Buz on Drugz

Buz left a brilliant comment a while back that deserves a bump. Buz has changed our minds on decriminalization, at least when it comes to the white drugs. We still think they should sell pot out of washtubs at the farmer's market. Anyway:

"...if drugs were somehow "decriminalized", these groups, would not stop declaring territory, and not stop doing illegal things, including black market selling of the now decriminalized drugs? Why should they stop? Oh, I suppose, depending on how one decriminalizes, the legal market would cut into their sales; Buz remains skeptical. A large factor in gang belonging is protection from the "other"-whoever that is.

I read some about Switzerland's heroin treatment program, and some aspects of it have a certain charm. The Lancet article of 2006 was generally supportive, but it did note that heroin maintenance was long-term, and for those who engaged in the program and stopped, virtually all re-entered the program within 10 years. It did, however, have the effect of heroin being now viewed as a drug for "losers" and "junkies". Who woulda thunk? Oh, and only 1300 of Switzerland's 30K heroin addicts are in the heroin prescription program.

Clearly, young folks like yourself and Abstract and Cham are trying to come to terms with this issue for the future. I did not notice in my short look any reference to other criminal activity or other measures of social health. One article lauded a guy who gets his heroin, goes to work, and plays dad on weekends. I guess that's possible; in fact, I've heard of "working addicts", but have yet to meet an actual one. In my experience as a vocational caseworker, the general rule of thumb is that persons currently using hard drugs will have extreme difficulty getting jobs, and if they do manage to get hired, will rarely keep the job for long ... Of course we know that addiction has been declared a disease by folks more highly educated than I could ever hope to be. And I can understand that it is difficult to stop using some drugs, but you know, they gotta want to. After my law enforcement career, I have worked at 2 non-profits, both seeing a high incidence of drug users of all kinds.

At the one I still work at part-time, 70% are court-ordered. So, I have talked to many addicts, and DWI offenders face-to-face and try to help them find employment. And, I must say: the ones that have been to DOC are much more motivated than those who have learned to game the system. I know it's anecdotal, but there it is: if you want to succeed in treatment, you often can. And, sometimes punishment or the threat of punishment is a motivator.

It seems difficult to follow your logic, at times. While you say that drug use is not an excuse for other crimes (besides possession), you seem to believe/feel that they should "get treatment", and not jail. Well, suppose they refuse to follow through with treatment? And they continue to commit crimes against the rest of us, larceny-from-auto; burglary; shoplifting, etc.? As P points out, the success rate of treatment is highly problematic in many programs; relapse rates for heroin are often 95%.
In my several year experience being around drug programs, two phrases often are heard: "he/she is not ready" or "persons who are SERIOUS can turn their lives around". These phrases are used both in conjunction with treatment and gaining employment. If you're not serious, it ain't gonna work.

So, if they say they are not responsible for committing crimes against the rest of us, yet they don't/can't stop, should we just throw out the laws for them? While I appreciate your compassion, and am not lacking it myself (believe or not), my lack of bleeding-hearted liberalism is tempered by hard-headed compassion of experience.

One experienced therapist, a Vietnam veteran, who works in a treatment program told us: "ain't no addict around here who doesn't know where they need to go for detox." This same program has floor-to-ceiling mirrors in its common areas of the residential treatment facility. When I asked what's the deal with the mirrors, the answer was: "everywhere you look, there's a problem". Many of the folks I talk to who are current, recent, or struggling users are deeply troubled people. The drugs, and as you point out, the illegality of the drugs, just exacerbates their problems. For the most part, if they were just given the drugs, they would still have trouble finding and keeping employment, with relationships, and with keeping out of legal trouble. Treatment is not a pill like an antibiotic; it's a long-term psycho-social process of personal change.

Almost no residential program will allow their patients to use illicit drugs while there; detection usually results in immediate expulsion. And these programs are run by what some might call bleeding heart liberals, and ex-addicts.
Perhaps we should keep Guantanamo Bay open and use it for addicts who claim they can't stop, but also can't succeed in treatment; however, they can't stop/won't stop committing crimes against the rest of us?

And though some folks feel sorry for the addict who presents in court and says the theft was because of addiction, I wonder why don't we feel similarly sorry for the drunk drivers who kill people (usually innocent people), who often are repeat offenders, but can't seem to stop drinking-and driving.

And yes, I think the illegality of heroin and cocaine does deter a fair amount of people from going out and buying it, and trying it, particularly young people.

This problems is a serious one that folks such as yourselves will struggle with to make public policy about. But any wholesale "decriminalization" which may occur, must occur in the context of society agreeing to accept a huge increase of use, addiction, accidents, and other maladies. Perhaps that is better than jail, but life is full of tradeoffs."

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Melody Smith, age 54, dead by blunt force trauma/asphyxiation in the 500 block of Yale Avenue, Tuesday April 21

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Frank Swiston, 48, was beaten to death five days ago in the 2800 block of Erdman Avenue.

Porcine Republican delegate says getting a woman to sign over her Pasadena condo to him was "doing the Lord's work"

County police are ISO a Kevin Federline lookalike who stole a woman's purse at the White Marsh Giant and used her credit cards to go shopping.

Too Dumb to Die?

Patrick Byers' supposed low IQ could save him from the death penalty

IV reports on gang-related harbor melees. (Best gang name ever: the Dirty Slobs)

City code: you can own two sexy massage parlors for the price of one unleashed dog

Media Blabber: The Daily Record reports that the toll of this week's Sun layoffs is 61. "Spokeswoman Renee Mutchnik confirmed that the paper had informed the guild of layoffs .. and added that the cuts would help the newsroom operate in a way that allowed the company to better use the Internet." Huh?

Three Years for Solicitation of Murder

Patrick Byers could get the death penalty for the same crime, so this guy got a pretty good deal. Details:

At a hearing today, George Thompson, 38, of the 1400 block of Shefford Road pled guilty to solicitation to commit murder. Judge Martin P. Welch sentenced Thompson to 15 years in prison suspending all but three years and five years probation. He also ordered Thompson to stay away from the intended victim. The State asked for 20 years in prison suspend all but seven years.

Between June 4 and June 12, 2008 in the area of Belt Street Thompson contacted a witness while he was on a work site in Baltimore City. Thompson asked this witness to kill his wife, offering $20,000 and displaying a bag of cash. Thompson contacted this witness at least two times between the dates to discuss the murder. Thompson supplied money to purchase two prepaid cell phones for the witness and himself. On June 10, 2008 this witness contacted the police. Further investigation was conducted including a tape recording of Thompson making arrangements for the murder and giving specific details on where and when his wife would be home and how to commit the actual murder. An undercover officer was present for some of these meetings. On June 12, 2008 Thompson met with the witness and the undercover officer to complete the details for the murder and he was arrested at that time.

Four Years for Killer of Patrice Marable

.. does not seem like nearly enough.
The details from the SAO:

At a hearing yesterday Judge Timothy J. Doory sentenced Sampson Ashby, 28, of the 3000 block of Fendell Avenue to four years in prison. On February 27, 2009 Ashby pled guilty to one count of automobile manslaughter. The State had asked for a cap of eight years at the time Ashby pled guilty.

On July 6, 2008 at approximately 3:00PM Officers from the Northern District responded to 1123 Gleneagle Road for a reported vehicle fatality. Upon arrival officers discovered the body of Patrice Marable lying on the ground in the alley next to a telephone pole. Investigation revealed that the Marable and Ashby had been engaged in an altercation with Ashby attempting to strike Marable with a tree limb. He then pushed Marable down, causing her to drop her cell phone. Ashby took the cell phone and entered a pick-up truck. Marable proceeded to the driver’s side window and jumped partially through it in attempt to retrieve the phone. Ashby then backed up the truck at a high rate of speed out of the yard and turned the vehicle to his right heading for a telephone pole located in the alley. The victim was pinned between the vehicle and the pole, causing what was later to be determined a massive contusion. Ms. Marable fell lifeless to the ground. Ashby got out of the vehicle, saw Marable, recovered some broken auto parts from the scene, and fled in the vehicle.

Police and prosecutors say they charged the wrong guy in the Chinese Cuisine beating and shooting case from last December

LOLz.. barfing drunks cause Swine Flu panic on flight to BWI

More Bad News @ Sun

Word is 15 .. wait, 21.. of the Sun's mid- and top-level editors were laid off today, with more newsroom cuts to come, possibly as soon as tomorrow. Very sad.

Also, tweet the police: "SHOOTING: Reported @ 2735 Ashland Ave. Police investigating crime scene, avoid area."


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With a Defense Like That...

"The defense attorney for a Baltimore pastor accused of hiring a hit man to kill a blind and mentally disabled man for life insurance money said that at least two other disabled people whose policies listed Pushia as a beneficiary had died"

Teenage Riot

Two men shot in the NE

Due to a massive water main break at Lombard & Gay, all city buildings have closed, including the courts. The leash-fine hearing has been rescheduled to 9 a.m. May 12.

Last Saturday at the Harbor= some kind of teenage riot. WJZ says two teens were stabbed in two separate incidents. Though a reader's friend said there were shots fired in front of M&S Grill, police say that there were no reports of gunfire.

Club Miami on the block has lost its liquor license... for not selling enough hooch!

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A man's body found at Christian and Smallwood streets by Samuel Morse Elementary, two weeks after the body of 30-year-old Russell Day was found close by.

Trial is scheduled to start tomorrow for the three defendants accused in the murder of Ken Harris: Charles Y. McGaney, 20, Gary A. Collins, 20, and Jerome Williams, 16.

Prosecutor: the Black Guerrilla Family pays $10k for hits on correctional officers

Drunken assaults and robbery around JHU (via Spotcrime)

Criminal perpetrators, fashion victims:
Two people assaulted and robbed an MTA bus driver on 33rd street. Police are seeking two suspects, one sporting a fur hat and the other in a hoodie and fuschia knit cap (for the record, it was 91 degrees today)

County police are ISO a woman with a pierced lip and a distinctive wrist tattoo accused of stealing an ATM card from a mentally-challenged sexagenarian to feed her Hot Topic addiction

A Saturday-night stabbing at the Inner Harbor

The new Death Penalty bill could affect existing cases

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Last night's double shooting on Normount killed 17-year-old Maurice Toomer

Sentencing phase for Patrick Byers starts tomorrow, and the Sun's Tricia Bishop has more details of the killing and the sorry characters involved

Brother: killing of Curtis Pounds was an accident

Smash-and-grab addict arrested more than 100 times is going to rehab

What the? "Maryland Man Pleads Guilty to Using a Noose to Assault a Man at the Pentagon"

Another one!

WMAR reports that another pastor, James Omar Clea, was arrested in Orangeburg, SC for the murder of Lemuel Wallace.

Also, police tweet: "3200 NORMOUNT AVE 2 males shot. Police working crime scene, avoid area."

Pastor, Grifter, Murderer

What the?! The man who has confessed to killing Lemuel Wallace was a "businessman" indeed-- a pastor who allegedly murdered him for the insurance money, a la Olga and Helen in LA. Police say he had taken six policies out on the victim (did he think no one would notice that?)
More from Hermann.

And TG that alleged homicidal alleged rapist Ronnie Winkler = in jail.

Please tell me English is a second language for whoever wrote this story and its homoerotic headline...

Sun: familicidal dad went knife shopping at the mall after killing family in room 1029

Weinstein Goes to Washington

Steven Levin tells us that Jason Weinstein, Chief of the Violent Crime Section in the US Attorney’s Office in the District of Maryland, will leave the MD office to become Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Division under Eric "Nation of Cowards" Holder. Weinstein is perhaps best known around town for his work on the case against one Edward T. Norris.

What the?! Businessman arrested in murder of disabled Lemuel Wallace in Leakin Park.
And an arrest for the murder of 19-year-old Kiuna Jackson, found in Herring Run Park.

Three indicted for the robbery and murder of David Bryan Wright

Hopkins Fair starts now!

Guard your cookies!

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The man shot in the stairwell of an apartment building in the 1600 block of East Eager St. is the city's 71st homicide

"A federal judge sentenced Nancy Jean Siegel to 400 months in prison Thursday in the killing of an elderly Reisterstown widower and stuffing his body in a steamer trunk"

Sun: Familicidal William Parente bought knife at Crate & Barrel

Insert band camp joke here

Who better to cover the case against the mayor et al than Laura Vozzella?

IV gives out its first-ever "Common Sense Award" to Judge Hargrove for siding with parking-ticket scofflaws: "if the city is broke and needs the money, as officials claim, try cutting back on catered lunches for City Council members." Burn!

Not these people again! The Westboro Baptist Church is going to be in town, and you won't buh-lieve what they plan to protest in Roland Park!

First Robbin' of Spring

Burglars, stick-up thugs and smash-n-grabowskis hit the Northern in full force.
Don't keep your golf clubs in your car!
Wonder where all of the stolen golf stuff goes?

(At Least) Three Murders Last Tuesday

Two murders overnight: a 54-year-old woman found in her home, and Kenneth Johnson, 23, was killed during the course of a robbery.

A man shot at the Bond Street Apartments, condition unknown

6 1/2 years for murder of Irvin Conley, stabbed to death at the most effed-up family BBQ ever

Ew. School police officer indicted and arrested for groping a 16-year-old student

Drug charges dropped against NAACP official

A "glimmer of judicial rebellion over Baltimore’s penchant for assessing stiff [parking] penalties"

Police Release Findings in Parente Family Murder/Suicide. Firearms were not involved. The children died from blunt-force trauma.
new word: "familicide"

Tweet, tweet, that's the sound of the police

CRIME STATS UPDATE: Total crime down 12%, violent crime down 13%, non-fatal shootings down 20%, homicide up 15%

not if it's your baloney sandwich

Prostituting in the prison kitchen "be cool while it lasted," says a former guard...
more saucy details of the Black Guerrilla Family indictments from the CP's Edward Ericson Jr.

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A 70-something Calvin Hayes and 63-year-old Harold Able Sr., both shot in their cars in separate incidents last week, were apparently hack cab drivers.

It IS a small town! The CP reports that businessman John Zorzit, owner of Club 410, is now "the nexus for three current federal investigations" and the sentence of the day:

"But the Zorzit case--which received attention after a forfeiture action was filed against him in January because for 14 years he used the brother of Baltimore County Councilman John Olszewski (D-6th District) as a runner to collect the money from his illegal slot machines--is perhaps more interesting for the amounts of money involved (the feds seized close to $1.2 million in bank accounts and more than $41,000 in cash--including some above the ceiling tiles in an office bathroom) and for his links to Harris."

And in other nightclub news, in the County former China Room owner John Giorgilli is "keeping Baltimore County prosecutors busy"

Life Sentence in Morgan Murder

The Ink fills in missing names from the toll.
(Still checking on spelling of Ms. Wright's first name)

Supreme Court: cops need a warrant to search your car

Pot-smoking lawyer suspended for trying to expunge himself

At a hearing Monday, Judge John Carroll Byrnes sentenced Jason Allen, 26, to life in prison for the first degree murder of Jeff Payne. A Baltimore Jury convicted Allen of first-degree murder January 15, 2009 after a week-long trial. Details from Jessamy's office:

On February 15, 2008 at approximately, 12:45 AM Allen entered an apartment in the Morgan View Apartments, a Student Housing Complex catering to Morgan State University Students, where he took out a rifle and shot and killed Jeff Payne. Payne suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest and died at the scene. Immediately after the shooting the defendant fled Baltimore for Yonkers, New York, where authorities eventually apprehended and arrested him April 21, 2008. Exactly one year from this arrest, the defendant was sentenced.

During an emotional victim impact statement, Payne’s family told the judge about how the victim survived years of civil war in Liberia, only to be gunned down in the United States. Despite the loss of their eldest son, the family expressed gratitude to the Baltimore City Police Department for their tireless efforts in bringing the defendant to justice.

A co-defendant in this case, Powerful Aguilar pled guilty to accessory after the fact and was sentenced April 7, 2009 to a suspended five year prison term. Assistant State’s Attorney Charles Blomquist of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

in Owings Mills, "Chinese food, cigarettes items coveted by thieves"

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Qonta Waddell, on parole, shot in an alley near Windsor Ave. "Police also identified Harold Able Sr., 56, of the 1600 block of Latrobe St. as one of the unlicensed cabdrivers, or "hacks," who was found shot in a vehicle in East Baltimore last week."
hadn't heard about the hack shootings.

Suburbanites Unhinged

insane family murder-suicide at the Towson Sheraton of a NY family... in case you didn't hear. More Sun coverage.
This is the second suburban MD family murder-suicide in two days, and in Carroll County a barricaded man killed himself.
Don't stress, white people! It's just money! The government will print more!

an apartment maintenance man shot in the head in front of children in Pikesville yesterday

No lack of outrage when it comes to ferkakta parking fines

Hermann's pleated trousers walked some nutters from the BBC around the loo that is Belair- Edison

Should we bring back dollar homes?

4 shot and 1 dead overnight

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Police tweet: "3115 WINDSOR AVE. Initial report of adult male shot."
also @ 6 a.m. "SHOOTING: reported @ Sarah Ann /Carrollton around midnight. Scene cleared. Victim in stable condition at hospital"
@ 10 p.m. last night: "SHOOTING: 2900 Blk W.Garrison. A patient claiming gun shot wound to knee walked into area hospital. Police investigating.
@ 9 p.m.: "SHOOTING: Reported @ 1508 W. Saratoga. Police working crime scene, avoid the area."

WTF? 4 Dead in Towson Sheraton

reports WJZ
(maybe they ate at TGI Friday's?)

also in Towson tragedies, the Griffin case ends with parents sentenced to 25 years each.

300 pounds is just more of him to love (child pornography)

... happy 420, stoners!

... and my first name ain't "Baby"

QTD: "You don't know me, and we aren't friends. You do not know me, have never met me, and we are not friends. We've never been friends. You do not address me by my first name - period."
-- Guess who!

65 = Stabbing in Linwood

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Tweet the police: "FATAL STABBING @ Clinton / Fairmont occured around 3am, adult male stabbed in head and chest. 1 Arrest has been made."
That area NE of Patterson Park again... I know it's called Linwood but what do people actually call it?

Byers and Goodman Guilty!

Frank Goodman and Patrick Byers were found guilty by a federal jury for the contract killing of Carl Lackl yesterday, after one day of deliberation. Byers faces the death penalty.

Funeral yesterday for 16-year-old Dominic Baker, whose body was found last week in a vacant rowhome, but not much hand-wringing or sympathy from the chancel: "Dominic could've been the trigger puller."

internal drama cont.

IV: "Police trial board chief's unfair treatment of officers led to her firing, black union official says"

and

Detective Terry Love's placement on prosecutor's Do Not Call list criticized by Jack Young

Oh shiz, they got KG, Dee and Ray .. and 21 more Guerrrilla 'Death Angels'

What's more luxurious than crab imperial and Grey Goose?
When it's smuggled into prison for you by your personal staff of "Death Angels"!
A mass indictment announced yesterday by federal and local law enforcement targeting the Black Guerrilla Family has steamy details on the smuggling ring that dealt in slutty guards, bottle clubs and death dealt from prison.
... here's the PR from RJR
and Hermann's take
(there seem to be two indictments, both for conspiracy but for two different groups, one group conspiring to sell heroin and the other for other drugs?)

The Byers case went to the jury yesterday afternoon

Hermann on BPD's "mess at the top"

Man robs pharmacy 4 times in 5 days, and Janis has video

Police tweets:
HOMICIDE ARREST: Third Suspect (Lyndon Waddell, B/M 21yo) arrested in connection w/ Feb 4th homicide of Bryan Wright 9:55pm · via Twitter
UPDATE SHOOTING: 4806 CLIFTON AVE: VICTIM #3 ADULT MALE SHOT IN THE LEG. PIO RESPONDING TO SCENE 9:26pm · via Twitter

Arsonist, Fraudster & Conspirators Busted by Feds

Geniosity: "Harry L. Easterday, age 28, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to setting fire to a building in which the U.S. Probation Office was located"

"Baltimore fraudster" sentenced to more that 12 years after decades-long identity theft scheme uncovered by Fed inspectors

Also stolen stamps and mortgage fraudsters

shooting on E. Cold Spring

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Police report a shooting at 1120 E. Cold Spring at around 11 p.m. last night, "adult male shot in head and side, victim is conscious, Police investigating."
Wonder if it was at the League for People With Disabilities .. or maybe that spot on the pavement there


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.. and the Ink names 16-year old Dominic Baker as the person found in a "vacant dwelling" in the 1900 block of Wilkens Avenue, above

internal drama

Police head of internal discipline fired.
Says the police information officer, "Balt Sun incorrectly reported that head of BPD internal investigations was fired Employee was head of Trial Boards, not internal invest."

Goucher finds students accused of sex assault not guilty of wrongdoing

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Man shot in the arm on Normount Ave, a man shot @ 5 p.m. in the upper back at N. Milton and E. Monument, which looks like a well-traveled thoroughfare (above).

More on the Herring and Love case from the Sun
and Investigative Voice

New Drug Alert

alcoholism-fightin Naltrexone

Love & Herring Not Guilty

of misdemeanor assault and reckless endangerment. Said Love, "I put my life in jeopardy to save the lives of everyone in the barbershop and if you had been there, I’d do the same thing for you."
Herring now feels differently: "If I see an old lady getting beaten, I’m going to mind my own business."

An unid'd male juvenile was reportedly shot in the ankle by police after four youths set off an alarm near Harlem Park schools

Mom of murder victim Timothy Hebron has "hired a lawyer to investigate" why her son was not in a witness protection program

Lawyers spared! "When the General Assembly trimmed nearly $870 million in the Fiscal Year 2010 budget, the final cut did not include funding for the state’s legal services community."

Hermann reports that a "new study coming out today from the Sentencing Project shows that for the first time since the War on Drugs began many years ago, the number of African-Americans jailed for drug offenses has declined."

Pervs:
Police in PA are ISO Baltimorean Robert J. Wardrick II, 33, accused of fondling a 14-year-old, and
Ew, an octogenarian rabbi with busy hands

Media blabbler:
TDR's editorial board on nonprofit newspapers

Senate: MD's gay couples can live happily ever after... so long as one of them's dead!

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The man shot on Christian Street has passed.

Remember the Patterson Park cathouse? Charges were dropped for two women, still stand against alleged pimp (como 'alleged pimp' en espanol?).

Say What? Off-Leash Fines Increased to $1,000 per Pooch?

Says the Smushnose Dog Meetup Group

Dog Owners/Walkers BEWARE

New City laws increase the cost of violations for off leash dogs and/or not picking up the dog’s poop from $100 to $1,000!

The City did not communicate the new laws to the citizens and began to enforce it without notification or advanced warning.

The City has been conducting “raids” at most of the larger parks with Animal Control issuing citations and police officers present to ensure owners do not flee the scene.

Please join us for a conversation with Councilman Ed Reisinger. He has agreed to talk with us about the decisions that have been made at the city council level, why they were made, and to help find a way to address the needs of the entire community.

Thursday, April 16th 2009, 7:00 p.m.
Riverside Park Pavilion [The Mansion]

Let’s show the city how much we care about the welfare of our dogs and their ability to get safe exercise. Bring your friends and neighbors. Show up in packs!!

Doc Cheatham.

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Update: he died



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SHOOTING: 2100 BLOCK CHRISTIAN, ADULT MALE SHOT

Dead End

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Murder victim #63: Quinton Savage, 22, killed on Saturday in the 2800 block of Winwood Court (above) about 2:30 p.m.

House= yay to speed cameras
and DYK? In the city of Baltimore, parking at an expired meter is a crime, not a civil offense.

Easter Bunny Killed on West Side

Just kidding. Man shot at about 1:30 p.m. at 1315 Bloomingdale

The Week that Was

Shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting, double shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting ...

QTD: "Just remember, there are good reasons to live in any of the cities labeled as the "worst.""

Good Friday

Curtis Pounds' brother, also named Curtis, was arrested for his murder

Real classy: prosecutor Larry Doan mocks officers, calls them "whiners" and "common criminals"

Two men were shot last night in front of Jack's carryout in South Baltimore

D'oh! Baltimore County police are looking for a Woodlawn man mistakenly released from the detention center.

Feel-good story of the day: Glen Burnie residents subdue home invader

"A Baltimore County judge has sentenced a county child support enforcement worker to 10 years in prison for stealing child support checks."

Police are ISO bald white guy who robbed Eastern Ave Wachovia

"Lawyer seeks new hearing in 1972 murder conviction"

Oh boy, speed cameras
Also see the CP's "Fast Cars, Loaded Guns and Empty Houses: A brief look at Baltimore City’s Annapolis agenda"

Don't miss Buz buzting some dirty delivery drivers!

Troy Chesley's former partner Terry Love took the stand in his own defense yesterday.

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Man found shot in the head in an abandoned rowhouse in the 1900 block of Wilkens Ave.

A nonfatal shooting on Whitelock St.

"I didn’t know who shot Larry for real. I just made it up.”
"The only surviving eyewitness to have claimed to see Patrick Byers kill a man on a Baltimore street corner in 2006 recanted his story before a federal jury Wednesday"

IV: The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s office "revealed" Wednesday that last Saturday's murder victim/ murder witness Timothy Hebron was not in the witness protection program (which in Baltimore city = two people)

MDR: Baller Chris Bosh's baby custody & support case bounces between MD and Texas

Children Lost and Found

Kenneth Warren Hager has been missing from Baltimore since April 9, 1947.

... and seriously? This very cute little boy was found "wondering the street" almost a year ago, but no one has come forward to claim him!

61?

The Ink updates the murder toll, adding Curtis Pounds, who was killed last Sunday near Herring Run park, and names Zachary Thompson as the man stabbed to death on Watty Court. Oddly, the Sun names this victim as William Clayborne, 32. are there two victims?
Also ID'd is David Williams, shot to death in a car March 31.

410 86'd

Says our Facebook friend the BPD: "PADLOCK NOTICE: Club 410 (4500 blk BelAir Rd) deemed a public nuisance. Police Commissioner issues padlock order effective 5pm tomorrow"
or as WBAL puts it, "City To Padlock Trouble Club"

also apparently posted at 4 a.m.: "SHOOTING: Police investigating @ 23 Penn St. Adult male shot, walked into hospital."

It is a small world after all

IV: Prosecutors say Timothy Hebron, shot to death 4/4, was a key witness in the murder of Terrence Regan. Regan's murder in November 2007 happened to take place outside of the home of Charles Y. McGaney, on the 1600 block of Lochwood Road. Charles McGaney has been charged with first-degree murder in Councilman Ken Harris's death.

We Need Bullet Control

The woman shot and killed on Gough Street Sunday [4/5] was Doreatha Wright, 42, possibly the victim of mistaken identity
Related: "'MY MAMA'S BEEN SHOT!'- Spate of Fells Point violence gets liquor board's attention"
and it's attack of the mappers on Hermann's blog.

Northeast Baltimore murder victim is identified: "Timothy Hebron, of the 4200 block of Welbourne Road, was shot about 1 a.m. [4/4] as he got out of a car to toss out trash, one block north of the Northwood shopping plaza"

"A 19-year-old man is in critical condition Tuesday after he was stabbed Monday [4/6] night" in Washington Village

"Baltimore police said Sunday that they were investigating the shooting of a man late Friday in Fells Point. The adult man, whose name and age were not released, was found lying on the pavement in the 1600 block of Lancaster St. shortly before midnight Friday [4/3]."

Confused? this info-dense paragraph puts straight the details of week's victims, as does the Spotcrime shooting map covering 4/1 to 4/7

Datwan Ramsey, 23 charged in double slaying at the Yau Brothers carryout (Spotcrime has added a street view, so no carryout shall ever have to remain unnamed)

"Man Stabbed, Robbed Outside Towson Starbucks" Saturday night

IV: CLOSE CALL - Gang member in Columbia dodges murder conviction

Anna Ditkoff has some problems with the BPD's tweets

Supreme Court: suspects can't be made to sweat it out for more than six hours

Hey Dog Walkers

The heat is on! Animal-control officials are ticketing off-leash dogs in the Northern-- we've heard of tickets being given out to owners at Wyman Park, Ston(e)y Run and Robert E. Lee. Fines start at $100 per dog and can go up to $1,000 for repeat offenses.

That's so Baltimore

"Feds Say Utz Potato Chip Stand at Baltimore's Lexington Market Used to Sell Guns"

I Should Hope So

IV: Officer's criticism of fatal shooting of elderly man is free speech, Appeals court rules

Mussmacher case

goes federal

Investigative Voice goes inside the mind of Kevin Johns
and
"The campaign of veteran lawmaker State Senator Nathaniel McFadden and State Delegate Jill Carter are among the 42 campaigns with officials facing criminal charges of failure to file finance reports."
and
More on the Bloods trial in HoCo: "A Bloods gang member took the stand Tuesday in Howard Circuit Court and told jurors that he did not order the alleged gangland slaying of a Columbia man last May."

Love & Herring

What the?! Investigative Voice says the case was dropped Tuesday, but I got this press release from the SAO today:

Opening Statements in the Second-Degree Assault Trial of Baltimore Police Detective Terry Love & Baltimore County Deputy Sheriff Michael Herring Scheduled to Begin at 10AM TODAY

Baltimore, MD – April 2, 2009 – The second-degree assault trial Terry W. Love, Jr., 31, of Baltimore and Michael Herring, 36, of Towson is scheduled to begin with opening statements at 10:00AM today before Judge George L. Russell, III, 420 Mitchell Courthouse, 110 N. Calvert Street.

The alleged incident occurred the morning of September 8, 2007 at the intersection of Belvedere Avenue and York Road and involves a 42-yr. old black male who was allegedly beaten and left unconscious in the road. Second-degree assault carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

The Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s office filed a criminal information charging Love and Herring September 5, 2008 following a joint law enforcement investigation. A criminal information is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by a criminal information is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at a later criminal proceeding.

General Trial Division Chief Lawrence Doan and Assistant State’s Attorney Michelle Martin will prosecute this case.

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1500 W. Fayette St.

Q For Readers

What can you do if someone writes you bad checks?

"Baltimore City’s Residents Give Voice to What’s Needed to Fix the Criminal Justice System" from the Justice Policy Institute

"Mother pleads guilty in infant son's death, will be released if child is resurrected"

"A 20-year-old man was gunned down in West Baltimore last night and died this morning from his wounds, police said. The shooting happened about 11:20 p.m. in the 1700 block of McCulloh St. ... "

BCPD: "Benjamin Wayne Shorter has been arrested and charged in the murder of Franklin Schissler. Mr. Schissler, 66 years old, was beaten to death inside the bathroom of Morsberger's Tavern in Precinct 1/Wilkens yesterday."

Lock up!

Spotcrime reports a bunch of burglaries in the Northern, on Gittings, Halwyn Ave, Guilford Ave., St. Paul Street.

Tweet, tweet, that's the sound of the police

"Police investigating questionable death: N. Abington Ave/Elbert St. Adult 23-25yrs old male."

Lactivational: Prisoners babysit tot found running on highway.

another floater!

Is solitary confinement torture?

The NYker asks: is solitary confinement torture?

the victim of the shooting yesterday in the 700 block of W. North Avenue has died

Crazy melee at Coppin State ends in 11 arrests

A man shot in an alley in the 2000 block of Belair Road, condition unknown

There may be no more bottles poppin in da Club 410 soon (Q: is Club Choices still open?)

Shawn "Goo" Gardener, apparently an enemy of the Rice organization, got two life terms for a laundry list of crimes, including racketeering and murder

Wayward teens get a talking to at Jessup

Who knew so many MD. lawmakers have experienced domestic violence?

Shooting on N. Avenue

Reports the BPD: "SHOOTING: 732 W. North Ave-Adult male shot multiple times. Police investigating, PIO on scene"

also "Fresh details about Baltimore's City Hall corruption case emerged Thursday morning as prosecutors and defense attorneys for Mayor Sheila Dixon met for the first time in open court."

From HoCo, Luke Broadwater tells the tale of J-Rock, Wild Out, Soldier and their little friend Peaches.

The Death Penalty bill has passed, and neither side is happy

CNN's hero of the week is Dr. Carnell Cooper, founder of the Violence Intervention Program (VIP) at shock trauma.

Stabbing, Charles & 22nd

2-3 males reportedly cut in the early morning hours

Headline of the Week: "SILENCE OF THE SCAMS - MVA will not comment on alleged license-plate fraud"

"It's hard to drum up much sympathy for a convicted three-time murderer" (or, for that matter, out-of-touch editors of a failing newspaper)
related: Peter Moskos on media coverage of the four officers killed in Oakland: "he was a monster... Sometimes there aren't two sides with the truth lying somewhere in between."

Stranded on Death Row/ And now I'm servin a lifetime sentence/ There'll be no repentance...

Jessamy and Cummings want more $ for witness protection

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Man, shot in torso, 5800 block of Edgepark Road. No suspect, no motive.

Brendan Kearney at the Byers trial: how County Detective Gary Ruby got alleged triggerman Johnathan Cornish to admit his role

Some good news: homicide clearance rate improving!

Double Life Plus 175 Years

Yes, an actual sentence and appopos for the batshit-craziest road-rage murder ever.
Says the SAO:

Judge Charles G. Bernstein sentenced Adrian McFadden, 31, of the 700 block of N. Payson St. to a double life sentence plus 175 years without parole yesterday after he was found guilty of first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, attempted armed carjacking and multiple handgun and assault charges November 7, 2008. The jury deliberated just over five hours in November 2008 before finding McFadden guilty of murdering George Johnson following a petty traffic dispute that escalated on a summer day in 2007.

The jury acquitted co-defendant Anthony Davate Miles, 25, of the 400 block of Mt. Holley St. of murder, but found him guilty of multiple assault charges. The jury convicted both defendants of attempted armed carjacking charges in the 700 block of N. Payson St. The attempted carjacking followed a traffic dispute that led to the murder of George Johnson, the attempted murder of Avon Ball, and the shooting of an innocent bystander on July 6, 2007.

On July 6, 2007 George Johnson and Avon Ball, foster brothers who did not know the defendants, were traveling in the 700 block of N. Payson St. to retrieve clothing items in a house in that same block, when they were forced to turn their vehicle around due to a memorial block party for a young child who was fatally injured by a vehicle days earlier. Although they turned the vehicle around without incident, McFadden and Miles followed the vehicle’s occupants and walked up the street to confront Avon Ball and George Johnson, the driver. Avon Ball’s infant son was a passenger in the car.

Testimony at the trial showed that the accusations by McFadden and Miles escalated, as they demanded the car with the child. Ball testified in the three-week trial that as he pleaded for his life, his foster brother, George Johnson said, “shoot me”, at which point McFadden shot Johnson four times as he ran up Payson St. and then pointed the gun at Ball, shooting him. Ball suffered life-threatening injuries and has had major reconstruction surgery. Testimony also revealed that McFadden shot an innocent bystander, a 17-year old girl and family friend, as he chased his victims. Trial testimony also showed that after McFadden shot the victims he walked over to Johnson and asked, “Is he dead yet?” and walked down the street polishing his gun with his T-shirt. The State also presented evidence and testimony that McFadden attempted to thwart the testimony of a State’s witness by sending a girlfriend to visit the mother of the witness to convince her to have the witness change her testimony.

The jury deliberated about five hours after the State presented nearly a dozen witnesses in a trial that lasted three weeks before the Honorable Charles Bernstein.

During sentencing proceedings yesterday, Judge Bernstein admonished a defense witness who testified on behalf of the defendant. He noted and advised the State’s Attorney’s Office to use more “tools in their toolbox” to pursue perjury charges against witnesses who fail to testify truthfully. He doubted the truthfulness of her testimony saying that he found as a matter of fact, and beyond a reasonable doubt, that she lied on the witness stand and that college officials and the a professional licensing board should be notified as she continues to pursue a nursing degree.

Judge Bernstein also praised the bond of love between brothers Avon Ball and George Johnson, and said that it was similar to the US Marine Bond and worthy of commendation.

7th Bounty Hunter Charged

A shooting and stabbing last night at Greenmount & 33rd

The Ink has last week's five murders.
.. srly, does anyone else find the repeated references to race kind of odd?

IV: "BOUNTY HUNTED - Feds join Bounty Hunters murder case as 7th suspect charged"
Background on the Bounty Hunters
Another alleged Baltimore Bloods murder trial today in Hoco.

Officer Patrick Dotson, right, "charged with attempted murder Monday put his gun to the head of a prominent west Baltimore businessman just eight hours earlier, an attorney said." Also, that skeevy 2/3rds of a moustache is not doing him any favors.
Another officer, Fontaine W. Smallwood, was also suspended as a result of the Canton incident.

Carjacking, robbery and burglary in the blotter

January's raid on an Eastern Shore turtle factory was part of a broader effort: Operation Shellshock.

RIP Circuit Court Judge Roger W. Brown

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Yesterday's murder victim has been named as 23-year-old Kara Lawson.

Missed this report from last week: Andrew Goodwin, 22, was shot on Friday March 13 on Normandy Avenue and died.

City officer Patrick Dotson to be charged with attempted murder, accused of firing his service weapon during an off-duty fight outside a Canton nightclub this month

The BPD reports
"SHOOTING: Police investigating at 1600 block of Ruxton Ave. Adult male shot in upper body." The Sun has TV in the newspaper

At the Byers trial, "17-year-old Johnathan Cornish sat in the witness box and vacantly described how he killed [Carl Lackl] as part of a Baltimore Bloods gang mission."
The defense says Byers didn't have a motive.
More on cell phones in prisons from hermann

Charging docs: At age 14 Radames Reyes shot and killed 22-year-old pizza deliveryman Adam Diarra

Media Blabber: Ben Cardin says newspapers should be given nonprofit status

Having a flare-up

Spotcrime has heat maps, making the city's murders look like a case of hives

Says the SAO:
Judge Martin P. Welch sentenced Michael Truesdale, 40, of the 700 block of Appleton Street to 29 years in prison, the first 10 years without the possibility of parole.A city jury convicted Truesdale January 23, 2009 of three counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, two counts of second-degree assault and one count of attempted robbery deadly weapon. The jury acquitted Truesdale of attempted first and second-degree murder counts. The State had asked for 40 years in prison. Details:

On July 27, 2007 Baltimore Police responded to an apartment at 826 W. North Avenue for a reported non-fatal shooting. Upon arrival, the victim advised police that a man, later identified as defendant Truesdale, knocked on the door, pushed his way into the apartment, grabbed the victim by the hair pointing a handgun at the victim’s head while demanding money and property. A second victim in the apartment heard yelling and came to the first victim’s aide [sic]. The second victim gave $5 to Truesdale, who demanded more money. The second victim attempted to get Truesdale out of the apartment at which time Truesdale started shooting, hitting the second victim. Both victims positively identified Truesdale as the person responsible for this incident. Assistant State’s Attorney Jessica Paugh of the Firearms Investigation Violence Enforcement (FIVE) Division prosecuted this case.

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The woman found shot on N. ElLwood Ave. has died.

Justin Fenton guest-blogs for Hermann re. the perils of crime reporting

County
Sounds like Sunday's murder in Wilkens may have been a case of self-defense

IV: Part II of the series, "What the ef is up with Edgewood?"

Police are ISO two guys (including one with a really bad haircut, right) who robbed a barber shop

N. Elwood?

Tweets our Facebook friend the BPD: "SHOOTING: Police investigating @ 500 block of N ELWOOD AVE."
Google maps says there's no such street in the city. Are there unexplored, primordial and unGooglized parts of the city?

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A body was found by train tracks in Cherry Hill. Also a 3rd body found in the Harbor, cause of death unknown.

Kevin "I've got a fetish for blood" Johns, found not criminally responsible by reason of batshit insanity in the death of inmate Philip Parker was found dead at Supermax.

Opening statements to start today in the Patrick Byers trial.
UPDATE: Prosecutors say Byers was somehow able to get another cell phone at Supermax, which he used to threaten another witness and make "thousands" of calls over the past month!

"A federal judge has granted class action status to two categories of people in a civil suit that claims officers at Baltimore's Central Booking and Intake Center regularly and illegally detained certain arrestees too long and strip-searched people without cause."

Two county murders Sunday night: James Faulcon, 28, shot in his car, and a man robbed and stabbed to death in Wilkens

Investigative Voice: What happened to Edgewood?

NYU study: MD's monthly parolee fee should end, as "some consider committing crimes to pay."

We hear Judge Prevas was in he hospital over the weekend. Feel better, Judge!

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The Baltimore Spectator reports the city's 46th homicide, Marty Williams Jr., 20-something. This is apparently the murder on Maisel St. the police Tweeted about.
ps. be forewarned, this video takes a very long time to load.

Coconuts Killer in Custody

Arrested for the triple shooting and murder outside Coconuts, one Sharone Newton, 34. A source tells us that the shooting was not the result of a dance floor bump, as charging documents report, but was instead rooted in a long-festering love triangle.

And for the quadruple shooting in the 4000 block of East Lanvale Street on February 26, one David Hunter, 21

Woman shot in the face

A woman was found shot in a car near the intersection of Parkwood and Edgemont avenues this afternoon. Her injuries are serious but she is apparently still alive.

Says my Facebook friend (the BPD): "SHOOTING: Police investigating a shoting in the 2600 block of Maisel St. PIO not responding"
(What's PIO?)

East Side Badness

A man was stabbed by three people in the 2400 block of East Baltimore St. on the north side of Patterson Park.

Shooting victim on Rutland and Oliver subject of BPD's first Twittered incident.

Police have officially ended their investigation into Annie McCann's death

"The House Judiciary Committee voted 14-7 Friday to support a bill that restricts the use of the death penalty to murder cases with biological or conclusive videotaped evidence."

Fabulosity! The City That Breeds has mapped Baltimore neighborhoods on Google!

"There's no overall plan"

Page Croyder has lots to say to the Investigative Voice.

And LOLZ!! "Jenna Bush Secret Service limo towed for unpaid parking tickets"
... er, make that a van

man shot in East Baltimore

Northwestern High catfight broken up with mace

Charges dropped against the alleged killer of Jasmine Harris, apparently no one photographed footprints in the snow.

Eric "Nation of Cowards" Holder visits Baltimore

Body afloat near dragon boats, the 2nd Harbor corpse in 10 days

Dog-shooting leads to the state Senate approving a bill to require law enforcement agencies to issue monthly reports to the attorney general on SWAT team deployments.

Ew. McCormick sues equipment manufacturer over paint chips in cinnamon

This press release from the SAO should be in the reading-comprehension section from the SAT. Try to follow this plot:

On February 20, 2009 Linwood Buckson, 39, of the 3200 block of the Alameda was convicted of car theft and second degree [sic] assault following a Baltimore City jury trial prayer from district court. (Case number 809050026) He was sentenced to three years in prison by Judge Alfred Nance. Today, in a violation of probation hearing before Judge Charles G. Bernstein, Buckson was found guilty of violating his probation for this new conviction and sentenced to the balance of the
9-year suspended sentence he received on January 16, 2007.

Buckson faces 9 years in prison after rigorous prosecution and law enforcement coordination between local, state and federal agencies that serve on the Baltimore Violent Repeat Offender Task Force.

The facts are as follows:

On January 14, 2009 at 9:20 am, Officer Garrett was dispatched to the 500 block of North Ave for a reported stolen automobile taken December 27, 2008. The officer observed the Black Suzuki at a red light being driven by Linwood Buckson. The officer with the assistance of back up attempted to initiate a traffic stop of the vehicle by activating lights and sirens but Buckson refused to stop the vehicle. Mr. Buckson then rammed the driver side of a marked patrol vehicle occupied by Officer Moody in an attempt to flee. Even after ramming the police vehicle, Buckson began running on foot until he was ultimately apprehended in the rear of the 3300 block of The Alameda. Officer Moody did not sustain any serious injuries. The victim’s car suffered severe damage.

At the time of arrest Mr. Buckson was on probation for theft over $500 involving a vehicle. He was placed on probation January 16, 2007 after receiving a 10-year sentence with 9-years [sic], 6 months suspended.

The facts of that case are as follows:

On October 31, 2006 at 12:30 AM, in the 2500 block of West North Avenue, a patrol officer was performing random stolen checks on vehicles. The tag of the car Buckson was observed driving was reported stolen on October 30, 2006. Buckson gave the police officer a license belonging to someone else. Buckson’s driver license had been revoked and suspended.

Mr. Buckson’s arrest record spans 21 years with 29 arrests. His convictions include robbery deadly weapon, possession with intent to distribute, three convictions for CDS possession, theft over $500, unauthorized use, trespass, and two convictions for violation of probation.

During his violation of probation hearing today, the Honorable Judge Bernstein sentenced Linwood Buckson to nine years in jail consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving.

?!

What the?! Teenage girls support Chris Beat-her-down Brown. Huh? Wha? And would HB 845 make any difference?

Noel lawsuit underway

Hermann: the wrongful-death suit of Cheryl Noel's family against the BCPD is underway in District Court. Noel has become a national symbol of the civilian casualties of the drug war and the perils of "no-knock" warrants. Word has it that the officer who shot Noel, Carlos Artson, received a Silver Star for shooting the Bible-toting mom.
Blog The Agitator has salvaged Joe Giordano's pieces from the Dundalk Eagle

How tough is the economy? Even the drug dealers are hurting in what FHBIII calls a "cocaine drought."

A triple drive-by shooting on Marble Hall Road

Police: cuckold to blame for the stabbing death of William Smith Tuesday

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Two men killed at the Yau Brothers Chinese Food Carryout on 29th and Greenmount,
a man stabbed to death in the 6500 block of Cleveland Ave.

Eastern District police commander Dan Lioi has been suspended pending an investigation into text messages he exchanged with Cleaven Williams, Jr., accused of killing his wife outside a North Avenue courthouse last year.

City council: no parking fine amnesty

... going away this week. Check out the many fine blogs & sites at right, and please don't rob my house. -- MJB

Quote of the month

"Facebook, we're gonna get MySpace, LinkedIn -- all of the social networking sites... to really get our message out there."
-- Baltimore City Police Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi

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A man shot in the 1900 block of Pulaski Street at around 10:20 p.m has died.

Police are looking for Rochelle Denise Battle, 16.

Don't miss Buz's latest notes on crime & security.
Also worthwhile commentary on the media situation from Clay Shirky

New Blog Alert

The Baltimore Scofflaws, fighting parking ticket fine insanity!
Writes the founder,

Last week, we the current and former citizens of Baltimore were informed the city will be extorting us to fill its dwindling coffers. Their weapon of choice comes in the form of excessive late fees associated with a variety of parking tickets, in some cases, many years old. According to NBC, 80,000 of us have been contacted concerning 183,000 citations totaling $132 million dollars. Some of us have now been individually saddled with THOUSANDS of dollars in fines to ease City Hall's debt ... we are furious the city views our bank accounts as their personal ATMs, for which THEY write the rules for withdrawal.

Fatal Police Shooting #5

"A Baltimore City man was shot and killed by police Saturday morning after he barricaded a 4-year-old inside his home with a machete, police say."
and guess what? the BPD identified the officer involved in the shooting as Garfield O'Toole.

Ew du jour: a Goucher prof was fired after admitting to having <600 child porn pix on his PC.

Delegates: Help us, Rod!

"Calling an uptick in police shootings troubling, two state delegates and the head of the local NAACP called on the federal government today to investigate a recent fatal shooting by a Baltimore police officer who has shot three people since June 2007."

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14-year-old shot in the SW!

The stabbing death of 17-year-old Shawn Green (#14) has been ruled self-defense, he's being removed from official murder rolls.

Hermann: The Baltimore Police Department wants to be your Facebook friend

And the Sunpapers invite you (yes, you!) to sit in on the daily front-page meeting!

Parking Fine Insanity!

Baltimore's ballooning parking fines may be the highest in the country, and now the city is threatening to sue scofflaws for an average sum of $1,625 per violation. (Even, presumably, violators whose license plates were stolen by MVA employees!)
City spokesman: "we have a budget deficit."