May 4-5

Trial starts tomorrow for a man accused of shooting a 14-year-old boy. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Worrell February 25, 2004 for first-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Court documents allege that in the early morning hours of January 28 of last year Worrell stabbed to death Keyyon Makins following an altercation.

The theft trial of Latonia Coates, 38, tomorrow before Judge John M. Glynn. Coates is charged with three counts of theft and one count of fraud for allegedly stealing $11,592.39 from the Maryland Child Support Administration between October 27, 2003 and April 8, 2004.

The murder trial of Kevin Scott, originally scheduled to begin today, has been postponed at the request of the defense. The new trial date is May 19, 2005.

As Anna Ditkoff reported yesterday in the Ink, there have been 80 murders so far this year. There were seven this week: four stabbings and three shootings. Note the City Paper was the only source to report the double murder in Medfield.

Just before pre-trial motions were to begin in the murder trial of Richard Dixon, 46, of Chester Street, Dixon pled guilty to second-degree murder. Judge John M. Glynn sentenced Dixon to 15 years in prison. On June 3, 2004, Dixon beat and strangled to death Marvin Thornton, 39, in the unit block of North Central Avenue.

Monalisa Mackey (drawing left) got 25 years for smothering her infant daughter.

The murder trial of Herman Day, 54, of 41st street is scheduled to begin 9:30 a.m. today before Judge Allen L. Schwait. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Day on June 30, 2004 for first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, handgun violations; and false imprisonment, in the June 14, 2004 shooting death of his wife, Ella Simpson, 58 and the shooting assault of her roommate, Denise Shackleford, 49.

The murder trial of Kevin Scott, 14, of the 1900 block of Dukeland Street is scheduled to begin at 9:30 this morning before Judge Joseph McCurdy. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Scott October 13, 204 for first-degree murder and robbery with a deadly weapon. Court documents allege Scott murdered Christopher Richardson, 15, on September 13, 2004 in the 2800 block of West North Avenue. Scott remains held without bail at the Baltimore City Detention Center.

At an arraignment yesterday, Akiba Matthews, charged with two counts of possession and two counts of possesion with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, pled not guilty. Judge Lynn Matthews scheduled a trial date of July 5 of this year. If convicted on all counts, Matthews could face a maximum prison term of 40 years. Court documents allege that on February 28 of this year police executed a search and seizure warrant at Matthews' address and confiscated heroin, cocaine and US currency.

O'Malley has proposed reforms of the Juvenile Justice system.

A carjacker displayed shocking stupidity.

The trial of the murder of Noah Jamal Jones goes on, with defense attorneys trying to strike members of the NAACP from the pool of potential jurors.

Robbery, murder arrests and a lot of stolen cell phones in the blotter. And two stolen minivans, including one that was 11 years old and green. Police are on the lookout for suspects with extremely bad taste.

Baltimore police are irked by "Stop Snitchin" t-shirts.

May 3

Rowr! The feud between O'Malley and Jessamy heated up following the mayor's remarks at a Congressional field hearing that "more effective prosecution" was needed to deter witness intimidation. Margaret Burns, the prosecutor's flak, responded that the mayor's comments were "short sighted" and opined that the system works "so beautifully," adding, "perhaps he does not understand what the issue is."

Baltimore county police are looking for a bat-weilding home invader who robbed a family in the Northwest.

A 19-year-old was stabbed in the stomach by a younger guy in the Coppin State University gymnasium.

Kathy Gray, 41, is the second defendant on trial for strangling Tamaria Hughues, a 36-year-old mother of four, following a three-way encounter. Gray's boyfriend, Anthony Williams, was found guilty of second-degree murder and first- and second-degree assault last week.

May 1-2

Troy Johnson, a 15-year-old, has been arrested and charged as an adult with murder.

Sentences were given today in the horrifying case of the pre-teens assaulted at a party. Judge Kaye Allison sentenced Monique Baldwin, 37, of Louden Avenue, to 25 years in prison for the first-degree assault of Nicole Townes, 12, and five years in prison for the second-degree child abuse of Brenda Bailey, 11. Judge Allison ordered that the sentences run consecutively. Baldwin pled guilty to both counts March 3. Judge Allison also sentenced Kenya Keene, 25, of Lyndhurst Street, to five years in prison for the reckless endangerment of Nicole Townes and one year in prison for the second-degree assault of Brenda Bailey. Judge Allison ordered that the sentences run consecutively. Keene also pled guilty to both counts March 3. Both sentences are the maximum allowable under the terms of the plea agreement reached in March. Says the state's attorney:

Various females participated in the February 28, 2004 beating of Townes and her sister Bailey. Monique Baldwin encouraged a group of women and juveniles to attack Townes and Bailey and those present kicked, punched and choked Townes. Keene struck Bailey several times and deliberately delayed obtaining medical treatment for Townes. When medics responded to the scene she told them Townes had suffered a diabetic episode. The misinformation and the delay in treatment resulted in a worsening of Townes' condition.

In other child-abuse news, Monalisa Mackey, 41, of Brunswick Street, is scheduled for sentencing at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow before Judge Alfred Nance. Mackey pled guilty January 28 to second-degree murder and faces a maximum prison sentence of 30 years.
On February 28 of last year Mackey murdered her 18-month-old daughter Alicia Cureton at her home on Brunswick Street. The medical examiner ruled the death a homicide by asphyxiation. Mackey confessed that she suffocated Cureton because the baby would not stop crying.

Jeffrey Ziegler, 28, was indicted on 14 counts related to the hit-and-run accident that killed construction worker William Ruffin, 42.

The Florida St. Petersburg Times has a very depressing article about former police commish Ed Norris, who now apprently works in a soap store at the mall and listens to the same CD over and over.

A man in Upper Marlboro got 14 years for using identitty theft to steal $1.1 million worth of goods and services.