Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Life + 70 for Belair Rd. Murderer

From the SAO:
At a hearing today, Judge Wanda K. Heard sentenced Dominic Brown, 29, of the 1300 block of Vida Drive to life in prison plus 70 years. A Baltimore jury convicted Brown October 30, 2009 of first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and two counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence.

Judge Hears sentenced Brown to the following: life in prison for first-degree murder, 30 years in prison for attempted second-degree murder and 40 years in prison (first five years without parole) for two counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, all consecutive.

On May 4, 2008, Sean Henderson and a group of friends were inside La’Son’s Bar and Grill located in the 3200 block of Belair Road. Henderson left the bar and spoke with two women outside the bar. Witnesses observed Dominic Brown approach Henderson and the two women. Brown began yelling at one of the women, the mother of his son. Shortly thereafter, Brown produced a handgun from his waistband and fired it at Henderson multiple times. As Henderson attempted to run southbound on Belair Road, he was struck once in the chest, once in the back, and once in the forearm. Witnesses observed Brown flee northbound on Belair Road. At approximately 1:54AM officers responded to that location for a shooting call. Upon arrival, officers found Henderson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics transported Henderson to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:31AM. A second victim, Christopher Pinkney, suffered a single gunshot wound to the right knee and entered Johns Hopkins Hospital on his own a short time after the arrival of Henderson. The investigation revealed Pinkney was not a target but was inadvertently shot as he exited a store located next to La’Son’s Bar and Grill.

Your Tax $ at Work

HR2450, a bill going to committee, would require non-Federal prisons and correctional facilities holding Federal prisoners under a contract with the Federal Government to make the same information available to the public that Federal prisons and correctional facilities are required to make available.

As of now, "companies that run private prisons say they are not required to disclose basic information about the facilities or the inmates -- except for reports issued upon an inmate's death -- under existing FOIA law because while they receive taxpayer money, they are not public agencies."

Wonder what these agencies could possibly have to hide?

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Unidentified man, shot around 9:30 p.m. last night in the 1900 block of Aisquith Street.

"Baltimore police are investigating the rape of a woman inside her home in Reservoir Hill, and are trying to determine whether it's related to a series of other attacks in recent months."

What the? ACORN "pimp" arrested in phone-tapping scheme

and is the Obama administration really more transparent?

More on the jailed sex offender still on city payroll

Serving out a prison term for sexual abuse of a minor didn't stop Dennis McLaughlin from collecting his city pay check. Now DPW investgators are trying to find out who submitted fake leave slips from in Baltimore County lock-up on charges of impersonating a police officer.

Meanwhile, Dixon staffers are given 24 hours to submit resumes or clean out their desks.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Small world!

One of the people charged in the counterfeit money/ drug bust last week was on federal probation for her involvement in the firebombing of the home of community activist Edna McAbier. Surely you remember that one: "the leader of the area Bloods initially wanted to shoot her in the head with a shotgun, but the gang dismissed the idea as not dramatic enough."
McAbier still lives in hiding, as far as we know... unlike at least one of her would-be killers!

Need some churchin'?

Need some churchin'? Drop by the 2010 Interfaith Vigil Against Violence at 7 p.m. at the Cathedral up on Charles Street, "organizaed" by the Baltimore Interfaith Coalition

LoLz: "Baltimore PoliceDept GUN ARRESTS: BPD seizes 14 illegal guns over the weekend including one from a man impersonating a police officer at a flea market."

"Hundreds Of Shoes Found In Bags Along Md. Creek"

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Don't Miss

...NPR's story on the Bail Bonds industry. All kinds of interesting!
Thnx PP

Also interesting: NYT on transgender name-changes. I wonder at what point, according to MD law, does someone undergoing a sex change officially become the other gender?

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Three men arrested for the stabbing death of Marine Pfc. Darius Ray, 20, at a house party early Saturday morning at a party at 6908 McClean Blvd.

Police "experimenting with new patrol strategies to counteract the hordes of drunken barhoppers who flood the streets at last call"

A victim's daughter talks to the reporter who wrote about her mother's murder in the NYT Fashion & Style section.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Baltimore John Watch

Page Croyder on the Guilford kidnapper: "if getting the conviction was so important that it justified probation, why didn’t they do something meaningful when [John] Couplin was arrested again while on that probation?"
Three weeks ago Croyder wrote about another John, John Miller: "Jessamy['s] attorneys clearly don’t have the records that they need, and they lack the training to recognize and properly handle threats ... This is something Jessamy could have fixed years ago and still hasn’t. Yet soon she will be running around Annapolis telling the 2010 General Assembly all the things she could do with more criminal laws."
...Jessamy was appointed (by Glendening I guess) to the Office of the State's Attorney in 1995 and has won three elections.
Fifteen years ago! And no one has ever mounted a credible threat against her for that office, ever!
Amazeballs!

No Money for Moms Day

HoCo jury won't give $700k to dirtbike mom

And no $$ for mother of Terrell Suggs' children, who asked the court to dismiss her protective order and a $70 million lawsuit ... "an attorney for the player said the couple is trying to reconcile."

Friday, January 22, 2010

Ooh, counterfeit money!

Reports the BPD,
On January 21st, at about 645 hrs. Officers from the Central District Operations Squad observed a gold Pontiac grand prix in the 1600 block of Mcculloh street believed to be involved in suspected drug activity.

The officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop at which time the vehicle then fled. The officers were able to follow the vehicle and give out a good description to assiting units. As the vehicle crossed into the Western District, BPD's Violent Crime Impact Section assisted in following the vehicle.

The occupants bailed out and ran into 2312 Avalon ave. Officers secured the dwelling at which time observing drugs in plain view. A warrant was obtained and $22,245.00 in cash, of which $15,580.00 was counterfeit, was seized along with 7 Ziplock bags of heroin and a 1/2 oz of raw heroin.

It gets better

Union officials believe convicted sex offender Dennis McLaughlin was dipping into sick leave reserved for employees with lengthy illnesses so he could keep getting paid while in prison.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

The slow, slow wheels of justice...

Trial began for "Skinny Suge" and a co-defendant in federal court today. It's been two years since "Suge" was indicted, and three years since he immortalized the chestnut, "I hope you [snitches] catch AIDS in your mouth and your lips the first thing that die."

Two murderers

From the SAO, links added:
At a hearing today before his scheduled trial was to begin, Quadir Butcher, 20, of the 2200 block of E. Mount Holly Street pled guilty to first-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence.

Judge Sylvester Cox sentenced Butcher to life in prison suspend all but 40 years for the murder count and a concurrent 20 years in prison, first five years without the possibility of parole for the handgun count and five years probation.

On June 2, 2008, witness(es) identified Quadir Butcher as the person responsible for a double shooting in the 3100 block of Clifton Avenue. The two victims were on the porch of their residence at approximately 8:30PM that day when Butcher approached them, produced a handgun and shot the first victim, Derrell Smith in the neck. The other victim was shot in the abdomen and leg and survived. Derrell Smith died later at University of Maryland Shock Trauma.
...so, mathletes, how many years will Mr. Butcher actually serve? Also ....
A Baltimore jury convicted Demetrius Smith, 26, of the 400 block of Parrish Street, yesterday of first-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. The trial lasted one week and jurors deliberated approximately two-and-a-half hours before reaching its verdict.

Judge Timothy J. Doory scheduled sentencing for February 22, 2010 at which time Smith faces a maximum possible prison term of life plus 20 years.

On March 24, 2008 at approximately 8:50 a.m. officers responded to the 400 block of Stricker Street were they found the victim, Robert Long, lying on the ground shot twice in the head. The victim died from his injuries and an autopsy determined that the cause of death was homicide. Witnesses were located who identified the Smith as the person who shot and killed Long. Additionally, witnesses were able to provide information regarding the motive of the murder; Smith was a drug dealer and Long found Smith’s heroine {sic} stash while rehabbing an abandoned house on Parrish Street. Long took the drugs and shortly thereafter Smith located him and walked him out to a secluded area in a local park and killed him.

On July 12, 2008 Smith posted $350,000 bail following a bail review hearing in which the State argued that Smith should be held without bail.
On August 27, 2008 Smith allegedly shot a victim in the leg during a street robbery in the 400 block of S. Parrish Street. The victim survived and Smith’s attempted murder trial is also scheduled to begin February 22, 2010.
And don't miss this week's CP cover feature: "Rising Tide: Baltimore's 2009 homicide toll goes against national trends by going up"

9

Raymond Gibson, 21, shot to death at 2:45 in the afternoon on N. Caroline Street (reported as the 1400 block by police and the 1700 block by the Sun.)
A city police officer has been found guilty by a trial board of misconduct with a prostitute. Allegedly her transported her from the city to county, then took her to a motel.

The city that (almost) never works

Peter Herman tells the story of the first vicitim of the Guilford attacker who was mugged at knifepoint by the same teen recently arrested for a brazen adbuction. Even though she was willing to testify againt her attacker, prosecutors took a plea deal!

Meanwhile, a DPW employee says when she informed her superiors that a city worker was on the sex offender registry and shouldn't be working in the field, she was told to shut up or face the consequences.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

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Unidentified Man, 2304 W. North Ave., shot at about 5:30 a.m.

How can shootings be down but murders up? "Percentage of victims being shot in the head at close range on the rise"

Mary Pat Clarke: Guilford and Oakenshawe will "track every stage of this perennial assailant [John Couplin]’s processing through a system which has failed us once."
.. Once?!

"Gay man is victimized twice, by killer and state"

Saturday, January 16, 2010

It's like my iPod stuck on replay...

Geez, how many times have we heard this story before?
Alleged Guilford abductor John Couplin has been arrested guess how many times in the past 5 years? Oh go on, guess. Hint: cutting deals with the state had him out over, and over, and over, over, and over, and over, over, and over, and over, over, and over, and over, over, and over, and over, over, and over again. And two more times besides. Of his most recent case, the SA's office says "the only evidence in the 2008 robbery was the victim's identification from a photo array." How much more would you need or expect to have from an armed street robbery? Haven't people been given the death penalty with as much?

Does prison pay?

Not only was cop impersonating sex offender Dennis McLaughlin let out of jail barely halfway through his sentence for molesting a minor, but the city is now investigating if he was still on the city payroll while in jail.

Friday, January 15, 2010

A Week in Charles Village

Thanks, Buz! Stolen "herbs," a brick thrown at a driver, a female mugger .. and as always lots of car windows broken for GPS systems.

Robbery (Unarmed) – 200 blk. E. 28th Street 1/6/10 10:55 pm
Property Taken: Bag, ID, Personal Papers, iPod, Travel Book, and Various Herbs
Two suspects approached the victim and knocked her to the ground. Suspect # 1 then wrestled with the victim taking her bag containing the above listed property. The suspects then fled S/B on Guilford Ave.

Robbery (Unarmed) – 2400 blk. N. Charles Street 1/9/10 4:00 pm
Property Taken: $80
The suspect approached the victim demanding his wallet. The victim stated that he did not have a wallet. The suspect then stated that she had a weapon, the victim handed the suspect his money. The victim attempted to keep the money from the suspect. The suspect then struck the victim multiple times and fled with the property.

Burglary (Residential) - 3200 blk. Abell Ave. 1/30/10 7:00 am – 7:00 pm
Property Taken: Laptop, PS2, Games, Projector, and 40 DVD’s
An unknown broke the front door glass at the location to gain entry. The suspect fled the location with the above listed property through the same entry point.

Burglary (Residential) – 3100 blk. N. Calvert Street 12/27/09 11:37 pm
Property Taken/Recovered: Jewelry Box, Jewelry
An unknown suspect entered through a rear bathroom window. Upon entry the suspect removed the above listed property. The victim was home during the time of this incident and was able to flee the location and notify the police. The suspect fled the location however was located and arrested by the responding officer. The property was recovered.

Burglary (Residential) – 200 blk. E 30TH Street 1/8/10 6:30 pm – 1:30 pm (next day)
Property Taken: Laptop, DVD Player, TV, AND Camera
An unknown suspect entered through an unlocked rear window. The suspect then removed the above listed property and fled through the same POE.

Burglary (Commercial) – 2400 blk. N. Charles Street 1/6/10 6:50 am
Property Taken: 25” Security System Monitor
An unknown suspect broke a glass pane to enter the rear door, reached in and unlocked the door and entered. Upon entry the suspect removed the above listed property and fled the location.

Aggravated Assault – 2600 blk. Barclay Street 1/6/2010 4:10 pm
The victim was driving at the location when an unknown suspect threw a brick at the driver side window causing same to shatter. The victim was not injured during the incident.

Burglary (Residential) – 3300 blk. Guilford Ave. 1/4/10 7:45 am – 6:00 pm
Property Taken: Dell Laptop, LCD HD TV An unknown suspect broke a window and entered. Once inside, the suspect removed the above property and fled through the rear door. No witnesses.

Burglary (Residential) – 2900 blk. Calvert Street 1/6/10 3:00 pm – 2:00 am
Property Taken: XBOX Adapter, XBOX Games, IPod, Bracelet and Coin Currency
An unknown suspect broke the rear 3rd Floor window to gain entry. Upon entry the suspect removed the above listed property and fled with same through same POE.

Burglary (Residential) – 3000 blk. Greenmount Ave. 1/7/10 11:20 am
No Property Taken
An unknown suspect forced the rear door of the vacant dwelling to gain entry. An unknown caller advised 911. Upon police response the suspect was located inside of the dwelling and was placed under arrest.

Burglary (Commercial) – 2400 blk. Saint Paul Street 1/5/10 1:20 am – 2:20 am
Property Taken: Unknown
An unknown suspect kicked in the door of the business and made entry. The suspect fled the location with an unknown amount of property. No witnesses.

Larceny from Auto – 2600 blk. Saint Paul Street 1/5/10 9:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Property Taken: Tom Tom GPS
The suspect broke the front window and removed the above listed property.

Larceny from Auto – 2100 blk. N. Charles St. 1/5/09 8:00 pm- 10:15 am (next day)
Property Taken: GPS System
An unknown suspect broke the rear window to the victims 2007 Chevy Malibu and removed the above listed property.

Larceny from Auto – 2300 blk. N. Calvert St. 1/3/10 3:00 pm – 2:10 pm (next day)
Property Taken: GPS Mount
The suspect broke the passenger side window to the victims 2006 Chevy Aveo and removed the above listed property. No witnesses

Larceny from Auto – 2500 blk. Guilford Ave. 1/6/10 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Property Taken: Garmin GPS System
The suspect broke the window to the victims 1999 Nissan Maxima and removed the above listed property.

Larceny from Auto – 100 blk. E. 30TH Street 1/5/10 10:00 pm – 12:30 pm (next day)
Property Taken: Tom Tom GPS
The suspect broke the passenger side window to the victims 2005 Jeep Liberty and removed the above listed property.

Larceny from Auto – 2700 blk. Maryland Ave. 12/28/09 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Property Taken: Monkey Wrench, Screw Driver
An unknown suspect pushed an open window to the victims 1986 Mazda Truck, MD Tag 1427L2 and removed the listed property.

Campus Safety and Security

Weekly Campus Crime Report
January 4, 2010 – January 11, 2010

On Campus

ARREST – Robbery – Outside the Rear of Shaffer Hall – On Jan. 6th at 9:00 PM, a non-affiliated heavily intoxicated male holding his hands in his pocket as if armed approached a sophomore undergraduate, made threatening remarks and demanded money. The student handed over $13 cash and notified Campus Security as the suspect fled on foot. The student was not injured. Campus officers located the suspect in a basement stairwell off the 3200 Blk. of Hargrove St. where Baltimore Police arrested him on being positively identified by the victim. The victim’s cash was recovered from the suspect. The arrested person, a 19-year old non-affiliate, was charged with armed robbery and assault on a campus police officer.

Theft – NEB 218-B – Between Nov. 1st at 8:00 AM and Jan. 7th at 2:30 PM, an LED video projector was taken from its mounting bracket inside an unlocked conference room. Investigation continuing.

Theft – Bloomberg (Café) –Between Dec. 15th at 2:30 PM and Jan. 5th at 8:30 AM, a Café employee reported that 10 cups and 10 bags of potato chips were missing and sugar was spilled on the counter. After further investigation it was found that the lock on the cabinet was insufficient. The employee was advised to replace the lock with a more efficient lock.

Off Campus

Unarmed Robbery (of Non-Affiliate) – 2800 Blk. N. Calvert St. (east side) – On Jan. 6th at 10:55 PM, two unknown males, 20 – 25 years old, approached a non-affiliate from the rear, pushed her to the ground and forcibly took her handbag. The suspects ran south on Calvert St. to 28th St. and then ran south on Guilford Ave. The victim declined medical attention for a minor hand laceration. Baltimore Police and campus officers searched the area with negative results. Investigation continuing. See Security Bulletin WI-2 at www.jhu.edu/~security.

Thefts from Autos:

• 2800 Blk. Cresmont Ave. -- Between Jan. 8th at 9:00 PM and Jan. 9th at 10:30 AM, a GPS device was taken from the center console of a senior undergraduate’s parked vehicle. Entry had been gained by breaking the front passenger side window. Baltimore Police responded. Investigation continuing.

• 100 Blk. W. University Parkway (south side) – Between Jan. 8th at 10:30 PM and Jan. 9th at 10:00 AM, a radar detector was taken from the top of the dashboard of a non-affiliate’s parked pick-up truck. Entry had been gained by breaking the passenger side window. Baltimore Police responded. Investigation continuing.

Guilford Abduction details

.. from Hermann. You are all no doubt (too jaded to be) shocked that the 19-year-old arrested for the crime, John Couplin, "was convicted of robbing a Guilford woman at knifepoint in 2008, but took a plea deal, receiving 10 years in prison with all but about a year and a month [suspended]. Or in [other words], time served."

Another abduction story

Fells point resident tells his story of being abducted outside a liqour store at 6pm and later locked in the trunk of his car.
What the?! Sex offender poses as city cop, fondles woman.
Icing on the cake: said sex offender was/is an employee of the Department of Public Works!

Guilford residents freak following abduction

A man shot in the head in Edgewood

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Whose rights?

"A Baltimore police officer has been suspended from the force after his arrest on charges that he raped his wife at gunpoint"

County police are still ISO 14-year-old Tymaine D’Aren Sellman, wanted for shooting a 13-year-old in Woodlawn New Year's Eve. (How far can he get without a license or credit cards .. or the help of close relations?)

And the case of "little Gerard" opened with testimony from the "jailbird" and his arresting officers

"Tens of thousands of Maryland debt-collection lawsuits will be dismissed because the massive collections firm that brought them appears to be collapsing."

Del. Emmett C. Burns Jr. of the county's district 10 issponsoring legislation that would prohibit Maryland from recognizing gay marriages validated by other states or countries.

Crisis in Guilford

Emergency community meeting in Guilford over a string of brazen robberies, including the abduction of man outside his home. Police have released a picture of one of the suspects

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Links to terrorism

After DNA ID'd a suspect, a woman in disguise testified against one of her alleged assailants

More on the teenager shot in the face at Frederick Douglass High

An "associate" testified against "JR" and "Turkey", charged in the murder of Sintia Mesa

The Ink has details on last week's murders.

Baltimorean murder suspect arrested in Saskatoon

$4.3 mil of Internet gambling proceeds seized
by federales

Good readin': A. Robert Kaufmann's letters to the CP

Buy Tyson chicken? You may be able to get as much as $50 back on account of their lyin-ass "no antibiotics" ads-- if you're still walking, that is-- Consumer Reports found Tyson to be one of two "most contaminated" brands, with 80 percent of store-bought chickens testing positive for campylobacter and salmonella.

Guilty plea in Dollar Store murder

From the SAO:
Alice Michele Collins, 38, of the 6600 block of Eberle Drive pled guilty yesterday to first-degree murder before her scheduled trial was to begin. Judge Sylvester Cox sentenced Collins to life in prison, suspend all but 40 years.

On July 21, 2008 at the Family Dollar store located at 1231 W. Pratt Street, co-workers discovered the body of Elizabeth Queensbury, 51, assistant manager of the store. Queensbury had sustained multiple stab wounds and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner concluded that she sustained 37 sharp force injuries. Detectives observed the safe open, video surveillance missing and the alarm system disarmed prior to the victim’s arrival. A Representative from the Family Dollar indicated that deposits had not been made in several days and that more than $14,000 was missing. Collins was the store manager; her code was used at 6:29AM to gain access to the store and witnesses observed her leaving the store via the rear door at 7:45AM carrying a white bag.

Detectives questioned Collins that day, and they observed blood on her hands and socks. DNA testing subsequently determined that Queensbury’s blood was present on the defendant. Pending further investigation Collins was released and she fled to South Carolina where she was arrested. The defendant eventually did admit to the murder and the theft.

Before sentencing Collins, Judge Cox heard several victim impact statements read by two of Queensbury’s sisters. Approximately 20 members of Queensbury’s family were present.

Arm twisting, and breaking

The council weighs in on the recent arrest of Lenny Clay and Chris Taylor, asking the BPD to explain how they deal with violent interactions with citizens.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Shooty Tuesday

A 19-year-old was shot near Frederick Douglass High, reports say at a football game, then he ran to Mondawmin mall trailing blood

A shooting led to a standoff and the lockdown of Gilmor Elementary School in West Baltimore this afternoon

Remember this one? Jury selection is underway in the case of Gerard Mungo Jr. vs the city officers who arrested him for leaning on a dirt bike when he was seven.

Fun facts! DC's hair-ron comes from Baltimore, and Baltimore's comes from Afghanistan.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Game day scam

Ever paid a guy for parking who didn't work at the lot? Seems like a tow company got busted fleecing Ravens fans by taking the scam to a whole different level, now fraud charges are in the offing.

3 and 4

the peaceful streak ended with two murders yesterday: a man found shot in a vehicle in the 900 block of North Glover Street, and Derrick Taylor, shot in the back at 3912 Eierman Avenue.

TDR: "Brian Keith Rose, the man accused of killing Warren T. Fleming in an attempted carjacking at the Security Square Mall in 2006, and whose case made national news when partial fingerprint evidence in the case was thrown out by a Baltimore County judge, will plead guilty this afternoon in U.S. District Court."

The Archdiocese of Baltimore has removed a Laurel priest following abuse allegations

Pew Research Center studied the Baltimore news "ecosystem"-- among the nonshocking findings, most stories originate from the Sun, and the Sun is covering considerably fewer stories than it did a year ago.

JZ reports on the SpotCrime iPhone app

A shooting that wasn't

Homicide investigators have now charged a man in connection with a seven round shooting spree that was first ruled a discharge.