211

Todd Duffie, 36, the man shot on Lyndhurt Avenue yesterday, has died of his injuries.*

The Jesus-y Justin has more details on the death of Delma Barnes, reports that Barnes and Jewel O.J. Lucas had no prior relationship* -- their awesomely Baltimoreiffic conflict-resolution skills collided when they into some kind of disagreement at the Shell station.

A mega-bust yesterday: 34 people charged with trafficking in horse, tweed and other assorted controlled substances after a joint investigation (heh)

Sad, indeed: Donnie Andrews, the guy who supposedly inspired the "Omar" character from the Wire, has died.* Extra-poignant considering Andrews turned his life around; his very sweet wedding in 2007 was featured in the NYT's Vows section. (Don't quite get the "Omar inspiration" thing, though, since Andrews was 1). not gay and 2). an addict -- the real Omar would never get high on his own supply, and 3). doesn't seem to have been into robbing drug dealers.)

Two parents were arrested after intervening after intervening as their son was allegedly beat up by a bully who'd robbed him the day before. Hrm, something about this story doesn't wash, I dunno...

Unprincipled principal purloins principal

A man was shot last night on Grantley Street on the West side

Shooting: 4100 block of Lyndhurst Avenue, Northwest District. Adult male shot at the location. Homicide Detectives investigating.
— Baltimore Police (@BaltimorePolice) December 13, 2012

[map link added]


The former principal of Coppin Academy, William Howard II, has been accused of stealing money from the school's student activity funds.

Three and a half years for four-times-convicted Ronald Coleman, 65, who got an employee of a "popular Baltimore restaurant" to use a skimmer to get credit card information, he then ripped off Amex for $70-120k in cash and goods.

Salvatore Petti, involved in an ongoing dispute over the city's bocce ball courts, pleaded guilty to fraud and tax evasion for illegally diverting funds from a nonprofit and failing to pay taxes on his gambling winnings.

Good read from yesterday's NYT: Rethinking Life Behind Bars 

Bully baby blunty bumpers

That's the lady with the baby, really? Police announced that Jewel Onye Jamie Lucas, who just turned 19 last week, was arrested and charged with 1st-degree (as in, premeditated) and 2nd-degree homicide and assault for Delma Barnes' death-by-Mazda on Frankfort Avenue. Cham found Lucas' Twitter page, upon which Lucas was cheerfully Tweeting pictures of her dog and some hand-rolled cigarettes the day after Barnes' death. .. so whose baby is it? Or maybe it wasn't a baby after all? Lucas was previously arrested in Towson for an assault from April (when she was apparently 15 pounds lighter and two inches taller), that case was nol pross'd.

Bountiful

Bernstein promised to be more "courageous" than Jessamy when it came to prosecuting cases, but now his office has charged 2/3rds of the homicide cases Jessamy's did, and detectives opine that his office "won't take the cases so they preserve a high conviction rate for themselves." Now Fenton makes the rather explosive charge* that prosecutors' reticence may have led to one James Berry III not being charged for a triple shooting in Bolton Hill, only to go on to become involved in that horrific shooting of brothers in front of their mother (written and talked about by the Spectator last month. Warning, that link has audio, unless you want to hear that standoff again, hit yer mute button before you click it).

Speaking of the Spectator, his friends (including "toilet artist" Duane Davis) are planning a vigil/protest in his honor next week in front of Central Booking. According to the Inmate Locator, MacArthur's currently residing at the detention center on East Eager Street.

A stopped car, speed cameras, really? Scott Calvert says this is the 7th fucktified camera on recond. Actually not surprising, I've seen em flashing away at stopped cars more than once at Charles/Lake Ave. How is it that the city could implement a bounty revenue model if the state law prohibits it? Did no one in the city read the law? Did no one at the state level find it fit to mention that the city's whole model was unlawful? .. and, also, speed cameras have also been doling out work-zone tickets when nobody's working.*

Speaking of bounty hunting, Ian Duncan reports that the feds have gleaned $25 million from seizing assets* in MD in the past 12 months.

Carl Snowden lost his appeal* on his 2010 drunk-driving case

A drug-related shooting in Essex

Guns for gift cards

Tavon Barnett, 19, was arrested for the murder of Terrance Seale (#185), Barnett has been on the run (locally) since the murder.*

Among the malfeasances in the SE, a duct-taped security guard, a woman who successfully defended herself against a purse-snatcher with a small knife, a stolen bottle of Bacardi.

Data show that in Baltimore shootings are way way down.* So why is the WSJ breathless about "soaring" crime rates? Maybe because the facts don't jibe with the "be scared all the time" narrative? That paper has gone to major crap since Murdoch bought it. And guess what, the Tribune is trying to unload its newspapers, and guess who might be interested? Watch out, Fenton, you might find yourself replaced with a porn star.

Trial is scheduled to start today for Kenisha Thomas*, the woman who stabbed her infant daughter Pretty Diamond at a social services office. Speaking of morality and the formative years, interesting article from the New Republic on how neglect in the first two years of life leads to a fucked-up adulthood. And did you know that by the age of 5 months babies like it when mean puppets get punished, and that babies "are little bigots" when it comes to snack crackers? 

A preliminary hearing for The Baltimore Spectator, aka AF James MacArthur, will be held at 8:30 a.m. in room 1 of 5800 Wabash. And on Dec. 20th, Duane "Shorty" Davis is holding a vigil for him outside of Central Booking.

The temporary protective order against Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs has been lifted, so he can get his nine guns back. Also, his wife is really hot, in a plastic-y kind of way.

O'Malley says it's against the law for speed camera operators to get paid by volume,* which is, of course, how the city's camera contractors are paid. Luke Broadwater talked to Maynard n Shari about his story, sound file here (fast-forward to 8:30)

In spite of ample evidence that gun-buyback programs don't work, Prez Jack is championing one happening at City College this Friday. More from the BBrew

210

One of the victims shot yesterday on Pitcher Street, Tarrell Logan, has died.* If Delma Barnes' hit-and-run death is found to be intentional, Logan is the city's 210th homicide of the year.

The MTA is ISO two passengers who assaulted a bus driver on the 13 bus Thursday

I hadn't realized this till someone mentioned earlier today - if convicted, @baltospectator's charge carries MANDATORY MINIMUM 5 yrs prison [link added]
— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) December 11, 2012

Ten years for gun-toting heroin dealer Keith James (TIL mannitol is a plant sugar people cut heroin with), and 10 years and a month for pot dealer "Mr. Purple," (Anthony Marcantoni), one of the Nicka conspirators, who, the DOJ notes, received deliveries at "a Mt. Washington supermarket" that's gotta be Whole Foods.

A man was robbed at gunpoint in the 2300 block of Charles St.

County police are ISO this suspect, left, who robbed SoBo Gold Buyers in Pikesville

Got a few minutes to do a good deed? Write a message of encouragement and hope to a sexually assaulted prisoner.

Baby, daddy

So caught up in the story of Delma Leroy "Lee" Barnes, a 35-year-old grandfather run down by two women and possibly a baby (maybe a grocery bag? Maybe a backpack worn on the front? No, that. is. a. baby. With feet!) in a Mazda, I almost forgot to note that a 4th Kevin Clash accuser has appeared on the scene, with a familiar story, lawsuit. Well, compared to those Mazda-driving murderous bitches, fellating a teenager while he calls you "dad" isn't so bad, right? ... I'll bet she formula feeds. I hope that baby was properly restrained in a rear-facing seat. 

a freaking gold mine

Two shot on Shields Place* near historic "freaking gold mine" Pennsylvania Avenue, one victim is in serious condition but they are reportedly both still alive.  Fenton also ID's the unnamed victim from the past weekend as Angelo Ward, 25, likely the "loso" in the photo in the post below, and notes that Brent Nickens was in a wheelchair; police say they are exploring "drug-related ties" (Ps. here's a throwback Linskey/Sentementes jam about the times and trials of Bloods disciplinarian/ former CEO of the Pennsylvania Avenue drug trade Don Papa). (Blake is still in jail, and apparently keeping busy getting beaten by guards and filing lawsuits.)

#BaltimoreProblems

Three murders this weekend,* all on the West side: Brent Nickens, 22, 2300 block of Westwood Avenue on Friday night, and an unidentified person in the 800 block of Brooks Lane on Saturday.  And a 24-year-old Thomas Rawlings was stabbed to death on the 1800 block of Fulton Ave. (seven blocks away from Westwood Ave) Fenton notes these murders come after 12 days of murder-free relative peace. (Fenton retweeted a victim picture, loso_badazz, to the left, but not sure yet which victim it is. #BaltimoreProblems)

Yet another Spectator article* addresses what that original gun charge was for and how his head got shaved (though I still wonder what those charges from CA were). Here's a question: if you found out you were wanted on a warrant and wanted to contact a defense attorney to help you turn yourself in, who would you call? assuming Jill Carter wasn't available.

Police are ISO the woman to the right, who they say mowed down a man in her Mazda on Frankfort Ave and fled the scene.

In pervy news, a dorm aide at the School for the Deaf is accused of touching three girls. And a man in Worcester, MA, Geoffrey Portway was arraigned after he and a guy in Kansas conspired to kidnap a Baltimore boy (among other things). And Ian Duncan writes about the Baltimore law firm that's helping parents of victims of a Delaware pediatrician* accused of molesting nearly 900 victims.

The WSJ visited Shock Trauma

In the County an off-duty officer was shot outside of a party in Overlea

A teenager was shot in Middle River*

County police are ISO the bald guy on the left, wanted for robbing a Woodlawn Shell station