Saturday, March 18, 2006

March 18

Police are seeking James Dorsey, 29, for the murder of Curtis Lomax.

Daniel Ryan Ernst, 22, was indicted for manslaughter and DUI for an accident near Crownsville that killed his passenger, Patrick Riordan, 20.

Incident reports, charging documents, arrest logs and dispatch logs are a matter of public record. But in a survey by the Maryland-Delaware-D.C. Press Association, 19 of 46 police agencies surveyed refused to provide them, other officers were "confused" and "unsure" of how to handle the request, and some were downright rude.

The Washington Post localizes a NYT article of about a month ago: impulse-driven and anger-fueled killings are all the rage. While in 2000 five slayings in PGC were motivated by an "argument," last year 43 were.

In Howard County, violent crime is at the highest level in five years.

The U.S. Attorney's Office of Maryland has started its own blog. I see that career criminal David Burnside, age 38, got 188 months in prison. And remember 70-year-old Alan Kotz, who pled guilty to running a gambling operation at Timpano's Italian Chop House restaurant?
Three more old men have been indicted.

Today is the 3rd anniversary of the war in Iraq. Thirty-five Marylanders, including eight Baltimoreans, have been killed.

Friday, March 17, 2006

March 17

Ironic: A man shot and killed one of three suspects who attacked him in the Cross Keys parking lot. (Cross Keys was Baltimore's first gated community, so-named because it was supposed to be the epitome of security. Oh well.)

Nine months after her death, homicide detectives are asking the public's help to solve the murder of 64-year-old Shirley Chisley.
merritt
What a relief: Irvin Merritt, who stabbed his girlfriend to death, was apprehended, as was Daniel Blackston, wanted for shooting Mitchell Briggs Jr.

Two police officers stumbled upon a patch of pot in Waverly.

Teen Norman Hairston, 17, was arrested for bringing a .22 to Glen Burnie High.

A great story about Liz and her blog.

Thursday, March 16, 2006

March 16

The I-Team interview of a former police officer about how the force handles carjackings has "Federal Civil Rights Case" written all over it:
"If somebody reported being carjacked, depending on who they were, they'd be taken back to the district and be questioned about the events leading up to the carjacking and be accused of either picking up a hack -- an unlicensed taxicab to drive around and pick people up who standing on the side of the road waving their hand -- or picking up a prostitute and being carjacked from that ... instead of taking that report, they'd basically be browbeat into not reporting it."

Amazing: officers King and Murray are on trial thanks to the tip of an 18-year-old informant who wanted to get out the game. He called the FBI and wore a wire in a sting involving macadamia nuts in a McDonald's bag.

The suspicious death of Ernest Miller, 58, is being investigated in the Southeastern. Also, two rapes, an assaulted 51-year-old woman, a loaf of raisin bread stuffed with hypodermic needles.

A 25-year-old felon, Wallace White, faces 10 federal years for firearm possession.

In Montgomery County, a wife told a judge that her husband was driven to disguise his face with duct tape and rape teenagers on account of her overbearing personality.

In PG county a teen broke out of juvie by crashing a van through a fence. And he's still on the run.

Christine Jones, an employee of Parkville High, was arrested for stealing equipment from the science department.

A Baltimore and an Allegheny County Sheriff learned about the joys of living in a police state on a visit to Israel. Another thing the Israelis do: make bizarro anti-violence ads.

Now a grand jury is involved in the Dixon ethics probe and handing out subpoenas.

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

March 15

no crumpets!Detective work is not all "tea and crumpets," said the attorney for alleged crooked cop William King as the corruption trial of his and fellow officer Antonio Murray kicked off. The pair are accused of robbing addicts of drugs and money, then reselling the drugs on the street.

Rose Peterson, the mollycoddling-yet-felonious mom who's charged with witness intimidation, assault and misconduct in office, pled not guilty at an arraignment this morning. The court scheduled a jury trial for May 25 before Judge Althea Handy, 464 Mitchell Courthouse.

The murder trial of Inshalla "Lisa" Owens and Derrick Taylor, originally scheduled to begin Monday, was postponed today at the request of the State following two days of pre-trial motions. The defense subpoenaed the lead prosecutor as a witness in this case. A new Assistant State's Attorney will take over the case. The defendants are accused of killing three men in a Remington halfway house.

A 37-year-old man, Kian Moody, was stabbed to death in East Baltimore. The man shot Monday was identified as Kacife Parker, 28. (By my count) the current 2006 homicide number is 52.

CP reports that police have closed 16 of 49 of the year's homicides (32 percent).

Anthony Conaway, a 41-year-old inmate who was stabbed at the City Detention Center by another inmate has died of his injuries.

A stabbing in the Southeast and (ewwwwww) a crypt opened at a cemetery in Essex in the Blotter.

A hit-and-run vehicular homicide killed Charles Arbogast in AA County. Police are seeking a Chevy Trailblazer with a missing grill. Also in AAC a girl was sexually assaulted in the bathroom at High Point Elementary School.

Ronald Stewart, 31, got two years and three months for attempting to defraud CitiFinancial of <$400k.

DIS! OW! Schaefer called Ehrlich "Glendening Jr."

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

O'Malley at the Forum

Whoever said there's no such thing as a stupid question never visited Baltimore. Poor O'Malley.
babyholding"Are you running for governor?"
"Do you have any control as far as decisions in your administration?" (moderator Harold Robbins: "Could you be a little more specific?") and "You're Catholic, do you support the terrorist activities of the Vatican?" I must hand it the the Mayor, he handled the lamest of questions with respect and aplomb. There's no denying that he radiates Clintonian charisma. He even has Bill's slow, back-of-the-throat gravelly delivery. His ease (and, let's face it, his undeniable hotness and baby-holding style, above) makes Duncan look like a circus bear in a tutu.

Anyway-- there were a smattering of protestors outside carrying signs along the lines of "200 illegal arrests a month" and and many with giant photos of Robert Clay and more cryptically "$800 million $$$ ???" But inside, amazingly, the theater wasn't full, no one had any signs, there wasn't any heckling... it was pretty boring, really.

He repeated the "40 percent reduction in crime" figure (ballsy!), and said that the city had experienced the second-largest reduction in drug-related trips to the ER in the country, added five new rehab centers and were recieving the third-largest federal investment in Ryan White dollars (which appears to be some kind of cash reward for being a smacked-out and disease-ridden city. Oh well, money is money).

O'M said the state was suffering from the Ehrlich administration having "no goals and no leadership" beyond putting "a slot machine in every garage," and he wants to make sure "we never forget that we are the people that Frederick Douglass and Johnny Unitas loved."

Then after his intro Harold Robbins interivewed him for a bit. "I'm not asking questions in any order," he said. "It's going to be a bit like whacking a beaver with a stick." (I think he was referring to Whac-a-Mole).

The smoking ban: "I'm open."
Education: "Full funding of Thornton," higher teacher salaries and pensions (he said MD is 50th, as in second-worst, in funding teacher pensions).

School closings: Ehrlich administration cut funding by 75 percent of capital funding and withheld the rest until the city closed five schools. He said that capital improvements to schools had "taken us longer than I would like."

BGE prices: Blame Ehrlich for letting the foxes guard the henhouse, appointing corporate cronies instead of public servants to head the Public Service Commission.

'borshun: We all want fewer of them and fewer unplanned pregnancies, and the job of the government is to work towards that and give individuals responsibility to make their own decisions.

Crime numbers and corrupt police: "We do not have a perfect police department. Sometimes police make mistakes. But if you don't trust police numbers there are others you can look at: paramedics have to fill out run sheets, also doctors at shock trauma, and they also report a 40 percent drop."

Then there were the stupid questions. Then a girl in argyle socks asked about police corruption. He was very good. "Wherever it rears its head, we will beat it down! There have been eight officers killed in the line of duty in the past years, and we will beat it out ... not just for the citizens of Baltimore, but for the honor of police and their families..." or something like that, etc. etc.

March 14

A man was fatally shot yesterday on East Biddle Street near Broadway.

MAcbier firebomber and Bloods gang leader Terrance A. Smith, 24, had first-degree murder charges dropped against him. He was accused of ordering Coketa Diggins to kill Reshawn Myers. Diggins got 10 years(!) for the murder. Myers was found shot in the head on Chinquapin Parkway by a dog walker.

It's Tuesday, which means Irwin's got your weekend news. Anthony Canthrone, 38, is in serious condition after being shot in the neck in the southern district last Sunday. A man with a rifle was arrested, and a man who assaulted a police officer last March was caught.

Way to go, officers Shantel and Lisa! The lady metro cops busted a ring of thieves who were sawing catalytic converters out of cars at metro stations in the city, Owings Mills, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County and Howard County, and selling them for scrap.

The Kawasaki three were indicted and face a maximum of 20 years and six months in jail.

Did you know? The governor has custody of 836 children, from babies to teenagers: 773 children in state care (where facilities are so pathetic one child had to live in the Social Services office for 21 days). And 63 crazy kids in jail.

Probably already posted this but it's worth putting up again: WBAL says crime is shooting up in '06 like a giant pink arrow on a plank.

They prosecute them bank fraud and identity theft cases down Greenbelt.

Yes indeed, the Year-and-a-Day rule is alive in Maryland.

Your Custom Horoscope:
Do not order the rockfish. If your house is heated by natural gas, shop around and lock in a rate. In the '08, Jessamy will be mayor. Plan accordingly. Foolish is the boy who looks at MySpace at school or porn in the library.

Monday, March 13, 2006

March 13

"I was told to make it a destruction of property... but it was obvious he was trying to break into the house." Love that Janye and her very credible report on the numbers game.

Motions hearings are scheduled for 11:00 tomorrow morning before Judge Paul E. Alpert (339 Courthouse East) in the case of Tyrone Beane. Beane is charged with killing Taharka McCoy, an East Baltimore man, on January 17, 2002. Defense counsel is scheduled to argue that the case be dismissed due to a defective indictment and ineffective previous counsel. Beane has been charged with 11 felonies, but the only charge that's stuck is the one he's in jail for-- 75 years in prison for an unrelated robbery and shooting.

Messenger Crime log: A man stabbed in the chest and arm on W. 40th by the Rotunda, a phone-mugging in Homeland, mugging in Waverly, burglary in Radnor, stolen cars.

Blotter: a 38-year-old man is at large after cutting his "girlfriend"'s throat . A man and a woman are being sought after shooting a 35-year-old woman during an attempted robbery on N. Carey Street. Two young men were arrested after they attempted to rob a man at knifepoint in view of an officer. And a man was robbed of $50 by a group of guys weilding sticks.

Why did Lt. Gov. Michael Steele get $250,000 from the Monumental Life Insurance Company?

Molto umiliando: Don Dwyer's attempt to "carry the ball to the end" by impeaching Judge Murdock has hit the international newswire.

In Owings Mills, martial arts instructor Jacob Davis has been arrested for sexually abusing a 9-year-old girl.

A Towson University student, Anthony Taylor, was charged with assaulting his girlfriend and stealing her cell phone.

Indeed I do say, whatever did happen to the "Report on the Police Performance Enhancement Program and Recommendations to Improve the Process for Expungement of Arrest When No Charges Are Filed" that Jim Kraft was going to submit last September? Here's one reason charges might not have panned out: they were from the Southwest and illegal to begin with. But whatever-- it's all politics.

Speaking of, if you have any questions for the Mayor, don't forget tomorrow night: O'Malley at the ABC/Afro forum at 7 p.m. It's free, open to the public and the museum validates parking at the Staples lot across the street!

Web finds: a history of Jim Crow laws in Maryland.

Sunday, March 12, 2006

March 12

Jamie Dicapua, 21, was shot in the back and hip in the Chinquapin Park/ Belvedere neighborhood.

A drug suspect was shot in the chest at N. Lindwood and McElderry by an officer on Friday.

Erin Loube, a 16-year-old-student at School for the Arts, disappeared a week ago the from the Morgan State University campus.

Speaking of arresting dealers, this Messenger story never answers its own question, but does note: "in November 2004 that the number of marijuana arrests in Maryland had reached a five-year high ... much of the rise was in Baltimore." (I guess The Pot is a narcotic, I'd always just assumed the bacon was after the White Drugs. Maybe that's the substory with all the "abated by arrest" arrests: the prosecutors are declining to prosecute the MJ)

The president of the City Council once again appears to be linked to a fishy deal.

This just in: Sailors like to drink.