Saturday, March 6, 2010

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Fenton Tweets "The man shot last night in the 2100 block of W. Fayette St. died. The city's west side continues to be the most violent this year, easily"

Friday, March 5, 2010

Life + 35 for Roland Park Rapist

From the SAO:
Roger ErvinAt a hearing today, Judge John A. Howard sentenced Roger Len Ervin, 48, [right] of the 3100 block of Oakley Avenue to life plus 35 years in prison.

Judge Howard ordered Ervin serve a life term for first-degree rape, a consecutive 25 year term for first-degree assault and a consecutive 10 year term for use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. A Baltimore jury convicted Ervin December 15, 2009 of these counts and burglary, armed robbery, conspiracy to commit burglary and sex offense counts after a three-day trial and approximately one hour of deliberation.

On August 23, 2007 Ervin broke into the victim’s Roland Park home, assaulted and raped her. He also burglarized the home and robbed the victim of personal possession while pointing a gun at her. Police recovered DNA from the victim and eventually identified Ervin with a DNA search of the Combined Offender Data Index System (CODIS) in March 2008.

The victim delivered an emotional impact statement to the court in which she relived the attack in graphic detail, noting how two of her vertebrae were cracked. She recounted the months of painful physical therapy and how to this day her range of mobility is affected. She told the court that she is no longer able to be as active with her grandchildren.

Assistant State’s Attorney Jennifer McAllister of the Sex Offense Division prosecuted this case.
... and Ervin's accomplice is still unidentified and out there somewhere, as far as we know.

Fun fact! In 1983, Ervin sued the Department of Corrections for "excessive imprisonment"

Feats of Tenacity

Four are charged with attempted murder (and more, one hopes) after abducting a teenage girl at the Executive Inn, trying to extract ransom out of relatives, and torturing, shooting and stabbing her in a vacant house near Patterson Park on Sunday, then leaving her to die in a flooded basement. But she survived, escaped and named her attackers as Torrence Jerome White, 23, Adesha Richardson, 27, Keonay Hill, 20 and Morris James, 22.

A 23-year-old shot to death at Nicholas & Belair Rds.

Also, a 43-year-old man has died after being punched in the face. (Can't find a link to this story... but apparently fatal face punches are not as rare as one might think: in the past month there have been face-punching murder cases in Austrailia, Wisconsin [twice!], Idaho, and NZ)

A double shooting near the Velvet Rope club, site of a small riot last week; the club's manager says they can't be responsible for what happens after patrons leave.

The Kevin Clark case goes on and on... today it's being heard at the Court of Appeals.

The family John Yates, killed in a hit-and-run while riding his bicycle, is suing contractors Potts & Callahan for $5 m

If grain alcohol is the blackouteriffic secret ingredient in your jungle juice recipe, stock up now.

Guns in schools

A 8-year old at Leadenhall Elementary school packing heat got nabbed by an alert school adminstrator yesterday before he could carry out his threats.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

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Probable murder victim found on elementary school playground

Cheers!

All kids of gay people getting married in DC today

How could this not pass before?

HB 962 would make child neglect a felony. Who could have voted against that?!

Also, a bill aims to extend the shield law for professional journalists to unpaid student reporters. "Del. Sandy Rosenberg, D-Baltimore City, sponsored the bill. He said he’d ultimately like to see shield protections go farther, perhaps to cover high school journalists as well as unpaid bloggers."

RJR: Drug dealers going to source

CP: "Evidence mounts that foreign sources, including the Los Zetas cartel, deal directly with Baltimore traffickers"

Pub-crawl-stabbing story draws huge reader response at Sunspot.

A stabbing at 3 a.m. this morning in Mt Vernon. And a man shot in the leg, though leg-shootings are so common it seems barely newsworthy

This week's three murders. Apparently it's been the quietest January and February ever!

Jessamy in A-town arguing for tougher gang laws. Whatever.

Sex slaves in MoCo

"The Supreme Court suggested Tuesday it will strike down U.S. cities’ outright bans on handguns."

What the? Family relocated after city trash truck crashes into their home

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

City and Press

Isn't this interesting? The Baltimore City and Press, a beautifully designed web site of Baltimore news.. developed in Canada!
Also on Twitter.
No ads... what do you suppose their revenue model is?
William Raymond Porter, 49, the Hess station owner shot Monday morning during a robbery in Towson, has died.

Guilty Verdict in Toddler Starvation Case

Queen Antoinette, Trevia Williams and Marcus Cobbs were found guilty today of second-degree murder and first-degree child abuse resulting in death.
More from the Sun, JZ

In other miserable child-abuse news, police say a two-month-old was airlifted last night to Children’s National Medical Center in Washington D.C. after suffering fractures to his skull during an argument between his parents.

Assault in Tuxedo Park

From the community's newsletter:
„I'm sorry to say we had a bad incident last night.

„A man was walking his dog at 12:30 a.m. [Mar. 1, 2010] at the intersection of Gladstone and Summit. He was assaulted from behind by a man wearing a ski mask, who hit him over the head repeatedly with a gun. Two people from a nearby house heard the altercation, turned on their porch light and came to his assistance. There was a brief struggle; then the assailant fled. The police were notified, the man who was assaulted was given medical care and now has staples in his head where he was lacerated.
Some tips useful in any neighborhood from the Evergreen news-letter:
Several Points

1) If you hear something occurring, check it out. Putting on the porch
lights probably helped and, certainly, coming to his aid stopped the
attack. Call 911 as soon as you know there is a problem. The assaulted
man was disoriented after the attack and we are grateful to the
neighbors who came to his assistance.

2) We know crimes tend to recur within a rather wide area. It is wise
to walk with someone whenever possible and, if you can, have some way
to let people know when you need help. [always carry a phone]

3) A street light in the vicinity was out. If you have a street light
that is not working ... report all the lights needing attention. [call 311]
and we would add, let your neighborhood listverv/ association/ Facebook group know when something happens.

Monday, March 1, 2010

Grounded

Ground rent scandal co-conspirator cops a plea.

Teen missing, woman found bound, shooting in Towson

DaJah JohnsonPolice and family are searching for missing 14-year-old DaJah Johnson, left, of N. Bethel Street, gone since Friday.

A 19-year-old woman found bound with tape and shot in the neck

An employee and victim of attempted robbery shot in the face-- in Towson!

Raymond Taylor's prison escape began with a lawsuit over payment for drawings of Shrek and Garfield.

Hermann: Espinoza murder in Mexico might complicate appeals process for Falstaff triple murder. And look, links to stories about the case are back

State budget analysts say MD needs to reduce its prison population.

No good deed...

School cop moonlighting as basketball coach is in hot water after showdown with gang members in Carver High gym. Seems he stood his ground against the possible assailants, but his paperwork was messed up and now he's facing internal charges

Friday, February 26, 2010

Lock your doors when you go through New Northwood at 2 a.m.... man shot during an attempted carjacking

This just in: No extra drinkie on the weekend

Delegate Jill P Carter to her FB peeps: "HB 429 that would enable downtown bars to remain open until 4 a.m., Fri-Sun, has been Withdrawn. Opposition at this morning's delegation meeting was overwhelming! ................I'm totally in favor of the medical marijuana bill."

Furl-uh-oh Con Found

West Virginia state police captured Raymond Taylor in Martinsburg.
WBAL radio says "Authorities now believe that the convicted murderer who walked out of a prison in Baltimore yesterday was posing as another inmate who was scheduled to be released."

Don't bring your guns to school

School police officer accidentally opens fire at North Avenue headquarters.

Horrors, mysteries, misdeameanors

A man dead after a triple shooting in Sandtown-Winchester, 1542 N. Fulton Ave.
Also a man shot in the chest this morning at Stonewood and Northwood Rds.

Remember the three children murdered in Fallston? The father and brother of the convicted killers, Victor Espinoza, was killed in Mexico by his wife. Will she now be able to shed some light on what happened? (Unfortunately all of the Sun's story links are now non-functional, but here's some backstory from the Post.)

Duuuude. Testimony on the medical marijuana bill scheduled for today. Also under consideration: a bill to keep bars open until 4 a.m. Passed: a bill to ban BPA from baby bottles and sippy cups.
Plus, bitching homophobes & lauding lesbians

Also, the "Senate has approved legislation to ban strip searches for most misdemeanor or traffic offenses." Most?

The world's best-named strip club, Chubbies, has been shut down for a year; their lawyer says the penalty excessively hefty

Thursday, February 25, 2010

What a day.

More on the tragic murder of security guard James Ball

Mother of Javon Thompson testified she starved him to death to rid him of a demon, and a former cult member testifies the group had her committed to a mental hospital hide the killing.

A guilty plea in the murder of 18-year-old Steven Parrish in 2008-- he was allegedly killed by a fellow Blood for sending text messages "that were gay in nature."

A win for Doug Gansler: the Supreme Court re-instated a Maryland man’s child sexual abuse conviction, holding that police need wait only 14 days to re-interrogate a suspect who is released from custody after invoking his right to counsel.

Butterfingers! A prisoner mistakenly released. Raymond Taylor, 26, was serving life for shooting a woman and her daughters.

The police commissioner asked the liquor board to shut down the Velvet Rope club after mayhem erupted there last night

The mysterious murder of a teacher at the Cheltenham Youth Facility

... and speaking of youth, Kristyn Breeds, a 29-year-old teacher in the 'Deener, admitted to sleeping with a 17-year-old student and received probation.

The worst strip bar name ever

Fells Point strip bar chubbies is in trouble again, meanwhile former commish Norris to former mayor Dixon...it's not your fault

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Plastered & Fossilized

Fredneck man found dead in an alley, drunk friends questioned.

...AG Doug Gansler writes a letter to MoCo Senator saying he thinks that the Court of Appeals could rule to recognize same-sex marriages from other states. His sentiments don't carry any weight-- there's no case in front of the court about out-of-state marriages, and at last visit the court was pretty clear that marriage exists expressly for "the attendant link to fostering procreation." (sorry, grandma!) Perry v. Schwarzenegger has a better shot with the Supreme Court than any hypothetical gay suit would with our fossilized bench.
Speaking out for civil rights is always nice, though, right?

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Details on 19

Relative gets stabbed by abusive boyfriend trying to save his aunt.

Lawyers, Lasers, Cell-Phone Jammers

QTD: "I ... have a great contract. Bless the lawyers." - FHB III

Cell-phone jamming technology will be tested today at Cumberland. The Senate passed the Safe Prisons Communication Act in October and is likely to pass the House; the bill requires that blocking technology not interfere with communications outside of the prison. More on the debate here, and info on how cell phone jamming works

"New Lasers Fight Crime, Martians"


And behold: the Ink with no murders.

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Police Tweet, "STABBING - 706 N LAKEWOOD AVE, ADULT MALE STABBED IN THE NECK HAS DIED AT JOHNS HOPKINS,1 ARREST."

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Copping a plea

New details on how a policer supervisor's attempt to help a drug deal turned out badly
Sixty-one-year-old accused stalker shot by police kills himself in jail

Wins in Tort Court

Baltimore jury awards single mom $821K from Wal-Mart in false-arrest suit

"A Reisterstown teenager internationally known for never having aged past infancy has been awarded $250,000 after a Baltimore city jury found she was inappropriately restrained at Johns Hopkins Hospital"

Cultists go on Trial

Poor Ben Nuckols, getting to cover the case of the nutjobs accused of starving little Javon Thompson. Jury selection has begun, with Queen Antoinette and Trevia Williams representing themselves, in spite of ample evidence that they're thorough and complete lunatics.
More from JZ

And in Rockville, trial also begins for the Calvert County woman accused of killing her daughters and storing their bodies in a freezer.

Down in A-town

Facebook harassment, foreclosure mediation and some guy's sperm problem among subjects of bills in the hopper at the State House. A fab roundup of coverage from the MD Reporter.

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Our murder-free week came to a close with the shooting death of 21-year-old man in the 3200 block of Woodland Avenue. No motives, suspects, arrests, etc.

Cop in hot water

A police supervisor in charge of wire taps has been transferred and is under investigation for testifying on behalf of a drug suspect.

Monday, February 15, 2010

Luncheon to be Held for Alleged War Criminal

The Baltimore Chapter of the Federalist Society will host torture memo scribe, author and essayist John Yoo this Thursday, Feb. 18 noon at Miles & Stockbridge.
The event is open to the public but you must RSVP to Brian Fish*

*former prosecutor best known on this blog for making the case against "DJ Tommy."

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

PoPo: No Thoreau to Go

Donny Moses: after the initial "shock" of snowflakes, Baltimore's criminals quickly resume business as usual

BPD IDs officers who shot a man Feb 4.

"The Court of Special Appeals on Monday considered a challenge to the admissibility of ballistics evidence by a Columbia teenager convicted of murder, whose lawyer argued that a widely used analysis lacks scientific rigor.
'The methodology used by the state’s examiners is unvalidated and without scientific backing,' said Brian A. Zemil, a partner at Venable"

News of the weird: 2 Salsibury students and a Fruitlander charged with stealing a 400-pound statue of Thoreau for scrap metal.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Friday, February 5, 2010

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Behold

Chasity "Doodlebug" Morales, wanted for robbing the Pikesville Pizza Hut.

No good deed...

A teenager opened fire in a Sheraton ballroom and shot a man in the face. Two guys allegedly restrained the shooter in a "sleeper hold" and pistol-whipped him. Now the restrainers have been indicted.

More on the sad case of April Montford: sisters say mom didn't want their help.
Video from WBAL

Judges' goof gets double-murder case thrown out

Sentencing delayed for teen found to have participated in the beating of septuagenarian fisherman

Venerable haberdasher Jos. A Bank to pay $4 million for misrepresenting inventory levels to shareholders

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A man murdered Monday was ID'd as John England, 27. Reports the Sun, "England was sentenced to five years in federal prison in 2006 for firearm possession." But apparently that sentence didn't take.
Minor irony dept: England, subject of a paternity suit while imprisoned in Cumberland, was killed in front of the Center for Urban Families.

Monday, February 1, 2010

No Jail for Disipicable Daughters

From the SAO:
At a hearing today Judge David Ross sentenced Sharon Jones, 26, of the 400 block of W. Franklin Avenue and Tia Sewell, 27, of the 5100 block of Darien Road to a suspended ten year prison term and five years probation. Jones and Sewell pled guilty to first-degree vulnerable adult abuse November 16, 2009.
The court heard nearly three hours of testimony from members of the victim’s family who were called as defense witnesses and offered supportive testimony for Jones and Sewell. The court-ordered a pre-sentence investigation recommended suspended sentences for both defendants. The state argued that the heinous nature of the crime and the willful neglect of the victim warranted incarceration and the state asked for six years in prison.

Jones and Sewell admitted to the negligent care of their mother, April Montford, 40. Ms. Montford sustained severe injuries to her lower abdomen and legs resulting in bed sores, gangrenous open wounds and dehydration. She died March 14, 2008. The medical examiner ruled Montford’s death a homicide as a result of a 1985 gunshot wound. That gunshot wound left her a paraplegic.
The Sun reported that Montford was also infested with maggots and lice.

Police Need Help

ID'ing a decomposed body found in White Marsh

New trial for Tyrone Jones, convicted in a 1998 murder

The Sun's eds say MD's Rx pot policy should be clearer (love the Google ads)

Anybody go see Dr. John Rich at the Walters yesterday? Thoughts? Here's a review of the book

City makeover

Chris Taylor, the Union Square actvist arrested for interefering with an investigation wants to replace the current city council. Meanwhile the city law department is trying to figure how the city should handle future sex offenders who want to get paid while in jail.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

BPD to Drop Unlawful Gag Order

In a stunning reversal, BPD brass decides it will comply with federal transparency laws and release the names of officers who have shot citizens.
Wonder what brought that about?

S.A. Dix, Rollergirl

Will Steal-a Man Dixon appear rinkside tonight at the Charm City Rollergirls' home opener? Says the Girls' page,
The home season opener is a celebration as the Office of Mayor Shelia Dixon and the City of Baltimore will declare this Saturday [Jan 30] Charm City Roller Girls Day in Baltimore! Join us for the awarding of the official proclamation at DuBurns Arena this Saturday starting at 6:00pm.
UPDATE: the bouts were canceled due to snow

Friday, January 29, 2010

How the mighty have fallen...

Notorious Baltimore movie star/rapper/gang leader, Rodney "Skinny Suge" Thomas is convicted in federal court on racketeering and drug charges.
Suge is notorious for producing and starring in the notorious "Stop Snitching" movies that made national headlines in 2005. Suge is facing up to 20 years in prison when sentenced.
Brotha Workitout pleaded guilty to using fraudulent identification documents.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Justified

Jessamy rules a JHU student who killed a thief was "justified"

Speaking of Scary Stalkers

george thompson... the victim's family reports that George Thompson, 37, convicted of attempting to hire someone to murder his wife less than two years ago will be out of jail next month after serving little more than a year. Says the victim's cousin,
BEWARE!!! This FELON will be back on the streets at the end of February. Most likely will attempt to do work in a trade, i.e. plumbing, electric, carpentry. He is NOT licensed!!! Do NOT let him in your home, he is a danger!!!!!!!! please repost and keep your friends and loved ones safe!

Stabby stalker shot by cops

.. outside of Union Memorial hospital. The "victim" was wanted on an attempted murder warrant after a stabbing in January outside the Royal Farms store on 36th St. in Hampden.

Murders 7 through 10 in the Ink.

A good question: if O'Malley is against the death penalty, why doesn't he commute the sentences of the five inmates on death row?

Onward & Upward with the Arts
Closing arguments in the federal case against reality star Ronnie "AIDS in Your Mouth" Thomas.

Aiiiee!! the CP's Van Smith pays a visit to the Apex.

Hermann links to Peter Barry's gallery of Baltimore memorial graffiti

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

New journalism takes a hit

Acorn videographers busted breaking into Senator's office Watergate style

Life + 70 for Belair Rd. Murderer

From the SAO:
At a hearing today, Judge Wanda K. Heard sentenced Dominic Brown, 29, of the 1300 block of Vida Drive to life in prison plus 70 years. A Baltimore jury convicted Brown October 30, 2009 of first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and two counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence.

Judge Hears sentenced Brown to the following: life in prison for first-degree murder, 30 years in prison for attempted second-degree murder and 40 years in prison (first five years without parole) for two counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, all consecutive.

On May 4, 2008, Sean Henderson and a group of friends were inside La’Son’s Bar and Grill located in the 3200 block of Belair Road. Henderson left the bar and spoke with two women outside the bar. Witnesses observed Dominic Brown approach Henderson and the two women. Brown began yelling at one of the women, the mother of his son. Shortly thereafter, Brown produced a handgun from his waistband and fired it at Henderson multiple times. As Henderson attempted to run southbound on Belair Road, he was struck once in the chest, once in the back, and once in the forearm. Witnesses observed Brown flee northbound on Belair Road. At approximately 1:54AM officers responded to that location for a shooting call. Upon arrival, officers found Henderson suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics transported Henderson to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 2:31AM. A second victim, Christopher Pinkney, suffered a single gunshot wound to the right knee and entered Johns Hopkins Hospital on his own a short time after the arrival of Henderson. The investigation revealed Pinkney was not a target but was inadvertently shot as he exited a store located next to La’Son’s Bar and Grill.

Your Tax $ at Work

HR2450, a bill going to committee, would require non-Federal prisons and correctional facilities holding Federal prisoners under a contract with the Federal Government to make the same information available to the public that Federal prisons and correctional facilities are required to make available.

As of now, "companies that run private prisons say they are not required to disclose basic information about the facilities or the inmates -- except for reports issued upon an inmate's death -- under existing FOIA law because while they receive taxpayer money, they are not public agencies."

Wonder what these agencies could possibly have to hide?

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Unidentified man, shot around 9:30 p.m. last night in the 1900 block of Aisquith Street.

"Baltimore police are investigating the rape of a woman inside her home in Reservoir Hill, and are trying to determine whether it's related to a series of other attacks in recent months."

What the? ACORN "pimp" arrested in phone-tapping scheme

and is the Obama administration really more transparent?

More on the jailed sex offender still on city payroll

Serving out a prison term for sexual abuse of a minor didn't stop Dennis McLaughlin from collecting his city pay check. Now DPW investgators are trying to find out who submitted fake leave slips from in Baltimore County lock-up on charges of impersonating a police officer.

Meanwhile, Dixon staffers are given 24 hours to submit resumes or clean out their desks.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Small world!

One of the people charged in the counterfeit money/ drug bust last week was on federal probation for her involvement in the firebombing of the home of community activist Edna McAbier. Surely you remember that one: "the leader of the area Bloods initially wanted to shoot her in the head with a shotgun, but the gang dismissed the idea as not dramatic enough."
McAbier still lives in hiding, as far as we know... unlike at least one of her would-be killers!

Need some churchin'?

Need some churchin'? Drop by the 2010 Interfaith Vigil Against Violence at 7 p.m. at the Cathedral up on Charles Street, "organizaed" by the Baltimore Interfaith Coalition

LoLz: "Baltimore PoliceDept GUN ARRESTS: BPD seizes 14 illegal guns over the weekend including one from a man impersonating a police officer at a flea market."

"Hundreds Of Shoes Found In Bags Along Md. Creek"

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Don't Miss

...NPR's story on the Bail Bonds industry. All kinds of interesting!
Thnx PP

Also interesting: NYT on transgender name-changes. I wonder at what point, according to MD law, does someone undergoing a sex change officially become the other gender?

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Three men arrested for the stabbing death of Marine Pfc. Darius Ray, 20, at a house party early Saturday morning at a party at 6908 McClean Blvd.

Police "experimenting with new patrol strategies to counteract the hordes of drunken barhoppers who flood the streets at last call"

A victim's daughter talks to the reporter who wrote about her mother's murder in the NYT Fashion & Style section.