February 18

A man is under arrest for murder after a double shooting early this morning in front of the Ritz Cabaret (a strip club famous for being the office of fictional kingpin Avon Barksdale in season one of The Wire)

Police are waiting for the results of lab tests before making an arrest in the Linda Trinh murder case.

A circuit court hearing is attempting to determine if a man who stabbed an elderly couple in Rosedale for heroin money in 1998 should have his death sentence overturned on the basis of incompetent counsel.

Elsewhere,
PG county police Corporal Brian Addis (aka Cuffy McNutkick) was aquitted of assaulting a suspect. The jury decided that the officer's actions were "clearly within his rights."

I just discovered the Towson University crime log.

A Chevy Chase woman who killed her landlord has been declared incompetent to stand trial. However, the guy who helped her hide the body in a barn faces five years.

Pregnant private and penal über-sadist Lynndie England's charges have been reduced for unknown reasons.

And back to the city...
Shooting, burglary, robbery etc. in the blotter.
(this makes about the 4th time this month someone's gotten assaulted on East Fayette street).

News of the in the Blackwell guilty verdict has been reported as far away as India. Says the director of a support group for abuse survivors, "Dontee could have tried to run from this, bury this, deny this and let Blackwell abuse again. He courageously chose to face this. That's why we consider him heroic." (Sun photo by Doug Kapustin, left.)

WBAL can't congratulate themselves enough for using their SkyTeam™ helicopter to help police catch a guy who was driving his minivan "like a maniac."

Good news, Chillagers... off-duty cops are now walking the beat around JHU's Homewood campus.

Elsewhere,
Another deadly domestic in Baltimore County. Twenty-four-year-old Deneen Smith is dead and her 23-year-old "boyfriend" is being held without bail. (How dare they call her his 'girlfriend'? Friends don't shoot friends with shotguns!)

Police have arrested a murder suspect in Riverdale (no, not Jughead). Lawrence Irving Green, 22, of Lanham, is suspected of being the psycho jughead who on Monday robbed three people, stole their SUV, wrecked the SUV into another car and then shot the driver of the other car, 41-year-old Robert Gail.

In Ellicott City, a man has to pay local Republicans $328.04 after hacking up pro-Bush signs.

Thursday February 17

State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy announced today that the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Bryant Thompson, 20, of the 300 Block of East 29th Street yesterday in connection with the shooting death of Damon Lamont Brooks, 34. Court documents allege that Thompson shot and killed Damon Lamont Brooks on September 26, 2004 in Brooks’ apartment. Thompson is currently being held on a no bail status. An arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday, March 15 before the Honorable Lynn K. Stewart, 215 Clarence Mitchell Courthouse, 110 North Calvert Street.

First-degree murder charges were dropped against Timothy Horne because prosecutors failed to give him a speedy trial and delayed his case nine times. Horne and his girlfriend, Camille Marie Bivins, were charged in April 2003 with the beating death of Messiah Wright, Bivins’ 20-month-old son. (You'd think this would garner a lot of media shock and outrage, but apparently not). The boy's mother pled guilty in September and is still awaiting a disposition hearing, which was originally scheduled for February 14 but was then postponed indefinitely for unknown reasons.

The Blackwell jury is apparently having a tough time reaching a verdict. BC prediction, not guilty. The jury will think, even though he probably did it, getting shot was punishment enough. Stay tuned...
Well color me wrong! A jury has convicted Maurice Blackwell on three of four child sexual abuse charges. Prosecutor Jo Anne Stanton will be available to speak with members of the media in room 134 of the Mitchell Courthouse at approximately 11:30 a.m. (as in, right now).

A murder victim was named, a pizza deliveryman was robbed an assualted, and a 16-year old was arrested for shooting a 32-year-old man in the blotter.

The suspects in the murder 19-year old of Reshawn Myers were arrested in a HoCo motel. Myers was shot in the forehead on Chinquapin parkway January 20.

Elsewhere,
In Annapolis, grand jury testimony continues regarding the murder of Noah Jones at a party. The case is being investigated for possible federal civil rights violations (aka as a potential “hate crime”).

Also in Annapolis, an 89-year-old woman was raped, beaten and robbed. According to the Sun, her assailant was on probation at the time. (Anyone else noticed that the worst stuff seems to come from Anne Arundel county? What's with that? Has it always been a cesspool of violence or is this a new thing?)

A 21-year-old Towson U student was raped and assaulted off campus in the towers formerly known as Glenmont.

Yesterday's gang-rape story (see below) has turned out to be another case of a 15-year old filing a false report.

An officer responding to a robbery call in Dundalk crashed his cruiser into a tree.

A PG county officer is on administrative leave after a domestic call turned deadly.

Another PG county officer is on trial for assaulting a handcuffed carjacking suspect with a metal baton and kicking him in the 'nads. It was all caught on tape by the camera mounted in his cruiser, and the jury got to watch it all on video yesterday. Oy vay.

A Frederick man's in the can after stealing a charity jar at WaWa.

A 15-year-old is on the way to the Hickey School for stabbing a man in the shoulder on New Year's. The youth had also previously robbed a handicapped person.

A 40-year old cleaning lady in carroll county got a suspended sentence for flashing her ta-tas at a 17-year-old while drunk on the job. She'd also been accused of activities with a 15-year-old boy. And a lady had her purse snatched at the mall.

Wednesday February 16

The City Paper has an in-depth feature on the men who were murdered in January at the Remington halfway house.

Five murders this week and we're up to 42 for the year, including six white guys, says the Murder Ink.

Detectives making references to 'other victims' in the Maurice Blackwell case may get them charged with contempt. Closing statements will begin today.

A pedestrian was killed when he was run over by a suspect fleeing police.

Homicide and robbery in the blotter.

Elsewhere,
Four stabbings in as many days has Jessup on lockdown, and wardens searching cells for weapons.

Police are looking for four men who sexually assaulted a 15-year-old in Millersville.

In Ellicott City, a man got 11 years for stabbing his girlfriend in the parking lot of Howard Community College.

Tuesday February 15

A Baltimore City jury convicted Harold Singfield, 20, of the 1200 block of Ensor Street of second-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and a handgun violation for the death of Wayne Fisher, 30. The verdict was returned late Friday, February 11 following three days of testimony and one day of deliberation.

In the morning hours of May 13, 2003, in the 1500 block of Argyle Avenue, Singfield, Jr. was approached by the victim concerning a drug debt owed to the victim by Singfield, Jr. An argument ensued during which Singfield, Jr. withdrew a .380 caliber handgun and shot Fisher one time. Fisher then attempted to flee but fell to the ground. Singfield, Jr. then proceeded to straddle Fisher’s prone body and shoot him five more times resulting in Fisher’s death. Singfield, Jr. then ran from the scene. Witnesses positively identified Singfield, Jr. as the shooter. Additionally, during the course of his flight from the crime scene, Singfield, Jr. disposed of certain items of clothing in close proximity to the crime scene. These items were subsequently positively matched to Singfield, Jr. by way of DNA analysis. Singfield, Jr. fled Baltimore and was ultimately apprehended in Rock Hill, South Carolina, approximately one month after the murder.

Did you read about that in the Sun? I didn't think so. Maybe tomorrow or the day after. On to more exclusives...

Tanea Bullock and Laurence Watson, charged with first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death in connection with the death of their one-month old son Joshua Watson, were arraigned this morning and pled not guilty. A jury trial was scheduled for May 13 before Judge John M. Glynn.

Shooting, robbery, burglary in the blotter.

Two men have pled guilty to federal gun crimes related to the murder of 17-year-old Shawn Elkins during the course of a robbery.

Elsewhere,
An officer in PG county is charged with assaulting a carjacking suspect.

A man in PG county stole an SUV, shot the car's owner, then proceeded to get into an accident, then shot and killed the driver of the other car. This is PG county's 21st murder this year.

A 22-year-old in Annapolis got 10 years for fatally shooting a man in the neck at a birthday party.

There's underage hookers animal cruelty and canine cannbalism in the Post's Northern Virginia Crime and Justice pages.

Monday February 14

State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy announced today that the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Samuel McFarlin, 24, of the 4700 block of Dunncannon Road, for first-degree murder and auto theft. Court documents allege that on June 6, 2004 McFarlin ran over Dwight Allen Chase, 53, with a stolen automobile. On November 10, 2004, Mr. Chase died from the injuries he received at the time of incident. The defendant is currently being held on a no bail status. An arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, March 10, 2005 before Judge John M. Glynn at the Mitchell Courthouse on 110 North Calvert Street.

Timothy Horne, 32, of Daywalt Avenue, is scheduled for trial 9:00 a.m. tomorrow before Judge David Mitchell at the Mitchell Courthouse on counts of first-degree murder, child abuse resulting in death, reckless endangerment and assault. The maximum penalty for first-degree murder is life in prison. The maximum penalty for child abuse resulting in death is 30 years. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Horne on May 8, of 2003. The indictment alleges that on October 10, 2002 Horne killed 20-month old Messiah Kahil Wright in his Daywalt Avenue apartment. A second defendant, Camille M. Bivins, the boy’s mother, pled guilty to child abuse resulting in death. Her disposition hearing, originally scheduled for yesterday, was postponed to a yet-to-be-determined date.

Another horrifying child-murder case will kick off tomorrow at 9:30 a.m, with the arraignment of Tanea Bullock, 20, and Laurence Watson, 25, also at the Mitchell Courthouse. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Bullock and Watson January 20 for first-degree murder and child abuse for the death of their one-month old infant son, Joshua Watson. Court documents allege that Bullock and Watson killed their baby on January 1, 2005 at their residence on the 4800 block of Liberty Heights Avenue.

Also at the Mitchell Courthouse, the murder trial of Darren Johnson, 22, of the 2800 block of Plainfield Road in Dundalk and Calvin McCrea, 20, of 1800 block Dover Street, is scheduled to begin 9:30 a.m. tomorrow before Judge Kaye Allison. The Baltimore City Grand jury indicted Johnson and McCrea May 5, 2004 for first-degree murder for the death of Robert Jenkins, Jr., 29. Court documents allege the defendants shot Mr. Jenkins to death on April 4, 2004 in the 1800 block of Dover Street.

Bail has ben denied for the guys who shot a physical therapist and then led police on a car chase through the northwestern 'burbs. (at left is drawing of suspect Leon Dent).

Trial continues in the Maurice Blackwell case, and news sources from Philly to Oregon have picked up the AP story. A detective's testimony that Blackwell had molested others prompted the defense to call for a mistrial.

Theft, robbery, attempted murder, etc. in the blotter.

Police officer Gregory Mussmacher was convicted of assault on Friday for beating a handcuffed teenager and spraying him with pepper spray.

Elsewhere,
Keith Clark, 48, of Baltimore was indicted for two counts of robbery in Monroe Township, New Jersey.

And it isn't a victory party in College Park unless some jackasses start fires and damage public property and get pepper-sprayed and/or arrested.

An Eastern Shore man got 22 years in the can for peddling nose candy.

A fight broke out at the civic center in Salisbury.

Hopkins reps are planning to visit the University of Pennsylvania to get tips on making the campus safer. Can you believe Hopkins contributes a paltry $85k a year to the Charles Village benefits district? The rest of the district's $750,000 operating budget comes from citizens. As a nonprofit, the university doesn't pay taxes.

Saturday Feb. 12 and Sunday Feb. 13

Some guy in Ohio has been e-mailing death threats to football player Ray Lewis.

A house owned by Baltimore School for the Arts alum Jada Pinkett has been seized by federal authorities as part of a drug-trafficking investigation.

Even more about the prison-bus stabbing.

Elsewhere,
A car chase in BoCo makes the digest. WJZ has the video.

Judges everywhere are confused by new Supreme Court sentening guidelines.