Hermann: house of beheaded Gypsy still standing, and her crazed killer is free

Ronnie Winkler, accused of strangling 19-year-old Kiuna Jackson and dumping her body in Herring Run park, was indicted by a Frederick jury on first-degree murder charges in the death of Shneara Kerrie Boone, also 19.

Another brawl at the Harbor?!

"About 20 to 30 young people were observed fighting at about 2:30 p.m." today near the World Trade Center, five were arrested. Apparently all city schools were dismissed early for parent/teacher conference day.

Bail Granted for Fugitive

From "no bail" to $500k for alleged killer pastor James Clea III from Judge Nathan Braverman. Clea is charged with first-degree murder in the death of blind, disabled Lemuel Wallace, found shot in a Leakin Park restroom. After his alleged accomplice was arrested, Clea fled to a motel in South Carolina.

Assault at the Crispy Bagel

The Sun reports a man shot in the arm in the parking lot of the Crispy Bagel on Franklintown Road, though the BPD reports "Investigation revealed that 230 N. Franklintown is an aggravated assault, not a shooting."

Western Correctional inmate admits to strangling his cellmate, gets another life sentence on top of his life sentence.

A "confrontational" man shot by county police in Lochearn

CSA: MD's sex offender registry doesn't violate rights to privacy

Spoiler alert! Stop reading if you can't handle scandalous truth! The "black-eyed Susans" at Preakness are really mums! Also, while we're at it, the USS Constellation was built in 1854, not 1797, and Phillip's crab cakes are not made of blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, but South African and South Asian species, Portunus pelagicus. You're welcome.

Thought police

School police are cracking down on employees who wrote unflattering comments about management on the Web.

Spectators Intimidate Witness before Murder Testimony

How much more brazen can it get?!

Clearance Stats

Via Facebook: "HOMICIDE STATS: So far this year, BPD has charged 75 people w/ murder compared to 26 last year. Homicide clearance rate is 63% vs 51% in 08... these are homicides from the last couple of years."

Ed Norris podcast: Carl Lackl's mom and sister punched in the head in the courtroom! (Note to slacking workers: this is an audio link)

Another tourist assault: Yankees fans robbed at the same motel where Petro Taylor was beaten

Oh the Geniosity

What the?! Witness breaks out of handcuffs and beats defendant at the courthouse!

"Special" gang members made sure the short bus ran on time

After swapping out cell phones, Feds then had to crack the criminals' so-fisticated code
ps., wonder how much time and $ the state will spend before concluding that jamming prison cell phones is a bad idea?

Two teens arrested for murders: "Marquel Gaffney, now 16, was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder in the killing of Alfred Smith, who died Sept. 26, 2007" and Sami McCargo, 19, was arrested for killing 22-year-old Quinton Savage on April 11.

"The Obama administration is weighing plans to detain some terror suspects on U.S. soil -- indefinitely and without trial." So much for change you can believe in!

CSA: Voir dire strikes must be gender-neutral

Not crime but noteworthy: Baltimore's lead-rich soil may make your backyard vegetable garden not so healthy

Double Shooting

.. at the Edmondson Village shopping center.


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A gunshot victim at Eager & Somerset, above.

In better news, new police efforts to catch the a-holes who break into cars!

Federal Witness Murder Trial Starts

Trial is set to begin today down at the federal courthouse for James Dinkins, Melvin Gilbert and Darron Goods, "Special" gang members accused of killing murder witness John P. Dowery Jr. in Thanksgiving of 2006. Julie Bykowicz and Matthew Dolan covered this story way back then. Gilbert and Goods face the big D if convicted.

A couple convicted of charges that they paralyzed a man following a fight over a cleaning cart.

The State's Attorney's office reports that yesterday, after a jury was seated and his murder trial was moments away from starting, Anthony Thompson, 50, pled guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, all but 15 years suspended, and five years probation. Sunpapers has the horrible details.

Fenton: educators tried to push gang leader's book of teachings on Mayor Dixon

DNA evidence links a man in MA to a 2003 home-invasion robbery and murder in Brooklyn.

Correction: the Hopkins Hospital identity-theft story from yesterday was actually not related to the other Hopkins Hospital identity theft story but is a completely new case!
Also, in the 60s, Hopkins tried to change a guy into a girl.

Exhibit A's Mike Silvestri: "Police officers’ failure to go to court in Baltimore last year allowed thousands of suspects, including nearly 200 charged with felonies, to walk free, according to state’s attorney’s office data."

Detroit Leaning = No Reason

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The Ink puts names to last week's murder numbers, including Anthony Griffin, 23, shot to death by a man he was walking with on Montebello Terrace (above) in Beverly Hills.

Legal opinion: the "Detroit Lean" is not cause for traffic stop

Leash-law outrage leads to lower fines, potential naked dog time at local parks and butt-scootingly wretched canine puns from local news media. What I want to know: whose idea were the higher fines in the first place?

Media blabber:
Bankruptcy judge says broke-azz Trib can pay managers bonuses, but not severance pay for employees laid off in December.

Midtown Attacks

Last Saturday night was a bad time to be in the general vicinity of the Belvedere hotel-- Hermann reports two apparently random attacks on passers-by at around 11:30.

Clay

Baltimore Inspector General Hilton Green has issued a report urging federal prosecutors to open the case of Baltimore businessman Robert Clay.

20 Years for Kiddie Heroin Dealer

Says the SAO:

Judge John N. Prevas sentenced Bland R. Gatewood, 33, of the 5900 block of Johnnycake Road to 20 years in prison today.

A Baltimore jury on April 1, 2009 convicted Gatewood of possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of heroin and possession with intent to distribute heroin within 1,000 feet of a school.

On December 3, 2008 in the 2000 block of Linden Avenue police officers observed Gatewood standing across the street from PS 61, the John Eager Howard Elementary School. Police observed Gatewood engaging in a hand to hand transaction utilizing a ground stash and placed him under arrest. Police recovered 20 gel caps of heroin.

As you might suspect, this wasn't Gatewood's first brush with the law, he's been charged with armed robbery, carjacking, assault, burglary, etc etc etc.

... Chief Judge Prevas is by far the most beloved Circuit Court judge in Baltimore City, with more than twice the votes of the runner-up, the Honorable Gale E. Rasin.

Feds turn tables on cell-phone smugglers by smuggling in a dirty phone of their own. Meanwhile, the gov wants permission from the FCC to try to figure out how to jam prison cell-phone signals.

Jacques Kelly Sentenced to Crime Reporting

Formerly promising Sirlilar Stokes got 50 years for two gang-related shootings, reports Jacques Kelly (?!?!?)


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Blotter: "Police released the name Monday of the man fatally shot Friday morning in the 3000 block of Elgin Ave. as Deontae Carter, 24, of the 2300 block of N. Rosedale St."

Police tweet, "Miguel Rivera M/B/DOB-10/19/76 was arrested on 5/11/09 for the Att. Murder which occurred on 5/3/09 @ 3608 Roberts Place" also "SHOOTING: 700 E PRESTON, 2 ADULT MALES SHzOT."

A city sheriff's deputy has filed a million-dollar false-arrest suit against a city police sergeant

CP Guerrilla Family Portraits, part IV, Eric Marcell Brown. Fenton reports Brown's Black book endorsed by educators and former Mayoral candidate Audrey Bundley. Only in Baltimore!

Remember Michelle Johnson, the Hopkins Hospital employee who allegedly stole a kidney-transplant patient's ID to buy herself flooring, a tv and some underpants? Now someone else has accessed data of more than 10,000 patients, and scammed 30 victims with links to the hospital.

Schadenfreuderiffic: Teens injured when stolen car crashes

Media Blabber: if Tweets are to be believed, Post and NYT in talks with Google

Totally gratuitous: Balto. stripper claims Phelps "boasted of dope shame as he medalled with my bongs" (NSFW!)

Police robbing, road-raging and profiling; Plus, other heartening crime news

A former Baltimore City police cadet convicted as being the getaway driver in the armed robbery of a Parkville McDonald’s in October was sentenced to five years in prison Monday.

A Baltimore City policeman who is no stranger to controversy was arrested Friday and charged with assault and reckless endangerment in connection with a road rage incident in Harford County, Maryland State Police said Monday.

In the five years since Maryland State Police agreed to change procedures and policies to settle accusations of racial profiling of motorists, about 100 drivers lodged complaints of racial profiling.

A Baltimore County man pleaded guilty Monday to crashing a stolen pickup truck into a Hereford house, killing a 46-year-old woman.

A former Glenelg High School teacher will continue to serve his five-year sentence for sexually abusing a student, following an opinion released Monday by the state’s second-highest court rejecting the teacher’s appeal of his conviction.

A Baltimore inmate and former prison guard have pleaded guilty to extorting money from inmates and their families.

A 37-year-old maintenance man at a Pikesville apartment complex who was shot in the head during an argument three weeks ago died Saturday at Sinai Hospital from his injuries, Baltimore County police said Monday.

Hopkins Security: Get a Stunt Wallet

From the security bulletin:

ARMED ROBBERY

3900 Block Tudor Arms Avenue

May 9, 2009 - 11:15 PM

On May 9th at 11:15 PM, two graduate students walking southbound observed two unknown males in front of them when a third unknown male stepped out from behind the students, pointed a handgun and demanded property. One student relinquished her purse; the other student handed over unknown amount of money.  The suspects were last seen running north toward West University Parkway.  No injuries.  Baltimore Police and Campus Officers searched the area with negative results.  A Campus Officer recovered the victim’s purse in a grassy area less her cell phone and wallet.  Investigation continuing.

When confronted with an armed robber the best thing to do safety-wise is to relinquish any property demanded. Consider carrying a second, disposable wallet with a small amount of cash which can be relinquished to a robber without great loss to you.

... also, perhaps suburbanites should consider renting a smaller, cheaper apartment downtown and appointing it with cheap appliances!

Beers, babies, brawls and brains

Parents are fighting mad at Chuck E. Bleeds.

Word of advice to school police officers: if your car gets dinged, keep your mouth shut

Warning to FB fans, taking an IQ test may prove costly