From the SA's Office

On Friday Baltimore Jury convicted Simmeon Anderson, 31, of the 2800 block of Hollins Ferry Road, of two counts of first degree assault, two counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, two counts of reckless endangerment and one count each of felon in possession of a handgun and wear/carry/transport a handgun. The jury deliberated 40 minutes after hearing approximately two and a half days of testimony. Anderson faces a maximum possible prison term of 90 years when sentenced by Judge John Themelis on June 4, 2007: 25 years for each assault, 20 years for each use of a handgun count. Say Court docs,

On September 12, 2000 Anderson shot victims Derrick and Lisa Kattrell. This case was tried once before, in 2004, and a mistrial was declared. It has been postponed 27 times until this week's trial, and was the oldest pending trial in Baltimore Circuit Court. Anderson is also pending trial today. CDA on September 9, 2005 court documents allege Anderson, while held inside the Baltimore City Detention Center, attempted to arrange the murder of witnesses in the above case. On November 16, 2005 Anderson is charged with solicitation to commit murder, solicitation to obstruct justice, solicitation to intimidate a witness.

On Friday the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Gregory Brown, 22, of the 2400 block of Druid Hill Avenue for first-degree murder. CDA that on February 26, 2007 Gregory Brown was identified as the person responsible for fatally shooting Vernon Carter, 25 [#46] in the 1800 block of W. Lanvale Street.

March 25

About 75 people showed up for a vigil and march to memorialize honor student / athlete / musician / police academy enrollee / all-around-good-kid Christopher Clarke, but as Rodricks says, "there should have been thousands."

March 24

Murders are up, but robberies, aggravated assaults, and arrests are down.

Today's Blotter has a bunch of disgusting crimes, even by Baltimore standards: a 15-year-old girl was chased down and raped, two women were attacked in Reservoir Hill, and several jackasses did some aggravated assault action at what might be the world's greatest non-profit ice cream shop.

Our police force is, at least temporarily, down 14 officers.

There's still no parole for nonviolent drug offenses.

March 23

Two teenagers were shot when they tried to rob an off-duty MTA cop.

Shardae Coles pleaded guilty yesterday to throwing a 16-month-old boy and killing him.

The Baltimore Algebra Project staged a die-in on North Ave. yesterday morning.

In the Blotter, a bunch of arrests, a bunch of shootings, and a whole bunch of robberies.

Perv of the day: Jeffrey Thompson, the former band director at Glen Burnie High School, couldn't keep his hands off his students or his vodka out of their Gatorade.

Paul Stella couldn't wait until they were dead to steal their money. And Theresa Antoinette Adams made a career of burglarizing retirement homes.

Some nice, classic fear reporting from WJZ on (cue scary music) How Your Attic Can Get You Killed.

Homeland Security: Giving traffic tickets in the name of American safety.

March 22

17-year-old Shawn Weaver was killed in a gunfight in the 900 block of McCulloh St. in West Baltimore, and the dead bodies of a man and a woman were found in a Rosemont rowhouse. This brings us to 64 homicides, which is 11 more than we had last year at this time.

Also in the link above, the man killed on Queensberry Ave. on Saturday was identified as 21-year-old Rodney Dewitt. The man whose body was found in a vacant house on 43rd St. was 54-year-old Ricardo Paige.

A man was shot and wounded in Glen Burnie early this morning.

Elementary school kids are being robbed at gunpoint.

There was insufficient evidence against Kevin Lomax in the shooting death of a pregnant woman outside of Club Choices last year. Charges against him have been dropped, but charges against co-defendant Oscar Adams still stand.

A blonde woman in her 20s or 30s tried to lure an 8-year-old girl into a maroon four-door sedan after the girl got out of school.

Apparently, spring is the best time to rob college students.

Perv du jour: 64-year-old Rondal Greenwade was charged with molesting a two-year-old girl and will be tried in Carroll County.

Kerry Harrison Parrish is the only HoCo sex offender who couldn't be found after police did an audit of registered offenders. (The article contains a nifty link to the state's Sexual Offender Registry, so you can find all the pervs in your neighborhood!)

An unidentified woman was walking in the right lane of 695 last night when she was killed by a truck. In unrelated news, somebody at WMAR really needs to learn how to use, commas.

March 21

City Paper covers the murders of Charles Erdman, Mark Anthony Robinson, Tyrone Jackson Jr., Steven Washington, Christopher Clarke, Antwan Askins, Michael Stuckey, and two men who were unidentified as of the CP's press time (one of whom has since been ID'd as 30-year-old Edwin Mathews, see link below).

Christopher Clark(e) was an honors physics student with no criminal record who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Late yesterday afternoon, two more people were added to the city's murder roll. At about 6:00, police found a man who'd been shot to death in an apartment on E. 43rd St. several hours earlier. At about 5:15, 20-year-old Charles Hargrove was taken to Shock Trauma, where he died about 30 minutes later. He had been shot several times in the head on the 1500 block of Rayner Ave.

Lamar Damian Fleming was Annapolis' second murder of the year. The killing occurred Monday night in the Bywater Mutual Homes community.

A body was found next to the USS Constellation in the Inner Harbor.

Vaughan Lamont Garris was arrested for the death of Chontae Waters. Garris was Waters' next door neighbor.

Two movers in Sykesville got into a fight over a palate jack on Monday. One of the men was stabbed, the other charged with attempted murder.

The Blotter tells of a shooting, two shootings, a shooting, a shooting, and an arrest.

Two separate attacks in Glen Burnie yesterday.

Carroll County, the last county in the state to rely entirely on the Maryland State Police, is establishing its own police department.

March 20

A man's body was found in a house in the 2900 block of E. Madison Ave. on Saturday afternoon. Missing Cumberland resident Candice Annette Page was found, alive, at the same time with a gunshot wound to the back of her head. (Thanks for the link, Chris.)

The body of 31-year-old Chontae Waters was found in her Putnam Green rowhouse on Heatherton Ct. Waters was stabbed to death and was found by her roommate. (Putnam Green is in Baltimore County, near Woodlawn.)

Timothy Brockington and Tyrone Gross were sentenced to 45 years for kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery. Their victim was an off-duty BPD officer. Gross is a three-time felon, so he must serve the first 25 years without the possibility of parole.

On July 5, 2005 at approximately 1:30AM off duty Baltimore Police Officer Antoine Boykin was at the Exxon gas station at 513 E. Mulberry Street when a burgundy Lincoln with three males inside pulled up next to him. One of the defendants, who was armed with a handgun, got out of the Lincoln and approached Officer Boykin. Officer Boykin was forced into the defendant’s vehicle at gunpoint. An unknown person exited the defendant’s vehicle and took Officer Boykin’s car from the gas station. Once inside the Lincoln, Officer Boykin was robbed at gunpoint and was struck in the head several times with the gun. The defendants drove Officer Boykin to the 1100 block of Myrtle Avenue where he was blindfolded and walked at gunpoint down the rear alley. The defendants had a conversation indicating that they planned to stash Officer Boykin inside of a vacant house at which time they walked into the yard of 1123 Myrtle Avenue and up the stairs. Officer Boykin was able to withdraw his service weapon, fire at the defendants and get away. Officer Boykin flagged an unknown citizen and was able to call 911. Timothy Brockington was located in the rear yard of 1123 Myrtle Avenue with gunshot wounds; Tyrone Gross was located in the front yard with a gunshot wound.

After pleading guilty to 2nd degree murder on March 8, Larry McMillian was sentenced to 25 years yesterday afternoon:

On May 25, 2006 following a neighborhood dispute McMillian shot Ruffin twice, once to the head and once to the leg. The incident occurred in the alley behind Mr. Ruffin’s home in the 2000 block of Woodbourne Avenue.

Roger Burks was indicted yesterday for first-degree murder. Burks is accused of stabbing Irvin Conley to death at a backyard cookout on July 3, 2006.

A badly decomposed body was found in Leakin Park.

Baltimore County Councilman Vincent Gardina wants an investigation of the taser-related death of Ryan Lee Meyers.

Sheila D. is going to have "frank discussions" about our rising murder rate. In an exciting development, there will be meetings to discuss the problem. In the first of four "emergency meetings," the people said they want more foot patrols.

It appears that Her Honor is starting to see the outrage she so strongly desires.

House of Correction: "It's as bad as you could imagine."

Scary pervs of the day: A man tried to grab a 16-year-old HoCo high school student and drag her into the woods. And in Carroll County, 34-year-old Lincoln Goodman Sr. was charged with picking up two teenage girls, getting them drunk, waiting for one of them to pass out, and then having his way with her.

Beware of DPW workers who show up unannounced.

There's a statewide struggle to retain and recruit school teachers. The article fails to mention anything about teachers who leave because they're getting beaten up, nor does it address whether student-on-teacher violence is a problem outside of Baltimore City.

March 19

One killing over the weekend has been reported so far; a 22-year-old man was shot to death on Queensberry Ave in Park Heights.

40-year-old Ryan Lee Meyers was killed by a police taser gun while he was allegedly attacking his family members with a baseball bat.

17-year-old Kenneth Tomlin tried to steal a Caddy but got killed instead.

Good times around town: A barber was stabbed, a 64-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint, a 13-year-old boy was assaulted and robbed, a man was shot in the face, and a couple cut each other during an argument. (And that's not even looking at the county.)

No more House of Corruption.

A convicted heroin dealer just bought the Hillendale Shopping Center, home to a Baltimore County police substation.

O'Malley's legacy lingers on.

Trouble's brewing at the Cecil County Detention Center.

Frednecks have vandalized their local mosque three times this year.

An honorary Darwin Award should go to Zachary Martin, who cut his hand while vandalizing a knife store.

The Guardian Angels expect about three dozen applicants for their new Harford County chapter.

March 17

65-year-old Charles R. Erdman has been added to the list of this year's homicides. He died on March 9 after being intentionally run down after a minor traffic accident.

A 23-year-old woman was raped in White Marsh last Saturday morning.

A Hyattsville woman helped reunite a Missouri mother and her kidnapped son.

In AAC, Aubrey Mayhew cried and pleaded guilty to strangling his estranged wife, who for some inexplicable reason was seeking full custody of their two kids.

Sheila D. apologized for the cops who arrested a 7-year-old boy. She is also calling for an emergency meeting about the problem of student-on-teacher attacks in the city's school system. If we're really lucky, maybe she and Commissioner Hamm will form both a task force and a committee.

Four years for the racist Hagerstown cop.

College students in Salisbury are passing "bogus Benjamins." (WJZ's words, not mine.)

Columbia cat ladies Ayten and Nese Enetullah Icgoren accepted a plea deal for their animal cruelty charges.

March 16

49-year-old Michael Stuckey was stabbed to death in the Southwest, allegedly by 50-year-old Robin A. Weaver. In the same article, Antwan D. Askins was ID'd as the man who was fatally shot in Lauraville on Tuesday night and Maurice Wilkerson was arrested for the murder of Steven Washington.

Danielle Eboni Riley got 20 years for killing her newborn baby.

Yesterday, Anthony Jerome Miller was found guilty for the murders of Jason Convertino and Sean Wisniewski. Sentencing is scheduled for June 8.

On April 16, 2003 at approximately 2:30AM police responded to 1917 Gough Street for a shooting. Upon arrival, officers discover the bodies of Jason M. Convertino, 31, and Sean M. Wisniewski, 22, in an apartment inside the building. The medical examiner later rules that both men died as a result of gunshot wounds. Evidence from the crime scene is gathered and secured. In May 2003 a laptop computer owned by Convertino is pawned by Miller. In March 2005 DNA evidence is collected from a piece of evidence discovered at the crime scene, a latex glove, and in November 2005 that DNA is matched to Miller.

Perv of the day: Jose Elder Montufar is wanted for kidnapping and raping a 13-year-old Baltimore girl.

Anthony Hawks was arrested for last month's murder of Harold Robinson at Club International. Also in the Blotter, a burglar in Greektown got the beatdown when he broke into an occupied house.

City leaders are outraged and horrified by the arrest of 7-year-old Gerard Mungo Jr.

Yesterday, Frederick County released the 911 tapes from the fire that destroyed a shopping center last month.

An inmate at the Baltimore City Detention Center was injured during a fight on a jail van.

Kevin "Chopper" Barnes got community service for robbing a couple at gunpoint in 2001. Apparently, his lawyer asked the court to cut his client some slack for the youthful mistake and not jeopardize Chopper's pending million-dollar record deal.

It looks like Bowling Brook might be liquidating their property.

Former BPD cop Andre Alan Stover earned $150,000 from false workers' comp claims.

Truants may be losing the right to drive.

The Guardian Angels will be recruiting for their Edgewood chapter this weekend.

March 15

Two people were killed and three were injured in two separate Northeast Baltimore shootings on Tuesday night. 18-year-old Christopher Clarke was one of the men killed; the other has not yet been identified.

Parole was revoked for Lawrence Banks, who will be in prison until 2014. So far, Banks has murdered his son, killed a friend, and thrown his 7-month-old daughter through a glass door. He is being investigated for the deaths of his girlfriend's 22-year-old daughter and 9-month-old granddaughter.

A 7-year-old boy was arrested while sitting on his dirt bike in East Baltimore.

A guard at Central Booking might be stealing inmates' credit cards.

Our elected leaders continue to fail miserably at battling witness intimidation.

Perv of the day: 52-year-old volleyball coach Robert Borello got 18 months for his 'relationship' with one of his 16-year-old Wicomico High School students.

A fire commander at the BFD training academy was suspended for 30 days for not properly tracking EMS certifications. Additionally, nearly 1/4 of the BFD cannot legally drive large vehicles, including fire trucks.

Racists vandalized a street sign in front of Councilman Harris' home in the 4th.

On what was, indeed, a 'hisrotic' day, police headquarters was re-named as the Bishop L. Robinson Sr. Police Administration Building yesterday.

March 14

Murder Ink covers a multitude of homicide convictions and closed cases, along with the deaths of Michael Woods, Richard Stuckey, Anthony Bryan, Allen Coates, and Damon Smith. This is the first media mention of Anthony Bryan's death, who was 37 years old when he was shot once behind his right ear in the Southwest neighborhood of Rosemont last Friday.

Three men have been killed in Baltimore since Monday. An unidentified man was shot late yesterday morning during an argument in the 1600 block of Cliftview Ave. in East Baltimore. Early yesterday morning, Tyrone Jackson Jr. was fatally shot on the front porch of his family's house on Brook Ave. in the Northeast. On Monday night, Mark Robinson was found on the sidewalk in the 2700 block of Harlem Ave; he had been shot repeatedly and died at Shock Trauma.

Nancy Jean Siegel allegedly killed her much-older boyfriend more than 10 years ago, and his been cashing his Social Security checks ever since.

Convicted murdered Lawrence Banks may go back to prison for parole violations, while PG police investigate whether he was involved in the murders of his girlfriend's daughter and granddaughter.

Death row inmate Lawrence Borchardt, convicted for killing an elderly couple who helped him while he was a heroin addict, died in his cell on Sunday.

There's a serial bank robber running amok in the city. And a former bank robber contemplates all of the wasted years and wasted lives.

A citizen in Charles County helped capture some neo-Nazis.

A mother and son in Washington County were indicted for stealing from the liquor board.

March 13

Travis Davon Terry was convicted of first-degree murder today by a Harford County jury in the shooting death of Edwin Lee Potillo. He could get a death sentence.

Police and family members are seeking new information about the murder of Gap Suk Suh, who was murdered on Friday, November 3 after a minor accident with a Buick Rendezvous at the corner W. Mulberry St. and Jasper St. Suh would have turned 60 yesterday.

18-year-old Raymond Zubrowski Jr. has been missing from North Point for 45 days and "seems to have disappeared without a trace."

Good times in the city over the past few days: a shooting, two shootings, a shooting, a shooting, and a bank robbery.

Joseph Kopera's false credentials and make-believe science may lead to the review of hundreds of murder and shooting cases.

Perv of the day: William Wray of Crespatown, who was charged with abusing an 11-year-old girl.

Perv of the day, part II: A transcript from last night's "Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees" on CNN, where Headline News anchor Thomas Roberts discusses being abused by former Calvert Hall chaplain Father Jerome Toohey from 1987 - 1990.

Michael Dean Jackson Jr. got the maximum sentence -- 10 years -- for voluntary manslaughter for shooting Anthony James Owens-Smith to death in Howard County.

Leeander Blake's confession is admissible in his federal murder trial.

BFD Captain Brian K. Edwards is in trouble for talking to the Sun.

The City Council is considering banning BB guns because they "have the same effect as real guns when they're used by criminals." Uh, yeah, the same effects, except for real bullets' tendencies to tear flesh and shatter bones and destroy organs.

In other City Council news, members unanimously agreed that the death penalty is bad, even if the killer used a BB gun.

Evening

An e-mail from TheSunLies@gmail.com:
"TheSunLies didn't disappear after Ehrlich's loss. It continued through January and is in the process of finding a new server. Checkout [sic] www.baltimorereporter.com for the interim posters. Please note your mistake."

At a hearing today, Jeffrey Morgan, aka Chester Moore, 42, of the 900 block of East Chase Street, pled guilty to robbery and robbery deadly weapon. Judge M. Brooke Murdock sentenced Morgan to 12 years in prison. On October 3, 2006 at approximately 10:20 p.m. in the 500 block of East Lombard Street victim Lisa L. Dickerson was preparing to enter her MTA vehicle when Morgan approached and stuck a screwdriver into her right side stating, “I will poke you. I will hurt you.” Morgan then reached across her person, removed her GPS, and then fled the scene. Dickerson subsequently entered her vehicle (MTA vehicle equipped with a siren) and began following defendant with siren activated. Pursuit continued into the unit block of Market Place where three security officers were able to apprehend defendant. Morgan still possessed Dickerson's property and screwdriver.

A Baltimore City jury today convicted Erskine Jones, 30, of the 2400 block of North Calvert Street, of first-degree rape, third- and fourth-degree sex offense and second degree assault. The jury deliberated approximately five hours following two days of testimony. Judge David Ross scheduled sentencing for March 20, 2007. Jones faces a maximum possible term of life plus 10 years in prison. On May 16, 2003 Jones raped and threatened to kill the victim, telling her he had a gun. The attack occurred in the rear of 317 Dolphin Street. Police identified Jones with a DNA search of the Combined Offender Data Index System (CODIS) in November 2004. The victim identified Jones in a photo array two weeks later. Jones is currently charged with an additional five rapes with five separate victims and is awaiting trial, scheduled for March 20, 2007.

March 12

Two reported killings over the weekend: On Saturday, Allen Coates was at a birthday party at Maceo's Lounge. He confronted a man who was "groping" a woman at the party and was repeatedly shot as a result. Early Sunday morning, 40-year-old Damon Smith was found in an alley of the 5000 block of Denmore in the Northwest; he had been repeatedly shot more than an hour before.

17-year-old Andrew Tuell was arrested in Utah for the Annapolis murder of Terrance Powell, and Daniel Lawson was arrested in Glen Burnie for last week's murder of James Fabian in Brooklyn Park (AAC).

BaCo popo want CoCo.

A 50-year-old Delaware woman traveled to Harford County and unsucessfully hired a hit man to take out her step-mother.

DNA evidence led prosecutors to drop charges against Andre Christopher King, accused of raping an 8-year-old. The victim's family still claim that he did it.

A 16-year-old was killed when his drunk friend crashed into a tree.

A librarian was robbed at gunpoint in the elevator of a parking garage while she was on her way to work at the Towson public library.

A happier, friendlier Central Booking awaits you.

Gregory Kane looks at the recent stabbings at the Maryland House of Corrections in Jessup.

A man who might have been drinking a the flight from Phoenix was arrested at BWI for slapping flight attendants.

It's not right to work so hard for your constituents yet bring home a paltry $80,000, so I think we'd all agree that our city leaders deserve an 18-to-26% pay increase.

Perhaps our state workers also deserve a raise, so they can stop watching porn at work and do it at home instead.

March 11

"What happens to freedom of thought when the government knows your thoughts?"

Copper wire, a 13-year-old minivan, a Nintendo Wi, two aluminum ladders and a backpack.

March 9

It was a banner week for city prosecutors.

Devon Richardson, 15, of the 5100 block of Belair Road pled guilty today to second-degree murder. Under terms of the plea agreement, announced in open court, Richardson faces a maximum possible prison sentence of 20 years suspend all but a maximum of 10 years when Judge Wanda K. Heard sentences him on May 3. According to court testimony Richardson, who was 14 at the time, was a child in need of assistance (CINA) who was not in school the day of the incident. On September 26, 2006 Richardson shot and killed Janice Letmate, 67, with a .22 caliber rifle while she was walking home in the 4000 block of Biddison Lane. Letmate suffered a single gunshot to the head. One witness described him as aiming the gun and another described him as holding the gun in her direction when the gun fired.

This afternoon a Baltimore jury convicted Erik Stoddard, 26, of the 2500 block of Moore Avenue, of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault and first- and second-degree child abuse resulting in death. Prosecutors proceeded with a new trial after the Court of Appeals vacated Stoddard's 2003 conviction. The jury deliberated for approximately four hours before reaching its verdict following five days of testimony. Judge Allen L. Schwait ordered a pre-sentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for May 9, 2007. Stoddard faces a maximum possible prison term of 60 years. The backstor:

A Baltimore City jury convicted Stoddard March 13, 2003 of second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death for the death of Calen Faith Dirubbo, 3, and Stoddard began serving a 60-year prison term. On December 8, 2005 the Maryland Court of Appeals vacated Stoddard's conviction, citing evidentiary issues regarding hearsay testimony. The mother of an 18-month-old child who witnessed the murder testified how a surviving child now acts and that the child asked, "Is Erik going to get me?" These statements were not used by prosecutors in this second trial.

On June 15, 2002 Dirubbo was pronounced dead at her home, where she lived with her mother and Stoddard. Dirubbo died as a result of multiple beatings over a period of at least a month; the fatal blow occurred June 15, 2002 and severed her bowel. The State proved through detailed medical evidence that Stoddard was the only person who had custody of Dirubbo when the fatal blow occurred. Julie Drake, Chief of the Felony Family Violence Division, and Assistant State's Attorney Jeremy Eldridge prosecuted this case.

Robert J. Brown, 46 and a former soldier, had been working as an apartment super until he was arrested for raping and killing a woman 23 years ago near Bad Homburg, Germany.

Joseph Kopera, a ballistics expert for the state police, shot and killed himself last Thursday, a day after leaving his job as a state police ballistics examiner. Officials said his academic credentials were being questioned, they expect a ton of defendants to appeal, and now the backgrounds of all state police lab employees are being audited.

What's old is new again: Baltimore police are walking the streets, and the difference has been "mind-boggling."

The final Tamil Tiger on trial, Haji Subandi, pled guilty to conspiring to ship surface-to-air missles to Sri Lanka.

Jesse Holbrook, 16, allegedly dragged a police officer more than 200 feet during a traffic stop on Route 40 in Elkton. Holbrook was arrested and charged as an adult with multiple traffic violations, resisting arrest and assault ("charged with charges").

A decade later, theories abound, but still no one really knows who killed Biggie.

March 8

A teenager was shot in the face in the 3200 block of Phelps Lane in the Southwest last night.

Steve Carr, 38, of the 3800 block of Hillsdale Avenue in Baltimore, will be arraigned Friday, March 9 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Martin P. Welch. Carr is charged with Armed Robbery and Assault on A. Robert Kauffman on December 6, 2006, in his home in the 2000 block of N. Hilton Street in Baltimore. Court documents allege that Carr assaulted A. Robert Kauffman on his head with a brick, and then took his wallet with more than $100 in cash.

Police are looking for Jose Elder Montufar, 28, of Parkville, friend of the victim's uncle, wanted for the kidnapping and rape of a 13-year-old girl in Govans who only habla español.

Eighteen years for Steven Lee, 20, from Judge John Glynn after Lee pled guilty to second-degree murder for shooting and killing Edward Brown in the 1300 block of Mosher Street during an argument on January 5, 2006.

Thomas Harris, 33, turned himself in for the first-degree murder of Karim Cross, whom he allegedly stabbed in the Rush Hour Bar on Liberty Road in Randallstown.

Immediately after being "tied up in court this week" with client Ameer Taylor, Warren Brown zipped up to Bosely Avenue to take the stand at a motions hearing for his former client, Jamaal K. Abeokuto, who has a second death sentence-related hearing next month.

William Wright, 37, got 15 years after pleading guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.

"Baltimore County police shot a woman who charged an officer yesterday while she was holding knives in a house in Essex."

Not Baltimore but makes for Good reading anyway Dept.:
CA's vague medical marijuana laws have local police in a bind.
(MD allows medical marijuana, but I've never heard of anyone atempting to use MD's law as a defense)

Headline of the week : "Man boasts he had sex with mayor"
No, it's not about Baltimore (sadly) but about SF's much-stalked Gavin Newsom.

March 7

A Baltimore jury convicted Ameer Taylor, 32, of the 7400 block of Barkers Court, today of first degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Judge David Ross sentenced Taylor to life in prison for the murder and a consecutive 20 years for the handgun count. On June 2, 2005 at approximately 2:30 a.m. Samuel David Richardson (right) and his girlfriend were walking home from their jobs at the Rendez-Vous Bar on 26th street. As they walked along the 400 block of West 26th Street Taylor drove past them, stopped his car, backed up to them, said something to Richardson and fired two fatal shots, striking him twice in the head.
The conviction is surely a relief to Liz and the Richardson family.

Murder Ink recounts last week's victims Vernon Carter, Vic Finner, Thomas Terry [our 48], and Anthony Brown, notes arrests for muders of David Savage, Stephanie Stevens, Harold Robinson and Marcus McDowell.

Bodyguards for teachers?
An Art teacher at Waverly middle school was assaulted by students and quit in fear for her safety, now the state is seeking to suspend her certification for breaking her contract.

The Justice Department acknowledged yesterday that Thomas DiBiagio was forced from office, but an employee says it was the "front-page indictment" memo that did in his career.

"The governor, attorney general, state's attorneys, police chiefs and three-quarters of the House of Delegates all are gung-ho to pass legislation expanding the ability to prosecute" alleged gang members for "participating in a criminal gang knowing that the other members engage in crime" but the definition of "gang" sounds awfully vague: "to be a gang, it must have some kind of identifying sign, symbol, name, leader or purpose."
So if call up your friends and plan to meet them somewhere to do something, you're a gang.


Edgy new billboards invoke Itchy Man.

March 6

The Baltimore City Grand Jury today indicted Vivian Day, 49, of the 2000 block of W. North Avenue, on charges of first-degree murder. Court documents allege that on December 28, 2006 Vivian Day struck and killed her friend, Nelsene Burnette, 44, with an object during an altercation. Subsequently, court documents allege Ms. Burnette was found in the bedroom closet in Day's apartment. Ms. Burnette had been reported missing by a family member days before Day revealed the location of Ms. Burnette. An arraignment is scheduled for April 6 before Judge Martin P. Welch, Rm 228, Courthouse East. Assistant State's Attorney and Division Chief of Homicide Mark Cohen will prosecute.

Former MD Federal prosecutor Thomas DiBiagio says he was forced out of his job because he had investigators "interested in tracing substantial payments made by a gambling company to a political marketing business in Maryland with ties to Maryland Republicans."
Ehrlich, on the other hand, says he was made ineffective due to lingering resentments over the Edward "R." Norris affair.

The 19-year-old shot on West Hamburg Street and driven to the Hyatt died at Shock Trauma [48].

Dept of WTF?
Tracey Gardner-Tetso, who went missing on her way to a Crüe concert two years ago, is still gone without a trace, and it's implied an estranged husband may be involved somehow.

State police found a human skull and some other creepy crap in a cauldron in Conowingo.

Police are still looking for the Valentine's Day rapist of Arbutus, and have released a sketch.

Fledia Powell, nominated for a County panel for the disabled, is accused of talking crazy talk and pulling a shotgun on her son's girlfriend.

Whomever shot Russian intelligence expert Paul Joyal in PGC last week "did not, as law enforcement sources said, take his wallet, the victim's adult son said yesterday."

Charles: Whether Antoine Jones of Waldorf was one of the area's biggest cocaine importers and money launderers, or merely a successful nightclub promoter, the jury simply could not decide.

O'Malley to China: quit eating our terrapins!

March 5

Isaiah Simmons' death at Bowling Brook in Carroll County has been ruled a homicide, and an FBI investigation will commence.

On March 2, 2007 the BC Grand Jury indicted Nicholas Deminds, 19, of the 700 block of Linnard Street and Steven Blunt, 33, of Martinsburg West Virginia on first-degree murder and other counts. Court documents allege on January 31 Stephanie Stevens, 22, was fired upon by two individuals as she approached the 700 block of Edgewood Street. Nicholas Deminds was identified as one of the two individuals responsible for the shooting. The other individual fled on foot in an unknown direction. Ms. Stevens died as a result of her injuries. An arraignment is scheduled for March 27 before Judge Lynn K. Stewart Room 215 Mitchell Courthouse.

A pre-teen boy and a man were shot shot during an apparent home invasion attempt in the 2000 block of Smallwood Street, the man has died [47].

Pam Morgan found out who killed her son Jason Convertino in a month, but had to wait three years for the killer to be indicted.

WMAR on new reception court:

Officials in Baltimore's Circuit Court are hoping to take some of the agony out of jury duty. They are shuffling criminal case assignments and hope to reduce the amount of time that jurors spend doing nothing. Until now, each judge has had to hear dozens of routine court appearances on their daily calendars before beginning their trials. Now those routine cases are being managed by two judges -- freeing the eight other judges to concentrate solely on trials. The change takes effect today.

PDJ: County gymnastics coach, Patrick David Bogan, 41, charged with possession of "more than 800 videotapes and magazines showing children having sex with men, and books and newspaper articles about pedophilia and child abduction."

"Only she knew who they were." Broadwater procured the Brandy Britton file, found she kept very responsible notes.

Sun Op-Ed: we've got to do something with the crazy people!

March 4

Broadwater: Two die every three days in "Murder City" and police have solved only nine of 2007's 45 official murders.
Ed Norris: "Could you imagine if 300 white kids were killed in this city? ... the National Guard would be on every corner. There's a genocide going on, and everyone’s ignoring it. It's just disgraceful.”

Correctional officer Edouardo Edouazin, 28, is recovering at home after being shanked with a handcrafted weapon. His wife told police that her husband was threatened when he began working at the prison in November.

PGC:
Amara Eden, 31, left, was arrested after firefighters found her five children, aged six months to six years, had set a fire trying to cook their own food. Then it gets worse.

Paul Joyal, a Russian intelligence expert and government critic, was shot in the groin on his way home from a trip to the Spy museum, soon after he said on TV that the Putin government was probably involved with the poisoning of a former K.G.B. agent.

March 3

Get In On It! Two men shot in the 100 block of West Hamburg Street "created a raucous scene Saturday night when they turned up with multiple gunshot wounds" in the valet parking area of the Hyatt Regency on Light Street.

Prep school days:
Following the death of Isaiah Simmons, Bowling Brook Preparatory School will be closed.

CEO David McDowell Robinson is in hot water for running a Ponzi scheme that bilked investors, including Katrina victims. You know it's Baltimore when "Gilman" is in the first sentence!

Post: A PGC jury "yesterday convicted a county police corporal of assaulting four teenagers when he pepper-sprayed them last year, marking the first time in at least 12 years that a Prince George's officer has been convicted in state court for law enforcement-related use of force."

Jim Brochin of the county says Joseph Vallario is the guy standing the the way of the new Sex Offender Evidence Bill.

A bench warrant was issued last week for former Da Band rapper Young City, right, (from P. Diddy's reality show), after he missed a court appearance stemming from an arrest six years ago for robbing a man with a BB gun in Eastpoint Mall. Young City (née Kevin Barnes) is in jail in Gwinett County, GA., following an arrest for assaulting his "girlfriend."

Envigorated by the overwhelming popularity of Glowing Metal Hermaphrodite Looming Over the Train Station and those beloved, ubiquitous candy-colored giant metal curlicues, city officials hope to force all new publically funded construction costs to pay 1 percent of costs towards more public art.

The Texas oysters had their revenge on MD food-festival-goers February 9-11.

What if indeed!

Funniest! Billboard Ever!
For literally months I drove by it and assumed it was urging people to get tested for some "social disease"!
I finally noticed it's for ... the Sun.
I love how it asks and answers its own question!
"What if you didn't know?"
You'd be a Sun reader, of course!
(Wouldn't "what if you knew" be more, um, positive?)
Wonder how many thousands the Tribune paid for that powerful call to action to get news from somewhere else?

March 2

Starting Monday at the courthouse: "Reception Court."
Explains an insider: "The goal of reception court is to have all the cases for trials appear before two judges, one in each building. They will personally review all these cases then send them off to other judges who presumably will not have dockets since all the cases will be before the so called reception courts. Determinations will be made as to what cases should go forward, etc, based on how old they are, how many times they have been postponed, etc."
Fascinating!

Marc Steiner spent two hours talking about Baltimore crime, and in the modern fashion both shows are available as a two-part podcast: Hour one, hour two.

The trial of Ameer Taylor, accused of killing Samuel Richardson June 2 of 2005 behind the Rendez-Vous is scheduled begin Monday. The trial's start date has been postponed three times. The word from the office of Mrs. J:

The murder trial of Ameer Taylor, 32, of the 7400 block of Barkers Court, is scheduled for trial 9:30A a.m. Monday, March 5, 2007 before Judge David Ross, 203 Mitchell Courthouse ... A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Taylor February 15, 2006 for first-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a felony crime of violence, and handgun on person in connection with the fatal shooting of Samuel Richardson. Court documents allege that in the early morning hours of June 2, 2005 Taylor pulled up to Richardson, who was walking in the 400 block of West 26th Street, pulled a handgun and shot Richardson several times. Richardson was transported to Johns Hopkins Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

As if your girl-crush wasn't already heavy, ♥Jayne Miller♥ digs into the clusterfuck that is the bail-bonds business, and hounded the guy who posted bail for Brandon Grimes down Calvert Street.

What the?! Twenty-year-old dad Kenneth George Ryan huffed keyboard cleaner (?!), beat his 15-month-old-son Julian Woody to death.

Sign of the times: WBAL reported that three people were shot at a birthday party on the East side... and in spite of the crime scene tape, the party kept on.

Again?! Another officer has was attacked at Jessup, and the suspect is a 38-year-old convicted murderer serving a life sentence.

In the Eastern, a man shot two guys sitting in a parked car.

The man found dead in the area of Max Blobs Park Road in Jessup was ID'd as Leonard Richard Prahl, 55.

"A trooper found $300,000 in powder cocaine in a minivan with New York license plates on Interstate 95 in Cecil County during a traffic stop."

Red Light Cameras-- PSA

F your I, the Department of Transportation has added some new red light cameras. "Phase I" cameras click and flash, but the new "Phase II" cameras don't-- they just look like glass bubbles. They'll not only send you a big fat ticket and a picture, but also a code you can enter online to see a little movie of your offense!

PHASE I LOCATIONS
Northern Parkway & Falls Rd.
Northern Parkway & York Rd.
Reisterstown Road & Patterson Ave.
Eastern Avenue & Kane St.
Edmonson Avenue & Hilton St.
Edmonson Avenue & Cooks La.
Franklin Street & Pulaski St.
Orleans Street & Gay St.
President Street & Fayette St.
Russell Street N B & Hamburg St.
Russell Street SB & Hamburg St.
Light Street & Pratt Street
Pulaski Highway & Monument St.
MLK Jr. Blvd. & Washington Blvd.
Franklin Street & Franklintown Rd.
Hillen Road & Argonne Dr.
North Avenue & Howard Str.
Patapsco Avenue & 4th St.
Lombard Street & Gay St.
Reisterstown Road SB & Fallstaff Rd.
Hanover Street & Cromwell St.
Park Heights Avenue NB & Hayward Ave.
Park Heights Avenue SB & Hayward Ave.
Harford Road & North Ave.
MLK Jr. Blvd. & Pratt St.
Northern Parkway EB & Greenspring Aven.
Northern Parkway WB & Greenspring Ave.
Reisterstown Road & Menlo Dr.
Edmonson Ave. & Athol Ave./Woodridge EB Edmonson Avenue & Athol Ave.
Frederick Avenue & Catherine St.
Park Heights Avenue & Violet Ave.
Sinclair Lane & Moravia Rd.
Russell Street & Bayard St.
Wilkens Avenue & Desoto La.
Pratt Street & Howard St.
Northern Parkway & Waverly Way
Cold Spring Lane & Hillen Rd.
Liberty Heights Avenue & Dukeland St.
Hanover Street & Reedbir d Ave.
Ft. Smallwood Road & Ft. Armistead Rd.
Wabash Avenue & Garrison Blvd.
Walther Avenue & Glenmore Ave.
Franklin Street & Cathedral St.
Perring Parkway & Belvedere Ave.
Cold Spring Lane & Roland Ave.
Cold Spring Lane & Loch Raven Blvd.

PHASE II LOCATIONS

Caton Avenue NB & Benson Ave.
Caton Avenue SB & Benson Ave.
Reisterstown Road & Druid Park Dr.
Wilkens Avenue & Pine Heights Ave.
East 33rd Street EB & The Alameda
The Alameda SB & East 33rd St.
York Road & Gittings Ave.
Potee Street & Talbot St.
Gwynns Falls Pkwy & Garrison Blvd.
Charles Street & Lake Ave.
Wabash Avenue & Belvedere Ave.
Harford Road & Walther Blvd.
Orleans Street & Linwood Ave.
Erdman Avenue EB & Macon St.
Erdman Avenue WB & Macon St.
Macon Street NB & Erdman Ave.

A shooting at the Yellow Bowl, Eastern District, February 18, 1989.

March 1

What's the difference between Baltimore and Newark, NJ? Our prosecutor won't file charges in any single-witness case without "extensive forensic corroboration."
Good thing there's always lots of that lying around!

Raymond Boyer, who raped a 4'10" 90-year-old immigrant woman in Cockeysville, apologized "for everything, for the inconvenience."
Investigators matched DNA evidence from a sweatshirt Boyer left at the scene. He'd been convicted of killing a man in 1986 in the city and got 24 years.

Alton Ray Teel Jr., 42, was arrested for the murder of Daniel Savage [#40 of 2007].

Valerie Hill, mother of Rickie Tinsely, [#179 of 2006], says that "the word on the street was it was meant for someone else." Tinsley had no criminal record and left behind a 4-month-old son. There are still no suspects or motive in the killing.

"Not that attractive" Phony Romeo Hillard Jay Quint of Pikesville bilked ladies out of thou$and$.

Federal:
David C. Faison, an employee of 36 years at the Bureau of Engraving from Largo, Md., pled guilty to counterfeiting. Faison was made to explain how he did it and in exchange was sentenced to a year and a day in jail plus restitution.

AAC:
Wonder if sales are up or down at the G&M Restaurant since Jeffrey Rites got stabbed by Keith Anthony Rantin Jr. over a crab cake?

It seemed like a win-win at the time... a second woman pulled over by officer Joseph Mosmiller for a DUI has come forward to say he offered to let her out of a ticket if she'd flash her rack.

Fredneck:
Drinking, driving and killing someone has a high price in Fredneck! David Helms, 44, got seven years for negligent manslaughter and DUI.

PGC:
A traffic stop led to the arrest of Jose Gomez, a murder suspect with Guatemalan ties.

February 28 evening

Believe it, Baby! No smoking in city bars starting January 1 2008.
And $100gs of nicotine patches for the poor!

"A routine attempt to pull a car over in Baltimore County early this morning turned into a bizarre televised police chase across suburban Maryland that veered briefly into the District."

Carefree days of youth dept.
Jury selection will begin this afternoon in the case of Erik Stoddard, to be presented presently before Judge Allen Schwait, Part IV, Room 400 Mitchell Courthouse.
The backstory: On December 8, 2005 the Maryland Court of Appeals Judge Raker vacated Stoddard's second-degree murder conviction, finding that an out-of-court "utterance" made by Calen's 18-month-old cousin, Jasmine - "Is Erik going to get me?" - was impermissible hearsay."
A Baltimore City jury convicted Stoddard March 13, 2003 of second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death for the death of Calen Faith Dirubbo, 3. Court docs say that on June 15, 2002, little Calen was pronounced dead in the home she shared with her mother and Stoddard, her new Daddy. Dirubbo died as a result of multiple beatings over a period of at least a month with the blow that fatally severed her bowel occurring June 15, 2002.

A transfer hearing for Kemoni Sterette, a juvenile charged with murder, was scheduled for this morning before Judge Welch, Part 18, Courthouse East, 111 N. Calvert Street. Court documents allege Kemoni Sterrette was seen with co-defendant Antoine Oliver moments before a shooting incident at the Unity Hair Salon in the 2200 block of Garrison Boulevard on May 13, 2006 in which the victim, Justice Georgie, was shot and killed after trying to stop the robbery. A. Robert Kaufman helped identify Sterette.

Courtney Smith, a 15-year-old witness to the slaying of a Hagtown woman, said the fatal bullet was meant for someone else.

February 28

His mom went to jail, then 17-year-old Vic Roy Fenner [46] was fatally shot in the head on Monday night on Guilford and 21st in Barclay.

Anna Ditkoff reports on the murders of Charles Pace, Darnell Cain, Brian Lessane, Andre Jones, Antonio Harris, and two unidentified victims.
Grouses a reader,

"The 2300 block of Barclay is not particularly 'near' Lovely Lane Church in any significant manner worth noting as it is closer to other establishments of familiarity. And the 1800 block of Clifton Ave is not near enough to Druid Hill Park to serve any useful purpose. The 1800 block of Clifton isn't even in a neighborhood adjacent to the park. In dense urban areas, many places are near lots of other places. The relevence of distance changes relative to the density of the area. These reference points only serve to confuse and confound..."

Robert Brazell was left to die after everyone in the HoCo high school brawl ran away. Meanwhile, police were busy busting an underage drinking party that several of Brazell's former schoolmates were attending.

Perhaps Club Choices should be renamed Club A Whole Bunch Of Kids Stabbing Each Other.

Pat Jessamy testified yesterday for better witness intimidation laws.

Three men robbed a First Mariner Bank in AAC yesterday morning.

A bucolic organic farm in Worthington Valley was the setting for a Lyme-infected love quadrangle cumulating in cuckold farmer James Dasher firing rounds at a randy farmhand ... or was simply a case of a generous herdsman tripping over a shotgun?

Sean Joseph O'Brien, a Carroll County inmate who escaped from rehab at Gaudenzia last month, was arrested after robbing two people with a BB gun.

If only all of our criminals would speed away to PGC.

February 27 evening

Rasul Malik Brown was arrested for the January 8 murder of 16-year-old Marcus McDowell [9], and Gregory Johnson Jr., 21, is being held for killing Vernon L. Carter in 2005.

At about 11 this morning, following four days of testimony and more than four of deliberations, a Baltimore City jury convicted Derrick Taylor, 27, of the Remington halfway-house triple murders; on January 10, 2005 Taylor shot and killed Nathan Gulliver, 49, Antwon Arthur, 38, and Steven Matthews, 36 in 540 block of West 27th Street and was found guilty of three counts of first-degree murder committed during the commission of a felony. Taylor faces a maximum possible prison term of life without the possibility of parole (in the County Taylor would be eligible for the death penalty) and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Roger W. Brown on April 10. The jury also convicted Taylor of several handgun counts but failed to reach verdicts on first-degree murder (premeditated) and several second degree murder counts and assault counts, upom which Judge Brown declared a "mistrial." Taylor remains held without bail at the Baltimore City Detention Center. A second defendant in this case, Corey McMillon, is serving a prison term of life plus 20 years for a previous murder conviction and faces an April trial date for his alleged involvement.

WBAL: "Landlord Continued To Rent Deplorable Properties" (Oh, THAT guy!)

Wonder when someone was last killed with an assault weapon?

Who returned the skull of the Fredneck sheep? (JZ: "It's" leg had also been removed.)

February 27

A shooting victim was found by police last night on W. Lanvale St., and died after being taken to Shock Trauma [45].

Brian Jones' family has forgiven convicted killer Alvin Williams.

A private eye is questioning the FBI's conclusions in the death of investigator Jonathan Luna.

A former South Baltimore resident and her teenage daughter were killed in a double homicide / suicide in Upstate New York.

Last week they said Edgewood doesn't need the Guardian Angels, but today they're saying they do.

Sheila D. fought the smokers and Sheila D. won. One can only hope she'll fight the murderers, next.

February 26

Judge John M. Glynn sentenced Alvin Augustus Williams, 26, of the 6000 block of Marquette Road, Baltimore County, to 60 years in prison. Judge Glynn sentenced Williams to 30 years for the murder, 25 years for the assault and 5 years for the firearm count and ordered that the sentences run consecutively. This is the maximum penalty Williams faced under law. Assistant State's Attorney Sam Yee prosecuted, and Baltimore City jury convicted on January 12 for second-degree murder, first-degree assault and possession of a firearm. On November 12, 2005 Williams shot and killed Brian Jones, 34, of Millersville, MD in the 1100 block of South Ellwood Street. Jones was leaving a Canton nightspot with a friend when Williams approached them with a rifle and opened fire.

Ever wonder how "TheSunLies.com" managed to maintain such a shrill level of prolific vitriol for so long?
Notice how the site, archive and all, utterly vanished right after the Ehrlich defeat?
That's right, kids ... if you suspected that and "SoccerDad" were Republican inventions, you get a Gold Star (on a red Flag)!

Kane: Beef Begets Beef, so let's make hamburger.

HoCo: Kevin Francis Klink, 18, was arrested after the fatal baseball-bat-beating of Robert Brazell at Mt. Hebron High School early Sunday morning. He was HoCo's first murder of 2007.

AAC: A dead UnID'd 50-something white man was found dead in a streambed on Max Blobs Park Road.

Guvmint

Wow, here's some drama!
The City Council is going to vote tonight to decide if smoking should be banned in bars.
No one can predict how the vote will go... the tiebreaker may be cast by retired educator Sharon Green Middleton, who will be sworn in this afternoon, hours before the vote!

The Senate is expected to vote on a bill that would allow prosecutors to introduce evidence of past sex acts with children at trials of child sex offenders. A judge would have to hold a hearing to determine if the evidence could be admitted.

The General Assembly could pass a bill that would "legislate sex offenders out of Ocean City."

Ugh, that creepy Don Dwyer is still around.

February 25

Erick Wotulo pled guilty in Federal court Friday to conspiring to launder money and procure arms for the terrorist Tamil Tigers.

Baltimore police helped out the Mt. Vernon, NY PD, nabbing attempted murderer Jamar Richardson at the Roadway Inn on O'Donnell Street in Canton on Valentine's Day.

CP gets sleazy superiors of Maryland National Guard "Recruiter of the Year" Richard F. Thomas Probed, Stripped and Punished!

February 24

Murder suspect Roger Lee Burks, 17, was arrested after DNA evidence connected him to the 2006 cookout stabbing of Irvin Conley, 24.

Blotter:
A 15-year-old was arrested for attempted murder, and a "42-year-old man was shoveling snow in front of a house in the 2500 block of E. Oliver St. about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday when he was shot in the lower back by a man he had argued with the day before."
Also, stolen Ann Taylor sweaters, computer equipment, a 14-year-old Mercury Marquis, etc.

A 12-year-old girl was mowed down by a police cruiser in 500 block of N. Gilmore Street.

So. Rude. PGC's Senator Nathaniel Exum wants random drug testing of students in schools.

PGC's Keith Washington, who shot furniture deliverymen Robert White and Brandon Clark as they were attempting to deliver bed rails: "I can't say I know exactly how a victim of a sexual assault feels, but I think it's something like this."
Meanwhile, Robert White's statement tells a very different story.

Boner-impaired submissive PSC member Charles Boutin has resigned.

No jail time for Fredneck boozehound James W. Loveless Jr, who killed Chris Coffelt, 44, and his son Matthew in a drunk-driving "accident."

February 23

Police have arrested four members of the Bloods, one aged 14, for the murder of Marquel Smith in Essex.
(As long as they spell your name right dept: "'People are just recognizing now that in Maryland we do have a gang problem,' said Maryland Attorney General Doug Gantzler." --JZ)

Alvin Augustus Williams, 26, is due to be sentenced tomorrow by Judge John Glynn. Williams was convicted january 12 of second-degree murder, first-degree assault and possession of a firearm. On November 12, 2005 Williams shot and killed Brian Jones, 34, of Millersville, MD in the 1100 block of South Ellwood Street. Jones was leaving a Canton nightspot with a friend when Williams approached them with a rifle and opened fire. The jury deliberated approximately five hours after hearing three days of testimony. Williams faces a maximum possible prison term of 60 years.

Charles Pace and Brian Lessane were identified as two of Monday's murder victims.

It took nearly a year, but Gregory Rollins' murder finally got some meaningful press.

Destiny D'Urso was charged with the September murder of her 2-year-old son, and a warrant was issued for Paul Anthony Highfield III in the same killing.

Four people were charged with first-degree murder in the death of Essex resident Marquel Smith. Two of the defendants are Bloods, and another is a 14-year-old named James Smoot who will be charged as an adult. No word if this James Smoot is related to either Raymond Smoot, the man who was killed in Central Booking and Intake two years ago, or Raymond's brother James.

After releasing the owner of the liquor store he was robbing, James Douglas set the store on fire but didn't try to escape.

A Towson murder case from 16 years ago was closed after investigators learned that the primary suspect killed himself in 2004.

Stealing a car with a 5-year-old child inside probably isn't the best way to avoid getting deployed.

Sheila D. fired the head of the BFD's training academy after the death of Racheal M. Wilson.

Harford County sheriff Jesse Bane has apparently done such a good job that Edgewood doesn't want the Guardian Angels anymore. Meanwhile, Bane is looking at implementing NYC's CompStat to help fight crime. (Interestingly, the article mentions neither CitiStat nor O'Malley's newly proposed StateStat.)

Police are looking for the three adults who attacked a boy at a PG County middle school.

Both of HoCo resident Robert Bell's sons are doing time.

It doesn't seem like it takes a genius to figure this out: if you have 96 pounds of wacky tabaccy in the trunk, you shouldn't drive like a jackass.

Landlords in the city are living well while their tenants live in deplorable conditions.

Uh, really... all I wanted was a tan.

There are allegations of police brutality in Talbot County.

How charming that one person -- in this case, bank robber Craig J. Mills -- can have a significant impact on HoCo's crime stats.

Since there's obviously nothing else to be outraged about in the city, how about a little bureaucratic incompetence to get things fired up?

A Hagtown jury convicted Jimmie Lee Johnson, 36, of attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, two gun crimes and possession of marijuana following an I-70 road rage incident.

In Suitland, PGC, 17-year-old Timothy Van Buren died playing Russian Roulette February 16.

February 22 afternoon

At a hearing yesterday, Demetri Greer, 18, of the 2800 block of East Monument Street, pled guilty to second degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Judge Martin P. Welch sentenced Greer to 30 years in prison, all but 15 years suspend for the murder count, and 20 years in prison, consecutive, for the handgun count. The story:

On July 17, 2006 in the 2700 block of East Monument Street the victim, Dion Williams, 15, was involved in an argument with an unknown person. Greer approached and began to argue with the Williams as well. During the course of the argument Greer withdrew a firearm and shot Williams three times. Investigation led to witnesses identifying Greer and he confessed to the shooting.

Wanye Hill, alleged leader of the "Black Ninjas, " was arrested last week. The gang was allegdly involved with burglaries in the Homeland area. Hill was charged with assaulting a police officer.

DeJuan Hunter, 36, forgot he had a loaded gun in his carry-on last year, causing quite the ruckus at BWI. He served 30 days while his case was pending, and was sentenced yesterday to probation and community service.

Anyone you know on the list of tippling drivers busted in AACounty?

A catalytic converter, credit cards, a DVD player, a VCR, prescription medication, a GPS system, three computer monitors, a digital camera and a PlayStation 2, laptop computers and a hanicapped tag = a smattering of stuff stolen in the Northern lately.

Baltimore County police are looking for three burglars who stole from Patrick's restaurant in Cockeysville (home of the best crab imperial ever).

County police are investigating the alleged rape of a woman in her Arbutus apartment.

PGC police are investigating an incident at Stephen Decatur Middle School in which three adults assaulted and injured a 14-year-old boy yesterday.

Maurice Mouzon, 27, of Cherry Hill pled guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine and "possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense." Under the terms of the plea agreement, Mouzon will receive a sentence of 20 years and 8 months in federal prison when he returns for a court hearing scheduled May 2.

Also in PGC, Robert Lee Humphries III, found guilty of stabbing his estranged wife Linda Humphries to death, has gotten a new trial.

Catch the Cybrarian on the Ed Norris show tomorrow on 105.7 FM from 11:30-12:30 ...

February 22

Darnell Cain [39] was murdered early Monday morning in the 2300 block of E. Fayette St.

Gregory Kane writes about the Remington murders of Antwon Arthur, Steven Matthews, and Nate Gulliver (his cousin), as well as the S.O.D.D.I. defense.

Sheila D. is coming down hard on the fire department for the training exercise that killed firefighter apprentice Racheal Wilson.

Human trafficking is alive and well in Maryland.

Perv du jour: A white man with crew-cut blonde hair is attempting to abduct children in Annapolis.

Perv du jour, part II: 51-year-old David Shultz was sentenced to two years for repeatedly molesting a girl and giving sex toys to her friends. Sadly, prosecutors chose to drop rape and assault charges, and most of his 45-year sentence was suspended.

Terrance Washington, the prisoner who escaped from Harford County while being transferred to the hospital, might be in Illinois.

Ironically, Loren Love was charged with being the "kissing robber."

There were two separate traffic accidents involving police cars yesterday.

Ray Franklin is going after dirty cops.

Stun guns for HoCo popo?

Life imitates art dept: Someone broke into The Wire's soundstage in Columbia.