeit a game over a sexual encounter between a girl and several team members.

Billy Murphy wants to milk the Kennedy Krieger Institute for some serious money over lead paint.

Fatal shooting in Dundalk.

The re-trial of two alleged dog burners has been postponed until November.

There's been an arrest in the fatal Bowie State stabbing.

91-year old Irene Logan was murdered in her home in early August, and now police say they have made an arrest.

Recent Homicides, Toliet Bombs, and So Much More

In a very unfortunate-yet-fitting metaphor for our city, 16-year-old Bruce Benn was shot to death next to a bench proclaiming Baltimore to be the "Greatest City in America."

A 2006 shooting victim, who subsequently died in 2009, has been added to the homicide tally. Gerrod Davis, who was 22 at the time of his death, will become 2011's 147th victim.

Details are sparse at the moment, but a Bowie State student was stabbed to death on campus earlier today.

Duane "Shorty" Davis, the creator of the "Towson toilet bomb" and friend of the blog, has been acquitted of any charges related to his leaving a toilet covered in various articles and writings outside the Towson courthouse back in February.

A 7th Baltimore cop has plead guilty to his part in the major towing scandal that has plagued Baltimore police. Jhonn Corona, 33, plead guilty to sending accident victims to Majestic Auto Repair as well as crashing his own car in order to send false reports to his insurance company.

Arrest is made in the slaying of a Baltimore bondswoman Nichole McNair. 21-year-old Dominique Davon McDonald has been charged with first and second degree murder for the cold-blooded killing.

Dante Jeter, 24, who is still awaiting trial for the 2006 slaying of Arundel dentist Albert Ro, has been sentenced to 60 years in the 2008 City shooting of Tyrone Freeman.


There really are evil twins in the world, except this time it's not on board the Enterprise, it's over in Howard County, where 23-year-old Wael Ali is accused of killing his twin brother Wasel Ali back in 2007. The real kicker is that after the murder Wael made several statements to the press and even created a Facebook page in remembrance for the killing. (The Ali brothers pictured right.)

A 21-year-old was shot in the 1000 block of North Arlington Ave at late last night.

Do you recognize this man? He's wanted by the BPD as a person of interest in the 2010 killing of Durell Cartwright.

The trial of Michael Hunter, 20 and one of two men accused of killing 72-year-old Afro paper security guard Charles Bowman, will finally commence soon after being delayed 5 times. Hunter's co-defendent, Troy Taylor, 19, has already been sentenced to 35 years for his role in the killing.

A man has turned himself in for the second slaying in Howard CountyAnthony Patrick Parker, 53, has turned himself in after a warrant was issued for his part in a fight turned stabbing that left 46-year-old Phillip Wise dead.

ATF and state police arrest over 50 suspects, including 15 who were charged federally, as part of a large scale drug sweep. Among the names that pop out to me is that of Howard Drummond, 24. Drummond, as you may remember was charged alongside Joel Ugah, 25 back in 2008 for the murder of Sandy Howard and non-fatal shooting of two others. Both were acquitted of a all charges. Howard was sentenced to 10 years in state prison for various drug dealing charges, and Ugah, who was again charged with attempted murder for a 2010 incident, is currently facing drug and gun charges in the city and county.

This may be a hard sell to some... but a Baltimore methadone clinic wants to pay addicts in order to get them to come in at night and use methadone.

More trouble at Maryland colleges. This time it's at UMD, where police are releasing a video of a person of interest in the on-campus sexual assault of a female student.

A 14-year-old Anne Arundel girl was sexually assaulted, and police are ISO two suspects, including one who sort of looks like John Lennon.

A man in Trappe, MD has been arrested for possession of a handgun whenhis gun fell out of his jacket after he ran into a police officer.

Severn resident Peter Dembrowicz, 30, was found dead in a stream earlier, foul play is not suspected.

State police officially conclude that teacher Alice Davis was in fact murdered by her husband Jess Davis, 57.

New Jersey's Uzodimma Nnamdi Oguh, age 32, has been charged with human trafficking for running a prostitution ring throughout the east coast.

Two years in Federal prison for creeper attorney Patrick Joseph Redd, 33.

Finally, 10 years for 9-time convict Skky Townsend, 29. Townsend got his decade behind bars after being caught with crack and weapons in his Pocomoke home.

Obsessions, compulsions & Conaways

Say what you might about the horn-tooting of the rousing of rabble, it's deserved. Adam Meister helped roust tax cheat Belinda Conaway out of the 7th district by a skinny 648 votes ... by just being Adam and letting Belinda be Belinda with her redunkulous lawsuit. Said the loser, "I don't have any regrets-- none." Neither must her lawyer, who apparently ran up the clock on her before doing an iota of diligence.

Speaking of dumbassery, Baltimorean Matthew VanDyke, who either escaped or was freed from a Libyan prison after aggravating his OCD and losing every last ounce of body fat and with a girlfriend/fiancee waiting at home, decided to stay in Libya to reportedly join the Ali Hassan Juba Katiba rebels. A fine line between bravery, silliness, and Stockholm syndrome. Well don't say Dutch didn't try!

Sentencing in Viral Video Beating, Bondswoman Killed, and Even More

Teonna Monae Brown, age 19, whose leading role in the videotaped beating of transgender woman in a Rosedale McDonalds led to national outcry, has been sentenced to 5 years in prison.

Baltimore bondswoman Nichole Bernadette McNair, 42, was found shot to death in a running car in Columbia.

Two consecutive life sentences plus 20 years for 30-year-old Jermaine Johnson. Johnson, was convicted of the 2009 double homicide of Gerry Martin and Darvin Jones. Jones, who was 19 at the time of his death, was said to have committed two 2009 murders himself; that of Herbert Carsten Jr., age 17, and Wayne Robinson age 22.

Police officers involved in the fatal shooting of officer William H. Torbit Jr. have refused to testify before a panel investigating the fatal case of friendly fire.

More missing Baltimoreans, this time, it's 63-year-old Madeline Chavis, missing since Monday afternoon.

The woman accused in a grisly yoga shop murder will not seek an insanity defense. Attorneys for Brittany Norwood have missed the deadline to file such paperwork.

Basketball teacher busted for child sexual abuse. Tyrone Jordan, age 55, has been charged with molesting a 14-year-old boy, the second sexual misconduct related arrest in the last 15 years for him.

A cab driver was shot in the neck Saturday night in the parking lot of a Royal Farms store off of E Fayette St.

Two city high school students are in a heap of trouble for bringing a gun to school.

Police in Baltimore County release a "digital sketch" of a 2009 sexual assault suspect.

The body of a missing Baltimore man has been found in Liberty Reservoir in Carroll County. The body of Christopher Anthony White, 44 displayed no obvious signs of trauma.

Sunday morning sees two men shot in separate indents in the City. A 23-year old was shot in the 1700 block of Lexington St. and a 49-year-old man was shot in the 2800 block of Hilldale Ave.

Curtis Bay weed grower busted. Kwane Owusa Greenidge faces a variety of drug related charges.

Police are seeking help identifying a man who robbed a Baltimore County Giant.

Montgomery County seeks grant to help fight gang problem.

Guilty plea from mother of child beaten to death in Frederick. 21-year-old Jessica Denise Peavy will face only one year in jail when she is sentenced.

Kent County police are ISO a missing full gas tanker, that was stolen after someone cut through a fence and hot-wired a vehicle.

An unidentified body has been pulled from the Back River. No known cause of death has been given, but no obvious signs of injury have been found.

Like a modern day Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid, Two Washington County teens are on the run after stealing a van from a juvenile facility.

A man was shot to death in Landover. 21-year-old Aaron M. Jones, who was wanted for several charges including attempted murder at the time of his death, was found in the 8100 block of Manson St.

A Glen Burnie man is facing charges of attempted murder after stabbing a gas station clerk several times during an attempted murder. Joseph Earl Schrump, 22, whose face is a testament to why you don't mess with gas station attendants, was arrested in a nearby cemetery shortly after.

Police warn citizens to be weary of potential robbers on Craigslist. Bad intentions of Craigslist? Impossible...

15 years in the Federal clank for Catonsville bank robber Troy Antoine Boatwright, age 37.

Willie Ray Bryant is moving on up... from state to federal prison that is. 41-year-old Bryant plead guilty to sending a threatening letter to a Maryland judge.

Speaking of poorly planned crimes, we end this post with a look at 61-year-old James Anthony Welzenbach, who decided to rob the Talbot Bank of Tilghman located on Tilghman Island, an area home to around 800 residents. Shockingly, Welzenbach was quckly identified and arrested. He and subsequently plead guilty in Federal court, and now faces 25 years in the Federal pen.

Missing teenager

Police and family are ISO Kesley Ashwood, aka "Lil Woman"

Sad and weird

The case of murdered one-year-old Dalyire Damion McFadden just gets stranger. The mom locked up the house for the night, yet found her ear-biting, male-model babydad Hari Close III (left) somehow inexplicably in the house, then, went to bed with him, no questions asked, and in the morning left the one-year-old home alone...? weird weird weird. And how about that wacky misquote on Close's FB page:

"'I have learned that success is not measure by the position one has reached in life; but rather by the obstacles which he or she is striving to achieve.' - Booker T. Washington"

Phylicia Barnes update

The lawyer for the boyfriend of Felicia Barnes' sister has some interesting things to say about the investigation.

Murder Arrests, Disbarments, and so Much More...

Police have arrested a man in the stabbing death of Baltimore DPW worker David McClaughlin Jr. Terrence Fitzhugh faces charges of first and second degree murder.

Veteran attorney Stanley Needleman has plead guilty to tax evasion.Needleman, whose office was raided back in April, has agreed to disbarment and will pay over $1 million in fines.

Police investigate a double shooting in the 3300 block of Belle Ave.

Guilty plea in December 2010 stabbing death of a Severn pizza delivery man. Darrius Lynne Bullock, 19 faces 10-21 years for the for the fatal stabbing of Ghulam Farooq.

A guilty plea from Maximilian Hopkins Bode, 21, the driver of a snow plow that struck and killed a renowned former JHU fencing coach.

County police are investigating the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Tyran Smoot (Picture Right)

Police make a quick arrest in the first killing in Annapolis this year. Clifton William Tutt, 55, has been charged with the shooting death of 19-year-old Teon Wallace. Wallace, who in June beat charges of attempted murder, was wanted by police for Armed robbery charges at the time of his death. Of course his killer was no saint either having a criminal record dating back to at least 1990 including a 3 year prison term for a conviction related to an arrest for Attempted Murder.

Bonrick Lee Barksdale, the suspect in a North Carolina kidnapping and attempted rape was captured recently after escaping from an Annapolis courtroom.

20 years in prison for multi-time sex offender and newly convicted rapist James Mason III, age 30.

Arrest in a non-fatal stabbing in Howard County. 23-year-old Christopher Thomas Hecker has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly stabbing Brian Black Jr., 29.

The parents of a 14-year-old girl struck by a car, are pleading for the driver to turn themselves in.

Pennsylvania police have arrested Vincent Lloyd Minto, 41, wanted in Montgomery County for the 2009 murder of Clarence Rankine.

31-year-old Carroll County resident Zachary Scott Shanaberger has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison. As part of his plea deal, Shanaberger admitted his role in bank robberies in Delaware, Georgia, and North Carolina.

The husband of a Wicomico County teacher was found dead in his home Wednesday. Jesse Davis, 58, was the main suspect in the disappearance of his wife, a 28 year veteran teacher at Parkside High School.

A Chevy Chase scientist has been convicted of espionage. Stewart D. Nozette, 54, who was caught on tape selling goverment secrets to what he thought was an Israeli intelligence officer will be sentenced to 13 years in prison.

10 years in Federal prison for Latin Kings #2 man Remy "King Remy" Heath. The 26-year-old gang leader plead guilty to racketeering charges back in November of 2010.

Also being sentenced to Federal prison time is 24-year-old Christopher Jackson. Jackson, exiled for being a felon in possession of a gun, was sentenced to 10 years in prison as well.

Finally, 5 very well deserved years at Club Fed for child pornography advertiser Michael Moskal, age 45.

In Non-Maryland news:

Former New Mexico Governer Bill Richardson made a surprise visit to Cuba in the hopes of securing the release of Marylander Alan Gross, who was serving a 15 year prison sentence in Cuba.

An appeal to be released from jail to Aruban authorities by Gary Giordano has been denied.

Virginia police obtain a warrent for Johnny D. Guillen Pimentel, 40, AKA the serial butt-slasher. Pimentel, who is still at large, is believed to be responsible for a series of attacks against Virginia area women earlier this year.

Many, many apologies for my extended absence from updating. A major change in schedule, a series of internet disabling events, and my own crippling lazyness have contributed to my time away. Again, my apologies, and i look forward to continuing to bring you the crime news of Baltimore, and beyond. -TAB

Here we go again

A date has been set for the third trial of Policarpio Espinoza Perez and Adan Espinoza Canela. Their previous conviction for murdering three children back in 2004 was thrown out on appeal this summer.

Don't miss

an enlightening interview with Shorty Davis on the Marc Steiner podcast.
Pull quote: "Why did I get arrested for the toilets? Because of the names on the toilets."

OMFGDFS!!

A ONE-YEAR-OLD boy was stabbed to death in SW Baltimore. His parents reported him as abducted, then his body was found in the basement, a la JonBenét. As if that wasn't horrifying enough, the boy on Riggs Avenue isn't the only one-year-old on the list, the death of Davon Booth Jr., who died a month ago of head trauma, has also been ruled a homicide.

And James and Kareem Clea were found not guilty in the death of Lemuel Wallace, the disabled man stabbed to death in a Leakin Park bathroom. Gregg Bernstein released a (very rare) statement expressing disappointment in the verdict*. And in today's edition of the Sun, the unappetizing deet that James Clea had a "sexual relationship" with former Arc employee Kevin Pushia; James' brother Kareem was accused of being the triggerman.

AND the man shot to death Sunday, Tony Laws, was the grandson of late local "point of light" Bea Gaddy.

*I'd publish Bernstein statements more, but they're rare, and in spite of my entreaties they come over as pdfs, and I just don't have the time or will to retype them with my other jobs and whatnot. This is how democracy fails, via a thousand little inconveniences that effectively bar access.

Barnes' sister filed restraining order

A city judge denied request filed by the sister of Phylicia Barnes seeking to keep her ex-boyfriend from contacting her.

Also, the tow scammers are back in business, so watch where you park near the Manufacturers and Traders "Emmittea Banks" Trust Company Raven® stadium.

Old-man enemy

Can you call someone a "boyfriend" if they're 51 years old and commit the unfriendliest of acts? In any case, Gary Allmond, 51, has been arrested for the murder of official victim #140, an unidentified woman.
Update: Woman Id'd as Janice Drayton, 51

Four people were shot this weekend and one victim, 31-year-old Antonio Laws, has died.

Cult mom Ria Ramkisson, now living in a "faith-based treatment center," gave an interview to the AP's Ben Nuckols.

And two pervs du jour, a balloon artist nabbed after trying to have sex with an age-regressed picture of a police officer, and a Christian-camp operator. (So 6c means 6" long and circumcised? Blogging is so educational!)

Speaking of 14-year-old boys, one in Lutherville was charged with attempted burglary after trying to break into a couple of houses.

And a Baltimorean with a chin-strap beard was arrested after allegedly driving all the way to Ohio to flash and attack Asian women.

but what about the clown cannons*?

Hot trend in conservative criminal justice circles: rehabilitation (!!)
It's not just for California and Newt Gingrich anymore!
Crazy stat: "If our nation were to return to the rates of incarceration we had in the 1970s, we would have to release 4 out of 5 people behind bars."


*a reference to one of my favorite blog comments of all time: "if you all vote for me as mayor, I'll transform some buidling to a local Gitmo where multiple felons will be locked up without trial until I['m] stripped of power or I find a clown cannon from which to launch them into the Inner Harbor."

You might be interested...

... fascinating article in this week's New Yorker about the judicial philosophy of Clarence Thomas.

Lunchtime Crime

Should a convicted sex offender be allowed to keep his real estate license?

Ah Baltimore, where parents think it's acceptable to let their elementary school age kids wander around alone at 1 AM.

Cops are looking for the driver from a fatal AA County hit and run.

ACLU sues Baltimore Police over right to videotape.

Phylicia Barnes's family isn't happy with the progress of the investigation into her death.

Dramiara Johnson died as a result of "massive head trauma," and now her mother has been charged in her death.

14 years after she went missing the remains of Toni Dee Vogel were identified. Her skeleton was found in Westminster in 2009.

Attorney Stanley Needleman has been charged with tax evasion.

William Hillar gets 21 months in prison for fraudulently pretending to be a former Special Forces officer.

Assault by live power line in Silver Spring.

Cops to Bernstein: Quit Drag-assing

The homicide closure rate is apparently way down (43%), homicide detectives are blaming prosecutors, and the police spokesman is blaming police (?!). Not. A. Good. Sign.

It's Saturday Night Crime... Live... Sort Of

The assistant to historian Barry Landau pleads not guilty. Jason Savedoff, 24, plead not guilty to his role in the theft of several historic documents.

The body of university professor Yulia Pogrebenko, 54, has been found in the Chesapeake Bay. No cause of death has been given yet.

New information comes to light in the Lemuel Wallace murder trial. Including the fact that Kevin Pushia, the pastor turned murder suspect had planned to murder his then boyfriend and his family.

An Ellicott City 17-year-old was secretly arrested by the FBI for allegedly being a co-conspirator of "Jihad Jane." The then 15-year-old identified only as Mohammed K was suspected of soliciting funds to help commit Jihad, and at one point had threatened to commit a school shooting.

He pissed off the wrong people... 37-year-old Braderick Green was sentenced to 11 life terms plus 185 years for shooting at city police officers. Of course life never really is life, so Mr.Green is actually eligible for parole in just 65 years, at the ripe age of 102.

It just keeps getting worse for Travis Vaughn, 19, who was not only shot in the shoulder by an off-duty security guard, but was also charged with attempted murder to boot.

When I see the words "Ravens Player, Inner Harbor" I tend to expect the worst. But this time I was pleasantly surprised to find that Ravens WR Tandon Doss was in the role of peacemaker.

An 18-year-old wanted by police for the May robbery of a local grocery store was shot at by police Wednesday. Lamont Thomas escaped injury but now faces a variety of serious charges.

I severely apologize for my long absence from posting, my computer broke recently and I have finally been able to replace it. Please note this is not a complete posting as i wanted to get something out before i possibly lose my power due to the storm.

Baltimorean sprung!

from Tripoli pen! Not only is Quaquacky really out & hiding in some tunnel like a tacky Hitler, but Matthew VanDyke's 31- or 2-year-old rump could (possibly) be ensconced on AirBama manana for surf & turf with Dutch!
What a happy twist, eh?

ps. he 'described his ordeal' to the BBC today (8/25), but the story doesn't say where he was when doing the describing. Pull quote: "I have OCD and I have it pretty bad and being in a filthy Libyan prison was not good for it at all. It was torture."