Dec 12 afternoon

Judge John M. Glynn sentenced Dameon Woods to 20 years in prison today. On October 12, a Baltimore City jury convicted Woods of second-degree murder, first-degree assault and second-degree assault for the May 2005 murder of Raymond Smoot, who was in custody in his cell at Central Booking and Intake.

WTF? A woman and a baby were shot to death in Laurel, PGC.

Two home-invasion robberies, one involving sexual assault, in Columbia apartments.

Dennis James Wallace, 54, of the 3400 block of Leverton Avenue, pled guilty to second-degree murder. Under terms of the plea agreement, Judge Martin P. Welch will sentence Wallace to 17 years in prison on January 30, 2007 following a pre-sentence investigation. On July 31, 1983, police discovered William Gibson's decomposed body in a trash can which was placed in a wooden clothes locker outside a rear basement apartment located at 2221 Pratt Street. The landlord had complained of a strong foul odor coming from the apartment. Police identified Wallace as a potential suspect but 10 days after the incident he was no longer seen and his whereabouts were unknown until he was located on July 28, 2005. Wallace remains held without bail at the Baltimore City Detention Center.

A professor at Frostburg State University, MacGregor O'Brien, 57, was arrested Saturday on nine counts of possessing child pornography.

Survivors Against Violence Everywhere and the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office Family Bereavement Center will sponsor "an evening of Joy, Peace, Laughter, Sharing, and Healing" at 6 tonight at the Clarence Mitchell Jr. Courthouse, 110 N. Calvert Street, room 410 (Lexington Street entrance). There will be a presentation on "Dealing with Grief during the Holidays."

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that spectators at a murder trial were free to wear buttons bearing a picture of the victim in front of the jury that convicted the defendant.