Saturday, October 15, 2011

163, 164

Two more homicides so far this weekend, including a man stabbed on the street in the middle of the day. And two nonfatal shootings in the NE.

And the BPD is supposed to have been conducting "after-action" reviews of police-involved shootings, but apparently that hasn't been happening. For years.

A new commander for the city's "vaunted but scuffling homicide unit".

Two guys with machetes, sisters fighting with steak knives and a bicycle-jacking in the Baltimore Guide blotter.

And finally, this terrifying Vanity Fair article on the state of California's economy brought to mind the CP's article on police and fire pensions. Two years after the CP article the city is still afloat, which is kind of incredible, no?

and a great article in the NYker this week about Portugal's decriminalization of drugs

Bleach thrower speaks

The drama continues, but the bleacher thrower blames the man, not her victim.

Friday, October 14, 2011

Crime news of the day, paywall edition

A man was shot in the back in a UMMC parking garage

Horrific: 11-year-old William McQuain is missing from MoCo, his mom was murdered and his stepdad is under arrest.

Holy moly! Thirty-five alleged Bloods gang members ("South Side Brims") have been indicted for racketeering, murder, kidnapping and other crimes. It took more than 100 officers to round them all up.

James Owens, one of the first people in MD to be cleared post-conviction by a DNA test, is now suing the city, SAO and BPD for $15 million.

Another kid attacked by a dog.

And finally, a new PSA from the Mayor. Ok, if you're drunk, it's a little bit your fault. (Kidding! Kidding!)

Thursday, October 13, 2011

A brief civics lesson

Two men were arrested and charged with drug smuggling after they gave a state trooper permission to search their truck.

Ok, now a bit of editorial commentary. I cannot wrap my mind around why a law-abiding citizen would ever consent to a police search. For someone who is trafficking drugs to consent to a car search takes the stupidity to a whole new level.

There is no reason for anybody to ever say yes to a consent search. Contrary to what many people believe saying "no" to a search does NOT give the police a reason to dig through your car, and if they have no PC they have no choice but to let you go on your way. You are not being difficult or acting suspicious by refusing a search, you are simply exercising your constitutional right not to have your private belongings pawed through.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Waverly beating

The Patch reports a man was severely beaten in Waverly this afternoon, 700 block of McKewin Avenue.

And on Union Ave in Hampden, "An unknown person entered a man’s home, hit him in the face and cut him with an unknown weapon, police said. A friend tried to intervene and was cut on the abdomen with an unknown object."

Police issued a warrant for the person they believe shot a man in the 2600 block of St. Paul Street in the course of a robbery last week.

Fenton Tweets

Homicide on East Lanvale Street yesterday according to Justin Fenton's Twitter feed.

Apparently the commish is also claiming that murders and non-fatal shootings are down, but overall gun crimes are up when you include robberies and home invasions.

'I think he had braids'

Jeezum crow, a 17-year-old high school student killed Monday night , Devearl Singletary, was the second kid from his school to be murdered this month. And two more murders: in Broadway East (a rare picture of a victim's feet sticking out of a sheet) and 20-year-old Kevin Pierre was shot to death in the 200 block of Belnord Ave.

The Ink covers last week's two murders, Anton Ingram and Marcius Perkins, plus case updates.

Two guys shot last night in the 6200 block of Carbore Way in the SE.

14 years for a guy who robbed Baltimore banks with a fake bomb

The woman who tossed Pine-Sol and bleach at her romantic rival at a Walmart has an unlikely ally: her babydaddy's daddy. "I’m not going to defend my son when he’s wrong. He’s wrong," Fred Culp told the jz.

Jury selection begins today in the civil suit brought by the parents of Philip Parker Jr., an inmate strangled on a prison bus; meanwhile Judge Sylvester Cox is considering letting jurors tour the bus in a darkened garage.

A writer's house was shot at in Woodberry, and he and the wife are thoroughly annoyed that took a half-hour for police to get to the scene.

A $490k fine for a MD telemarketer
who broke Mississippi's no-call laws

Oops! Lawyer for St. Joe's stent patients loses their medical records on the Light Rail

The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear arguments in a case in which a UMBC pro-life student group claims its free speech was inhibited by having to relocate a graphic anti-abortion display. Meanwhile, Congress is preparing to debate the "Embryos Before Hos" bill.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Heartbreaking post

from imprisoned Oriole-cum-crackhead jailbird Sammy Stewart

'probably provoked'

The WaPo profiles Rod J. Rosenstein, the Quiet Storm. Fun RJR facts = he was on Kenneth Starr's team investigating Whitewater; he keeps his desk very clean; he enjoys hanging out at the Bethesda Barnes & Noble.

Man, cars shot on Riggs Ave last night; 25-year-old man shot near Park Heights and Belvedere avenues early yesterday morning

Friends & family of Theresa Jefferson, the alleged Walmart bleach-n-Pine-Sol attacker, are coming to her defense: "she was probably provoked." (My question: why do crazy-jealous bitches never go after the guy?)

Police release sketch of 2009 sex-assualt suspect

Something happened at Eden's Lounge over the weekend that required police cars, fire trucks and a ambilance. UPDATE: three people were stabbed.

Wanna buy a rec center? The Brew reports that the city is hoping to privatize its 55 centers.

... today starts the paywall at the Sun. You get 15 free page views, then you have to make with the credit card.

ps. Save the date! BCrime Snappy Hour = October 20, 5 p.m. until whenever. Join our FB group or email for location.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Bad ideas

A man is dead after shooting his ex-wife in the neck and then getting into a gun battle with police; the police spokesman says it's not clear yet if he was shot by police or shot himself.

The Court of Special Appeals overturned the first-degree murder conviction of one Jamar Anderson last week, "saying the trial judge had violated the defendant’s right to a fair trial by asking prospective jurors if they could convict someone without scientific evidence."

Jean Marbella follows up on the story of Baltimorean-cum-Libyan "revolutionary fighter" Matthew VanDyke. Meanwhile at the prison that VanDyke escaped from, a Quadafi-era mass grave has been unearthed.

At the Court of Appeals last week, the City Paper and Van Smith fought the revival of a defamation suit brought by Nicholas Piscatelli, the former owner of the Redwood trust nightclub.

A county officer was arrested and charged with assault after allegedly stripping off his shirt and brandishing his weapon in the middle of the street.

In the County, brokedown heifer Theresa Jefferson, 33, allegedly hurled bleach and Pine-Sol at her romantic rival, putting her and 18 other Walmart shoppers in the hospital.

Finally... could this possibly be a good idea? Keiffer Mitchell says that control of city schools should revert to the Mayor.
.. speaking of the Mayor, saw SRB in the Roland Avenue Starbucks Friday, Suburban illegally parked, flanked by a security guy with an earpiece and wearing giant aviator sunglasses in the (very dim) shop. She didn't speak, smile or acknowledge anyone, barely even the barista-- just nodded or shook her head to his questions. ("Would you like anything else?" Shake. "Do you want your receipt?" Shake.) Most strange.