Robbed, beaten, stabbed, raped, shot

A city officer shot and killed a man in the 500 block of N. Madeira St.* (in soon-to-be-redeveloped E. Baltimore) (non-Sun link)

A man was shot at the Lutherville Light Rail station and a suspect is still at large. You may recall in 2008 two teens were abducted from the same light rail station and one was raped, 22-year-old Kiheem Malik Taylor and 18-year-old Brian Scott were found/pleaded guilty in that case. Actually, a lot of stuff has gone down at and on the Light Rail. 

Opening statements in the Michael Johnson trial* told a tale of a feckless older sister, videotaped nude frolicking, a jailhouse snitch who Johnson alleged to have asked for help disposing of Phylicia Barnes' body (opines Fenton on Twitter, "My interpretation/analysis of the new witness is that prosecution isnt putting too much stock in him.... on its face, what he is saying is enormously crucial. But he was almost an afterthought in opening statements.") and the doomed teen being targeted by the 28-year-old's lust and text messages. ... Barnes' cause of death is still unknown.

One Daren Ruffin allegedly stabbed his wife Melissa to death, less than a week after being released after wife-beating charges*

A man was robbed and beaten on University Parkway (almost two weeks ago)

Somewhere Judge Prevas is toasting to this-- former Catholic-school teacher and convicted child rapist John Merzbacher will stay in jail.

The Hyatt Regency of Baltimore has paid to settle Federal charges of unfair labor practices.

Activist Kim Trueheart was released from Central Booking at 3:45 a.m. on Thursday.

A surprise witness

Prosecutors promised a witness who will say that he saw Phylicia Barnes' body on a bed before she disappeared during opening statements today.

Leopold acquitted!!! ... of some lesser lawn-sign-tampering charges. Charges of storing pee in a coffee can, having filthy old-man sex in the parking lot of a bowling alley and of gross and willful douchebaggery still stand. 

No Charges for Anthony Anderson officers

DEREK VALCOURT ‏@DEREKVALCOURT

@Gregg_Bernstein : officers involved in death of Anthony Anderson will not be criminally charged-actions did not amount to excessive force

... But the DOJ's Civil Rights division is investiagting, for what it's worth.

A Tale of Two Andersons

Cheshire and Bernstein are hosting a press conference on the Anthony Anderson case today at noon in Mitchell 506.

Another Anderson, Jamar, was convicted for 1st-degree murder for shooting at a woman and killing her cousin instead.

A jury has been selected for the Phylicia Barnes case, so presumably the five reporters are back in the courtroom today.

Justin Fenton ‏@justin_fenton

Man killed in Tuesday double shooting on N. Milton Ave is named Milton: Justin Lee Milton, 32. Police said he lived in NE Balt.

Cham Green

We have another homicide ID, the man killed on the 600 block of Milton 2 days ago is Justin Lee Milton, 32. From looking on the Judiciary he is originally from Hurlock in Talbot County and lived in Northeast Baltimore. He has no previous drug charges. This may be his FB page: http://www.facebook.com/justin.milton.338?ref=ts&fref=ts

Justin Milton

Works at ElectricianWent to North Dorchester HighLives in Baltimore, Maryland

Justin Fenton ‏@justin_fenton

At Charles Village Civic Association meeting, where both Police Commissioner Batts and State's Atty Bernstein are visiting ... Director of @CVCBD thinks progress being made w prostitution problem in southern part of district: "I think they're getting annoyed with us" ... Bernstein says in six of the 1st 10 mos of 2012, SAO had conviction rate over 70% while taking 13% more cases over prev yr  

The flippin Cold Spring Ro/Fo has been robbed yet again, for at least the 3rd time this year. Where are the pictures? I've heard if >$1,000 is taken police don't even request copies of the tape. ... So out of whose pocket comes the stolen cash? The franchise operator?

Good move, homeowner that took a picture of a burglary suspect he caught trying to break in his front door, bolt-cutting device in hand.

... I generally try to not think about Anne Arundel County, but this story's got it all-- coffee cans of urine, 45-minute trysts in a bowling alley parking lot, sign yanking, boob talk and mistresses catfighting by their Daddy's hospital bed-- someone really ought to write a musical. 

Personal Questions

A man shot to death in the head last night at E Monument and N Milton* is our 10th(?) murder of the year. The Ink details last week's three murders included two women, Melissa Davis (allegedly stabbed to death by her husband) and 17-year-old Michelle Adrian of Middletown, shot on West Baltimore street after following someone into a dark alley to buy drugs.

Judge Alfred Nance,
about 40 years ago

Down at the trial for Phylicia Barnes' alleged killer, Judge Alfred Nance reportedly wouldn't let reporters in the room for jury selection yesterday,* claiming there just wasn't any space because there were 200 prospective jurors and 125 courtroom seats. Uhm, so, doesn't that mean they have to bring prospective jurors over two batches anyway ... ? Fenton notes Nance has "been criticized in the past for asking personal questions of potential jurors, including asking women their marital status and criticizing the way a prospective juror wore his yarmulke. In 2001, Nance was issued a rare public reprimand by the judicial disabilities commission for behaving in an “undignified” and “demanding” manner toward women." Super. Jury selection continues today and tomorrow.

Fenton also Tweeted a photo of someone named Kim Trueheart getting arrested today at the courthouse. Police say she was "disorderly" at a press conference* last week, interrupting the Mayor with questions about the phone system, and Trueheart herself Tweeted that she was banned from City Hall. The Brew notes local yacktivists Sharon Black, Courtly Witherspoon and Tom Kiefaber have also been banned from city hall a/o charged with trespassing.

Ed Ericson Jr. mulls over the idea that publishing gun owners' personal information might help promote a fairer firearms licensing and permit system.

Justin George drops by the Ras-a-ter International Nightclub and Restaurant at 2103 N. Ave. (right), where seven people have been shot* over the past 14 months. The owner's now been charged with operating an illegal nightclub.

A resident of the Wells House drug treatment center on E. Baltimore Street allegedly threatened another resident with a butcher knife.

A group called "YES" has opened a drop-in center for homeless teens at 2315 N. Charles St.

Hagtown corrections officer Ryan Lohr is the 9th person to face Federal charges for the in-cell beating of inmate Kenneth Davis, the recipient of four beatings in 24 hours.

The CP has a tribute to Robert Chew, the actor who played Prop Joe on The Wire

Some fug fat guy exposed his dangly bits to some girls at the Columbia Mall.

BPD crime data as of 1/19 posted: Homicides, robberies about same as last year; non-fatal shootings up (25 vs. 18); property crime down 11%
— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) January 23, 2013

Women in media, carjacking, Mandingo fighting

After weeks of motions, trial starts today for Phylicia Barnes' alleged killer, Michael Johnson, with jury selection today and Judge Nance presiding. Fenton (or somebody) is "liveblogging" (?) the trial and says they're now considering trying to fit a 5'9" person into a 35-gallon plastic storage container* to see if it can be done. Blergh. Prosecutors say Johnson sent Barnes 500+ text messages before her fateful trip.  Fenton also posted Judge Nance*'s meticulous list of courtroom restrictions for reporters* that include a display period for reporters of exhibits, but no photos allowed. Men of media, round up your adjectives (all the crime reporters are all men now, aren't they?)
Ian Duncan notes, "The media attention Barnes' case received had the paradoxical effect of stoking public debate about missing minority children typically receiving less attention.*" Though given the sex tape and the lurid nature of it all, maybe it's not a bad thing that Nancy Grace is not vamping around-- nobody remind her this trial is happening, ok?

Happy 40th birthday, Roe v. Wade, and happy 40 years of wasting everyone's time with jackassed "personhood amendments," revolting fetus-corpse signs and other harassment, fake Christians. Fivedollarfeminist nails it:

"why sponsor legislation pretending that a tiny fetus is a person when you know it will never become law? Because it's more important to show your radical constituents that you believe a women has no right to control her own body than to actually do the work of passing [real] laws. Everyone's got priorities." 

It's been 40 years. Mifepristone is a reality. All these people are doing are harassing women carrying non-viable fetuses. Enough already, "personhood" people. Time for RU-486 to be sold in fruit flavors at every bodega, next to Plan B (and that male bc pill we've been promised since the dawn of time).


It's Tuesday and this is a crime blog, let's revisit Ray Lewis' murder charges. (Anyone else think if Calvin Candie existed today he'd own a football team?)

Carjacking reported in Cylburn (2800 Oakley Ave - Northern District)— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) January 21, 2013

AAC police are ISO convict Raynard Boston, right, wanted for shooting a bouncer and another guy outside the My Place bar in Odenton Saturday.
Also in AAC: more rape at the Naval Academy.

Some drunk-mick city officer, left, pointed his gun at Towsonites. Looks like a real mouthbreather.

The Patch's Sean Tully is pissed about rats.

Have you seen these Nicka conspirators?

LOL OMG TRASHY ❤

Ravens to Superbowl: fans celebrated by either lighting fireworks and/or shooting guns (a possibility Buzzfeed declares a "lol" "trashy" "fail") and in Federal Hill boozy-but-jubilant fans were either sprayed with pepper spray* or Nicorette, depending on who you ask.

A woman named Melissa Davis was stabbed to death Friday by a man she was arguing with in the 300 block of E. N. Ave., she was the city's 9th homicide. The 8th was an unid'd 19-year-old man in the SW*

Speaking of the SW, if someone from the SW wants to buy your phone off Craigslist, just say no.

Depressing: "On Wednesday, school officials from around the state will outline the construction and renovation projects they want the state to fund.  The requests before the Board of Public Works is known as the 'Beg-a-Thon.'" Well, plans were stopped for State Center and the Youth Jail, voters held their noses and voted for gambling and football brings in all this money -- no one should have to be begging for nothin. ...some brand new state-of-the-art schools will be built tout de suite, right?

Judge Althea Handy: State Center Contracts can Suck it

Saw the TDR headline and almost ran into a light pole: Judge Handy has effectively* squashed the State Center project, after more than seven years of legal wrangling. You may recall, State Center was a $1.5 billion proposed government-office complex for downtown, conceived by Ehrlich in 2005 and all set to roll out on taxpayers' dime. But then, one of the two developers, Doracon, had to drop off the project after it was revealed that their CEO, Ronald Lipscomb* literally whored himself out to the mayor. The other developer, Streuver, went tits-up (financially), and all along the project was pelted with lawsuits from two dozen neighbors and landlords* claiming violations of all sorts of procurement laws. Rather outrageously, the state-- personified by Attorney GD Gansler's office-- SLAPPed back with lawsuits against the plaintiffs, and refused to release any documents to the media in response to FOIA requests, claiming that the Attorney General's office couldn't afford to make copies. The Attorney General's office, by the way, was due to get the largest chunk of space-- 111,000 square feet -- in the new complex.

So, seven years of taxpayer dollars were wasted on lawsuits, but that still beats getting hosed for $1.5 billion. And now there's four candidates set to run against Gansler next year, so hopefully after this shameful exercise he'll retire and go smoke a fatty with ol' token Snowden* and his sex offender friend*-- all's well that ends well. The end!