Dopey dad's bust leads to baby barricade

Hey, a closed case! Asia Culter, 22 was charged for the murder of Donte Harris, 21,* after a woman who helped move his shot-up body from his house to the alley fessed up to police. Cutler then called 911 to say she'd found him.

Bealefeld published a sensible OpEd yesterday in the Sun*

Sexagenarian celebu-cop William J. Bratton is going to Oakland to help clean up the mess our chief Batts left behind. FWIW, Bratton was also Ed Norris' boss in NY for six years before Norris ascended to the BPD chiefship in 2000.

14 years for drug-dealing dad who used a baby as a doorstop. Which would make a great Huggies& ad. "We gave these two babies to two drug dealers. After 14 hours, only one is wearing a diaper that won't leak, even when dad uses the baby as a doorstop. This baby even stayed dry for the entire execution of the warrant. .... Huggies&. Enjoy The Ride." Press release: "Detective Phoenix Jennifer changed, fed, and cared for the infant until the child's mother arrived." ... You know, I'll bet if you're a female officer executing a warrant with a bunch of male officers, you get pretty darn tired of everybody assuming that you're going to be the one who's going to change that diaper. 

The CP has a grim feature on the demise of the Prisoner's Aid Association

Hearing about the deck being shuffled in @baltimorepolice command, including new leadership for homicide, patrol & criminal investigations..
— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) December 27, 2012

215

Ok, got the homicide numbering issue fixed. Murder #215 for 2012 was/is Thomas Cunion, 27, 1100 block of Webb Court, shot to death in a double shooting last night.

In the County, an officer shot and killed a mentally ill man with a knife. So sad. If you ever sit and listen to ScanBaltimore on any given day, it's shocking how many calls are for crazy people-- seemingly one an hour. And even if one does have health insurance, it's rather appalling how many plans simply don't cover mental health services at all, or claim that they do but then have no psychiatrists (who can prescribe medication) on the plan, only social workers or whatever, or they do have psychiatrists but they have one or two who have months-long waiting lists.

A Christmas gift for the vengeful: a Glen Burnie card and coin shop owner shot and killed an intruder.

Ugh, Wayne LaPierre, "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun." Dewd, if you've over the age of 5, you are old enough to know that there are no good people or bad people (and for that matter, half of people are not "guys"). There are crazy people, brain-damaged-people, selfish people, people with extremely poor conflict-management skills, "good" people in horrible situations, all of whom may appear "good" as far as the government is concerned. If the solution is to have everyone armed, that is the end of hope for civilization. Merry Christmas!

214

Apologies for taking so long to post this: Rebecca Ann Coughenour, 23, was stabbed to death by Brandon Jerome Nowlin, 25, on Dec. 20th in the 200 block of Atholgate Lane in Ten Hills. Nowlin committed suicide by hanging himself in a vacant office building in Catonsville.*  Nowlin has a criminal history of assault and unlawful car-taking.

Brightness falls

BPD photo

Surveillance pictures show the killers of 16-year-old Daniel Pearson* swaggering across the 2700 block of Greenmount Avenue on November 20, guns in position.

Thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three bucks  per camera those picturemakers cost us,* and this is what the images look like? How could anyone solve anything from a picture like that? Officials claim cameras solved 1,236 crimes last year.. somehow. So that's $20.7 million spent on the camera hardware, plus $1.4 million a year to run them, about $8 million spent last year, or $6,526 per crime solved. A good deal?

Cham Green

You can tell its the holidays. Fatal female stabbing on 200 Atholgate(southwest, somewhere in a big bunch of public housing units off of Fred Ave near city line).

Also, missing from Carroll County, says the Internet, 15-year-old Kenzie DiGiacomantonio, see below.

And

Baltimore County Breaking News

Ok folks. Just so people can stop commenting with it on so many posts...

We are well aware of multiple threats at multiple schools in Baltimore County. After speaking with a source within the Baltimore County Police they do not believe that ANY of these threats are credible. There will be extra police presence at selected schools which will not be named just as a precautionary measure. We will make sure to inform you IF any situation does occur. (02)

A reptile agenda from outer space

Alexander Kinyua was found guilty but not criminally responsible* for blinding his former friend Joshua Ceasar by beating him with a barbed-wire-festooned baseball bat, and killing Kujoe Bonsafo Ageyi-Kode (and eating some of his victuals). Kinyua apparently had unmedicated schizophrenia and believed that he was a prophet with secret powers, that there was a reptilian agenda from outer space that was replacing his family with imposters, and that his friend Joshua Caesar was conspiring to have him arrested by police on false charges. In spite of what sounds like copious evidence that he was loopy as a bowl of ramen, and even though Kinyua asked for help from the university counselling offices, officials at Morgan didn't (or couldn't) follow up. Nor does it sound like anyone tried to have him committed involuntarily. Major problem: crazy people don't know they're crazy, or they do know it and take their meds, but think they're cured when the meds work, then quit taking them and go back to being crazy. Presumably Kinyua will stay at the Clifford T. Perkins hospital for a longlong time.

Another Spectator-related show from Marc Steiner, with AFJM's sister and Alan Foreman. 
...If you'd like to send the Spectator a Christmas card, you can send it to: Frank MacArthur; I.D. # 2335662531; East Madison Street; Baltimore, Maryland 21202. You can also send him a money order for his commissary account if you are so moved, on your money order you must include MacArthur's I.D. number and the letters, "C.B.I.F." for Central Booking Intake Facility. UPDATE: Meister says his hearing will now be Dec 28 at 8:30 a.m. in room 215 of the Mitchell Courhouse, and Jill Carter is his lawyer.

One shot middle-aged man and a passel of juvenile suspects,* just over the city line on the AAC side of Brooklyn Park.

The case of the Subway sandwich-shop robber, named either Jamal or Jamar Bailey, was scheduled for re-arraignment, since he's charged with other misdeeds and the judge wants to consolidate the cases. And Jan 4, Steve Gewirtz plans to attend the trial of Derrick Brown, Antwan Mosley and Danyae Robinson, accused of shooting and killing 12-year-old Sean Johnson as he watched a baseball game on his front porch.

In Cumberland, 25-year-old Brian Cotter was convicted of murdering his cellmate, 57-year-old Lewis Thompson Jr. Cotter allegedly strangled Thompson, then staged the scene to make it look like a suicide. 


Blahblahblah jackass, four days in jail blahblahblah sports.... more from the Sun.* And if you follow his example, you too might be rewarded with four days of relative peace and quiet, cable television and a solid excuse to never have to go to another ballgame.

Ten years for alleged heroin dealer Keith Massenberg, 45 and a previously convicted felon, 10 years for heroin dealer Wayne Lampkin, 41,  co-conspirator with the Gettis organization who allegedly dealt his wares near a charter school (... it doesn't say which school).

And did you know? Every time there's a mass shooting gun sales go through the roof. WalMart has now reportedly sold out of semi-automatics in many locations. Also surging: sales of armored backpacks. Totally want one, but wouldn't they be insanely heavy? Note to self, contact Miguel Caballero re. new backpack line. And speaking of school shootings, Lady Gaga has finally gotten around to contacting Daniel Borowy.

Finally, media blabber: Anne Linskey, reporter with a heart of gold and nads of steel, is leaving the Sun to work for Bloomberg. She used to cover crime in the city with Julie Bycowicz (who also fled for Bloomberg) and more recently was covering Annapolis. I'll never forget her yelling at Sheila Dixon as she left the courthouse following her conviction, "so who's the mayor now, Ms. Dixon?" Bloomberg's gain is Baltimore's loss. Bew. 

That's uncredible!

Michael Johnson is due to go to trial next month for the murder of Phylicia Barnes, now Fenton says that defense attorneys say that a witness says* that he saw Barnes in Cecil County, alone, before she died. Also the lead detective on the case was suspended for going rogue in search on his own missing daughter before Johnson was arrested. Hrm.

A hearing is scheduled today* for Alexander Kinyua, the Morgan Student who killed and then ate pieces of Kujoe Bonsafo Agyei-Kodie.  A week before Agyei-Kodie's murder, he also allegedly beat a fellow student with a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire.

School-threat recap: threats at Arundel High = not credible. Threats at Laurel Junior High = credible.

Van Smith writes about the real backstories of a couple of guys who inspired The Wire

The Ink covers last week's four murders

What the heck? An alleged stranger walked up to a house in the 500 block of E. 30th street and fired a shotgun at it multiple times.

According to the Baltimore Guide blotter, the 500 block of N. Potomac is a burglar's buffet

The Patch's area blotter includes people robbed while waiting at a bus stop, because your life is just not shitty enough while you're waiting at a bus stop.

Who knew? It's apparently now common to smuggle booze from MD to NY, where state taxes are higher.

Bostonian, Miamian start work in SRB's admin. So city police won't live in the city, city council members like Rikki Spector won't live in their own districts, and no one from Baltimore is fit to hire to work for the mayor. Got it.

Well, that's nice, the women behind that anti-rape-culture Victoria's Secret parody,* Rebecca Nagle and Hannah Brancato, are from Baltimore.* (psst, Victoria's secret is ... South Carolina prisoners)

So much for West side redevelopment; the city's now selling off the "Superblock" at fire-sale prices

Good news: A federal defendant in Baltimore named "Brotha Workitout" has successfully completed his probation, court records show
— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) December 19, 2012

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Again

Shooting: 1600 block Pennsylvania Ave. Adult male reported to be shot. Detectives investigating.
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) December 18, 2012

O'Malley now says he is mulling over* banning all assault weapons (by which he means semi-automatics I guess?) and/or limiting the number of rounds in a magazine (currently 20).
Good read: "How Guns Became Gadgets" by Christopher Mims ("the AR-15 is the iPhone 5 of weapons")

The BPD now alleges they'll be doing BPD-TV daily from here on out, with a re-broadcast on channel 25 every night, though apparently the Media Unit is posting updates to YouTube and not the BPD site. Square your shoulders, Smith! And watch the "coffee with a cop" clip if only to to LOL at the lady in the background covering her face with a napkin. Just move already, lady!

213

A man shot near Mondawmin mall last night has died*

A female visitor went to National Academy Foundation Prep. "to deliver a birthday cake and balloons to her relative, but when a school staffer approached her after she didn't get proper clearance to enter the school, a fight started" and the crazy hefa pulled out a knife.

North Baltimore Patch's rogues gallery picks some winners for you to gawk at

The Sun posted a picture of the Towson shooter,* and he's scary-looking too. Director of the Towson Chamber of Commerce: "with the drinking and testosterone, that can lend to not good things happening."

The Spectator's sister says he's being denied visitors. 

Interesting/terrifying read about the early signs of psychopathy in children from the NYT last May.
Also local prof Firmin Debrabander has an op-ed in the NYT, "The Freedom of an Armed Society."

In lieu of the recent incident in Connecticut, the owner of the company that makes the Bushmaster .223 AR-15 semi-automatic rifle (also the weapon of choice for the DC snipers) says it's putting the brand up for sale. WalMart has also stopped selling the Bushmaster online. While the book value of it is $1299, WalMart had it for the lowlow price of $897. The Bushmaster fires 45 rounds a minute, which sounds like a lot, but there's a gun called the Metal Storm that fires more than a million rounds a minute though the company that makes it is now out of business. (Well, there go my weekend plans) (of course it would be illegal here anyway, because the libtard nanny state doesn't want anyone to have any fun!). Update, O'Malley now says he is mulling over* banning all assault weapons and/or limiting the number of rounds in a magazine (currently 20).

.@scottmcalvert and I are planning to go out soon to fact-check another batch of speed camera tickets. If you want yours checked, DM me
— Luke Broadwater (@lukebroadwater) December 17, 2012

"Operation Delirium"

The pair that allegedly assaulted a bus driver, Russell Thomas and Sabreena Clemons, have been arrested.

NW RT @baltimorepolice: Shooting:Cedardale Rd / Dorithan Rd, adult male shot. District Detective Units are investigating.
— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) December 17, 2012

CV's Steve Gewitz covers the case of Jamar Bailey, the accused Subway robber, and the ongoing appeals of Thomas Meighan Jr., who admits to drinking, driving and killing JHU student Miriam Frankl. Meighan says that he didn't have information on the forensic reconstruction of the accident* before pleading guilty.

The law firm of Peter Angelos ("working people helped build this country") wants to revive 13,000 asbestos cases*.

From the JHU security bulletin: a Barnes & Noble shoplifter, stolen gift cards and an afternoon burglary at the University Apartments.

From the Facebook:  [Thursday] night somebody tried to break into a house on Keswick near the Royal Farms. A guy with a gun attacked a man on his porch and tried to force his way into his home. 

Francis Kang, the Towson shooter, has been charged* with 1st-degree attempted murder, 1st degree assault and felonious handgun use.

Say what now? Candace Williams claimed that Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs punched her and dragged her from a moving car while her children watched, and told a 911 operator she feared for her life. In 2009 she called police after he threw a soap dispenser at her, hit her in the chest the threatened to pour bleach over her head. And, by the way, he's got at least seven guns in the house. So ... last weekend they got married. Blarf.

Joan Jacobson writes about the life of Donnie Andrews. Related: the web site That Guy's on Heroin lists some charities you might want to consider donating to if you want to help guys on heroin.

Did you know? (I didn't): during the Cold War the army tested "psychochemical" agents for use as weapons at the Edgewood Arsenal, the series of experiments was called "Operation Delirium."

Un-crime-related Baltimoreiana: adorable 1947 cartoon map of Baltimore from JHU libraries. Okay, maybe the Sambo chef is not so cute.

212

Michael Randolph Robinson Jr., 26, 2800 block of Winwood Court*

Avon Ball, 26, 5200 block of Reisterstown Road.* In 2008 Ball's foster brother told a gunman, "don't shoot him, shoot me," the gunman obliged.* Tion Bolden is charged with Ball's murder.

The buyback netted 461 guns. Speaking of guns, the WaPo has a handy rundown of things to know about mass shootings.

Francis Minsung Kang was arrested after firing into a crowd outside of the Charles Village Pub in Towson, one man was shot in the hand. 

A man was shot in Catonsville.

One Judge Norman Stone III was suspended for five days after threatening to jail people whose cell phones rang in his courtroom.

211

Todd Duffie, 36, the man shot on Lyndhurt Avenue yesterday, has died of his injuries.*

The Jesus-y Justin has more details on the death of Delma Barnes, reports that Barnes and Jewel O.J. Lucas had no prior relationship* -- their awesomely Baltimoreiffic conflict-resolution skills collided when they into some kind of disagreement at the Shell station.

A mega-bust yesterday: 34 people charged with trafficking in horse, tweed and other assorted controlled substances after a joint investigation (heh)

Sad, indeed: Donnie Andrews, the guy who supposedly inspired the "Omar" character from the Wire, has died.* Extra-poignant considering Andrews turned his life around; his very sweet wedding in 2007 was featured in the NYT's Vows section. (Don't quite get the "Omar inspiration" thing, though, since Andrews was 1). not gay and 2). an addict -- the real Omar would never get high on his own supply, and 3). doesn't seem to have been into robbing drug dealers.)

Two parents were arrested after intervening after intervening as their son was allegedly beat up by a bully who'd robbed him the day before. Hrm, something about this story doesn't wash, I dunno...

Unprincipled principal purloins principal

A man was shot last night on Grantley Street on the West side

Shooting: 4100 block of Lyndhurst Avenue, Northwest District. Adult male shot at the location. Homicide Detectives investigating.
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) December 13, 2012

[map link added]


The former principal of Coppin Academy, William Howard II, has been accused of stealing money from the school's student activity funds.

Three and a half years for four-times-convicted Ronald Coleman, 65, who got an employee of a "popular Baltimore restaurant" to use a skimmer to get credit card information, he then ripped off Amex for $70-120k in cash and goods.

Salvatore Petti, involved in an ongoing dispute over the city's bocce ball courts, pleaded guilty to fraud and tax evasion for illegally diverting funds from a nonprofit and failing to pay taxes on his gambling winnings.

Good read from yesterday's NYT: Rethinking Life Behind Bars 

Bully baby blunty bumpers

That's the lady with the baby, really? Police announced that Jewel Onye Jamie Lucas, who just turned 19 last week, was arrested and charged with 1st-degree (as in, premeditated) and 2nd-degree homicide and assault for Delma Barnes' death-by-Mazda on Frankfort Avenue. Cham found Lucas' Twitter page, upon which Lucas was cheerfully Tweeting pictures of her dog and some hand-rolled cigarettes the day after Barnes' death. .. so whose baby is it? Or maybe it wasn't a baby after all? Lucas was previously arrested in Towson for an assault from April (when she was apparently 15 pounds lighter and two inches taller), that case was nol pross'd.

Bountiful

Bernstein promised to be more "courageous" than Jessamy when it came to prosecuting cases, but now his office has charged 2/3rds of the homicide cases Jessamy's did, and detectives opine that his office "won't take the cases so they preserve a high conviction rate for themselves." Now Fenton makes the rather explosive charge* that prosecutors' reticence may have led to one James Berry III not being charged for a triple shooting in Bolton Hill, only to go on to become involved in that horrific shooting of brothers in front of their mother (written and talked about by the Spectator last month. Warning, that link has audio, unless you want to hear that standoff again, hit yer mute button before you click it).

Speaking of the Spectator, his friends (including "toilet artist" Duane Davis) are planning a vigil/protest in his honor next week in front of Central Booking. According to the Inmate Locator, MacArthur's currently residing at the detention center on East Eager Street.

A stopped car, speed cameras, really? Scott Calvert says this is the 7th fucktified camera on recond. Actually not surprising, I've seen em flashing away at stopped cars more than once at Charles/Lake Ave. How is it that the city could implement a bounty revenue model if the state law prohibits it? Did no one in the city read the law? Did no one at the state level find it fit to mention that the city's whole model was unlawful? .. and, also, speed cameras have also been doling out work-zone tickets when nobody's working.*

Speaking of bounty hunting, Ian Duncan reports that the feds have gleaned $25 million from seizing assets* in MD in the past 12 months.

Carl Snowden lost his appeal* on his 2010 drunk-driving case

A drug-related shooting in Essex

Guns for gift cards

Tavon Barnett, 19, was arrested for the murder of Terrance Seale (#185), Barnett has been on the run (locally) since the murder.*

Among the malfeasances in the SE, a duct-taped security guard, a woman who successfully defended herself against a purse-snatcher with a small knife, a stolen bottle of Bacardi.

Data show that in Baltimore shootings are way way down.* So why is the WSJ breathless about "soaring" crime rates? Maybe because the facts don't jibe with the "be scared all the time" narrative? That paper has gone to major crap since Murdoch bought it. And guess what, the Tribune is trying to unload its newspapers, and guess who might be interested? Watch out, Fenton, you might find yourself replaced with a porn star.

Trial is scheduled to start today for Kenisha Thomas*, the woman who stabbed her infant daughter Pretty Diamond at a social services office. Speaking of morality and the formative years, interesting article from the New Republic on how neglect in the first two years of life leads to a fucked-up adulthood. And did you know that by the age of 5 months babies like it when mean puppets get punished, and that babies "are little bigots" when it comes to snack crackers? 

A preliminary hearing for The Baltimore Spectator, aka AF James MacArthur, will be held at 8:30 a.m. in room 1 of 5800 Wabash. And on Dec. 20th, Duane "Shorty" Davis is holding a vigil for him outside of Central Booking.

The temporary protective order against Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs has been lifted, so he can get his nine guns back. Also, his wife is really hot, in a plastic-y kind of way.

O'Malley says it's against the law for speed camera operators to get paid by volume,* which is, of course, how the city's camera contractors are paid. Luke Broadwater talked to Maynard n Shari about his story, sound file here (fast-forward to 8:30)

In spite of ample evidence that gun-buyback programs don't work, Prez Jack is championing one happening at City College this Friday. More from the BBrew

210

One of the victims shot yesterday on Pitcher Street, Tarrell Logan, has died.* If Delma Barnes' hit-and-run death is found to be intentional, Logan is the city's 210th homicide of the year.

The MTA is ISO two passengers who assaulted a bus driver on the 13 bus Thursday

I hadn't realized this till someone mentioned earlier today - if convicted, @baltospectator's charge carries MANDATORY MINIMUM 5 yrs prison [link added]
— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) December 11, 2012

Ten years for gun-toting heroin dealer Keith James (TIL mannitol is a plant sugar people cut heroin with), and 10 years and a month for pot dealer "Mr. Purple," (Anthony Marcantoni), one of the Nicka conspirators, who, the DOJ notes, received deliveries at "a Mt. Washington supermarket" that's gotta be Whole Foods.

A man was robbed at gunpoint in the 2300 block of Charles St.

County police are ISO this suspect, left, who robbed SoBo Gold Buyers in Pikesville

Got a few minutes to do a good deed? Write a message of encouragement and hope to a sexually assaulted prisoner.

Baby, daddy

So caught up in the story of Delma Leroy "Lee" Barnes, a 35-year-old grandfather run down by two women and possibly a baby (maybe a grocery bag? Maybe a backpack worn on the front? No, that. is. a. baby. With feet!) in a Mazda, I almost forgot to note that a 4th Kevin Clash accuser has appeared on the scene, with a familiar story, lawsuit. Well, compared to those Mazda-driving murderous bitches, fellating a teenager while he calls you "dad" isn't so bad, right? ... I'll bet she formula feeds. I hope that baby was properly restrained in a rear-facing seat. 

a freaking gold mine

Two shot on Shields Place* near historic "freaking gold mine" Pennsylvania Avenue, one victim is in serious condition but they are reportedly both still alive.  Fenton also ID's the unnamed victim from the past weekend as Angelo Ward, 25, likely the "loso" in the photo in the post below, and notes that Brent Nickens was in a wheelchair; police say they are exploring "drug-related ties" (Ps. here's a throwback Linskey/Sentementes jam about the times and trials of Bloods disciplinarian/ former CEO of the Pennsylvania Avenue drug trade Don Papa). (Blake is still in jail, and apparently keeping busy getting beaten by guards and filing lawsuits.)

#BaltimoreProblems

Three murders this weekend,* all on the West side: Brent Nickens, 22, 2300 block of Westwood Avenue on Friday night, and an unidentified person in the 800 block of Brooks Lane on Saturday.  And a 24-year-old Thomas Rawlings was stabbed to death on the 1800 block of Fulton Ave. (seven blocks away from Westwood Ave) Fenton notes these murders come after 12 days of murder-free relative peace. (Fenton retweeted a victim picture, loso_badazz, to the left, but not sure yet which victim it is. #BaltimoreProblems)

Yet another Spectator article* addresses what that original gun charge was for and how his head got shaved (though I still wonder what those charges from CA were). Here's a question: if you found out you were wanted on a warrant and wanted to contact a defense attorney to help you turn yourself in, who would you call? assuming Jill Carter wasn't available.

Police are ISO the woman to the right, who they say mowed down a man in her Mazda on Frankfort Ave and fled the scene.

In pervy news, a dorm aide at the School for the Deaf is accused of touching three girls. And a man in Worcester, MA, Geoffrey Portway was arraigned after he and a guy in Kansas conspired to kidnap a Baltimore boy (among other things). And Ian Duncan writes about the Baltimore law firm that's helping parents of victims of a Delaware pediatrician* accused of molesting nearly 900 victims.

The WSJ visited Shock Trauma

In the County an off-duty officer was shot outside of a party in Overlea

A teenager was shot in Middle River*

County police are ISO the bald guy on the left, wanted for robbing a Woodlawn Shell station

Firestarter

A string of bizarre fires in Upper Fells set by a unknown arsonist who apparently doesn't like Hondas.
(Link fixed, thanks non)