75 years

for man who fired on two officers, hitting one in the femoral artery. Details from the SAO:

Atkins was convicted based on the following facts of the case. On April 15, 2008 Detectives Mark Spila and Robert Himes observed Charles Atkins walk from 2858 W. Lanvale Street to a 1999 Gold Lexus. Atkins was displaying characteristics of an armed person. As Atkins entered the front passenger seat of the Lexus which was being driven by Robert Campbell, detectives approached the Lexus and Campbell put the car in reverse and drove approximately 30-40 feet to Poplar Grove before the vehicle stalled in the street. Detective Spila approached the passenger side and Detective Himes approached the driver’s side. Atkins then exited the front passenger seat of the car and began fighting with Detective Spila and attempted to flee on foot. Atkins then turned and produced a gun and fired the gun at Detective Spila striking him and barely missing Spila’s femoral artery. As Atkins ran away, he also fired shots at Detective Himes. Both detectives returned fire. Atkins then fled into 2858 W. Lanvale Street. Backup units responded to the area. When Atkins exited the home he began to run at officers with an object in his hand. Atkins was ordered to stop but failed to do so. He was then shot and taken into custody. Both Atkins and Det. Spila were taken to Shock Trauma for treatment. Atkins handgun was recovered and found to be a .40 caliber Glock. DNA testing showed Atkins’ DNA was on the grip of the handgun.

Settled

A federal discrimination lawsuit filed by Sergeant Louis Hopson against the BPD has been settled for $2.5. million. As part of the settlement police will have to hire a special civil rights consultant.

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Baltimore PoliceDept SHOOTING: reported @ 1800 Chapel St, adult male shot. Fatal injuries

incidents

Last Thursday's stabbing may have been gang-related

An officer from the Western was arrested and suspended after a "domestic incident" sent his wife to the hospital

What the?! "The Baltimore mayor's chief of staff and two other government officials sued an Ocean City Domino's pizza and related businesses for $30 million after employees at the beachfront pizzeria refused to serve them and allegedly imprisoned them in the restaurant"

"A long-running lawsuit involving a shady life insurance settlement company, a bevy of questionable insurance policies and a murdered porn shop owner has finally settled."

The BPD says FHB III's "minor medical issue" was dehydration, not exploding roids or anything horribly embarrassing like that

Hextuple at Shirley's Honey Hole

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... not a word anywhere (beyond Twitter and SpotCrime) on the hextuple shooting last night. This is the most Baltimoreans shot in one incident since the blog began.
There have been some quintuple shootings:
December 28 2008 on the West side and May 2007 on Mt. Royal

UPDATE: story by Annie Linskey ID's the deceased as Edward Patterson, 39.

FHB III in hospital!

Police tweet that the commissioner "experienced a minor medical issue during the Baltimore 10-miler. He is responsive. & coherent, being evaluated"

Must be something really embarrassing if they won't say what it is!

Adds another tweet, "Commissioner Bealefeld will remain in hosp for standard 24 hour observation. He is responsive & coherent & talking w/ family & staff"

Feel better Big B!

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SIX people shot at N. Patterson Park Ave and E. Oliver Street, one person has died, says BPD tweet

IG under fire

City Inspecor General Hilton Green is under fire for lack of productivity, or for investigating the suicide of Robert Clay, depending on who you ask.

105

A teenage boy stabbed in the chest last night in the 600 block of Tunbridge Rd.

also on FB
Baltimore PoliceDept SHOOTING: Reported @ Fayette / Belnord, adult male shot. Life threatening injuries, police investigating

Baltimore PoliceDept SHOOTING: Reported @ North/Greenmount, adult male shot multiple times

An ex-wife killed her 66-year-old former husband in Glen Arm

She drove her Trans Am to the Crüe show

... then seemingly disappeared. But County police, family and the band never gave up hope of finding Tracey Testo. Now her husband is charged with her murder and being held with no bail; her body has not yet been found.

Also, from the SAO:

At a hearing today, Lawrence Gee, 35, of the unit block of S. Monastery Road pled guilty to second-degree murder. Judge John C. Themelis sentenced Gee to life suspend all but 30 years in prison.

On August 19, 2006, police responded to 227 N. Culver Street, the home of Mary Page, 63, the victim in this case. Page’s employer, The Walter Art Gallery {sic}, called because Ms. Page did not show up for work on August 18 or 19, very unusual for her. Police found the house locked residence and forced entry into the home. Once inside police found Ms. Page’s body in the basement. There were obvious signs of violence, her pants and underpants had been removed, and Ms. Page’s face was bruised. An autopsy concluded that the cause of death was a homicide and that the manner of death resulted from strangulation, sharp force injuries to the neck consistent with being stabbed with a sharp object and blunt force injuries consistent with being beaten about the face and head.

Witnesses informed police that Gee dated the victim’s daughter and used to live in Ms. Page’s residence prior to her evicting both of them for theft and drug use. On August 26, 2006 police located Gee and pursuant to a search warrant DNA swabs were taken for comparison with evidence recovered from the victim’s body. On February 13, 2007 DNA analysis was completed on swabs from the victim and samples submitted by Gee and results indicated a match.

Housing squabbles

Unruly tennants, too many kids on the streets, broken windows and lots of police calls have lead to tensions between renters and owners at the city's Albermarle Square, a mixed-income development that replaced the notoriously drug ridden Flag House Courts housing projects.

Q

Can you sue for custody/ child support before a baby is actually born?

Thursday morning torture

Johnnie Butler and Calvin Wright have been charged with the 2007 torture and murder of Sintia Mesa. Both were already in jail on unrelated drug charges.

Shooting early this morning on the West side

Mistrial after a jury deadlock in prison brutality case

Supreme Court says cons have no right to DNA testing

Residents rage at the manager of Suite Ultralounge.

Animal abuse in Pimlico

103, 104

Murder Ink adds two names to the toll:

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Karl Snyder, 21, shot to death in the 2500 block of East Federal Street Monday before last (6/8)


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and Tony Geiger, 41, whose body was found June 2 in the 100 block of Old Riverside rd. on the AAC/Baltimore city line

Also, a man injured jumping a fence to flee police

Men who robbed York Rd. M&T sought

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Unidentified man, 24, 1902 Braddish Ave. (6/16). UPDATE: WMAR resports the victim was killed during a home-invasion robbery

Intense times during Dinkins' and Gilbert's penalty phase (Goods = mandatory life)

What the?! Mayor's chief of staff Demaune Millard and Housing and Community Department Director Elizabeth Smith are accusing each other of assault.

Feds investigate slumlord bid-rigging
also, 11 new lead-paint citations

Bummer: Cannabis smoke damages DNA

Domestic abuse

Melody Smith, who was strangled to death in April was hit with a protection order by her alleged assailant a few days before she died

Guerilla Family Portraits

"Hardworking mom" Deitra Davenport and "workaday bureaucrat" Calvin Renard Robinson

Taking on "take-home" cars

IV editor Regina Holmes weighs in on BPD's penchant for driving "take home" cars to PA

Escape-Proof Habitat

Four shootings and a carjacking that ended with an SUV going through the front of a house on Exeter st. last night
Watch out for people who approach your car with a "hard-luck story"

Mark Kenneth Floyd was arrested for killing the women on Biddison Lane. According to the JIS, Floyd has had two nol-prossed assaults on his record and is due in court Friday after next to answer charges that he was a felon in possession of a stolen shotgun.

Conviction for the murders of Vanessa Price, 36, and her 16-year-old daughter Bianca may be thrown out in lieu of allegations of judge's bias

FHB III on "media blitz"

Judge Nance taking heat for jailing mom who said "I love you"

Rashid Hall arrested for "a carime that is hard for anyone to believe."

"Prairie dogs immediately escape from $500k escape-proof habitat"

Busting stereotypes...

Tricia Bishop on how voir dire is a bunch of hoodoo

... hey, I just put two and two together, the Sirlilar Stokes who Jacques Kelly reported about a few weeks ago is the same one accused of shooting dancer Ashley Davis in Robert E. Lee park, then going back to the strip club. (Pic at right)
Not all lesbians are innocent and cuddly, Mel!
(See also Newton, Sharone, accused of killing Sctario Edwards outside of Coconuts)

WTF? "A 30-year-old woman was seriously injured Sunday evening when her brother pushed her out of a moving vehicle and into the southbound lanes of Interstate 695 near Security Boulevard"

RJR dwarfed by megalithic pile of applications

Undetermined, unrelenting

Prosecutors want audio copies of the second degree assault trial of Baltimore homicide detective Terry Love and Baltimore County deputy sherriff Michael Herring to turn over to their respective agenices to aid in an internal investigations of the pair. The duo was found not guilty of assaulting a man outside a North Baltimore barbershop in September of 2007.

Meanwhile, the city council is planning to weigh in on the topic of undetermined deaths.

The Wives of Biddison Lane

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Who would want to kill two poodle-owning lesbians in Walterson?
UPDATE: The women were ID'D as 31-year-old Lydia Steed and 23-year-old Allisha Royster.

Judge Trouble

The Maryland Court of Appeals has issued a reprimand accusing city judge Charles Bernstein of showing bias towards prosecutors during a drug trial

100, 101

According to WBAL, the women in the 4000 block of Biddison Lane were murdered, and a couple

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"Western District police responding to shots fired about 7:30 p.m. [last night] found Darnell Johns, 21, lying in the 1700 block of N. Payson St. and another man in the nearby 1800 block of N. Pulaski St."

Bodies of two women found in Waltherson in the in the 4000 block of Biddison Lane, so far no word on how they died

Murder charges dropped for 15-year-old Christopher Briggs due to a "serious proof problem," according to Briggs' atty Jack Rubin. Briggs turned himself in for the murder of 18-year-old Keon Cameron

Kids detained for curfew violations, and parents won't come get them

CSA: No mas for former Commish Kevin Clark
y nada for retired Raven Michael McCrary

Lawyer/stalker's license suspended by the Court of Appeals

Crime drives venture capital firm to Timonium

"Burned dog may be linked to dogfighting, police say"

Illegal turtle vendors arrested; the little cuties spread salmonella

It's a great place to work, but I wouldn't want to live here

Apparently, a very notable BPD employee finds Alexandria, VA. a more appealing place to call home.

Gilbert, Dinkins and Goods

Wonder how that jury's doing today...

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"Police were called about 11 a.m. Sunday to a residence in the 900 block of Brooks Lane to check on the well-being of Dana Richardson, 44, who had not been answering his door"

Juveniles charged

in death of Phoenix. Though they're juveniles, WBAL is releasing their names: twin 17-year-old brothers Travis and Jermaine Johnson.
QTD: "it's hard to see children get shot, but to see a dog actually on fire is worse."
For reals?

Pharmacy thief nabbed

The mastermind behind six robberies of a Brooklyn pharmacy has been nabbed by police with a nice stash of 'scrips.

Baltimore PoliceDept SHOOTING: reported @ 1214 McCulloh St-Adult male shot

Jury duty!

Jury duty yesterday wasn't bad at all. There is WiFi at the courthouse for $5.95, and one table that you can put your laptop on and pull a chair up to, and vending machines that take credit cards. If you don't have your summons then you go to the desk and show ID and they make you a new one. Then they call ranges of summons numbers for you to line up and check in and get three five-dollar bills. Then you sit down again. Then they start calling ranges of numbers and courtrooms and if your number is up you and the rest of the range shuffle off in a little herd.

I got lucky and I was picked on the first go-see (in my biz suit, hose and heels, BTW, BUZ) for a personal injury one-day thing. If you don't get picked, then you go back to the jury room and wait for your number to come up again and keep repeating the whole process until 4:30.

In the courtroom they take roll call-- you stand up when your number is called and say present and the lawyers eyeball you. then voir dire, you were to stand up if you'd been involved in a personal-injury suit, then those people (about 6 out of 25) all had to line up and approach the bench with the two lawyers for a chat.

After that was done then the judge's little friend called out the numbers of who they'd picked, and I, #209, was now #5, with five others and an alternate. There was one guy and I was the only white person (besides the plaintiff and the lawyers).

The plaintiff was one David Brown, age 24, an unemployed electrician, doodled on my Steno pad at right, whose Cadillac was hit at Patapsco & Hanover by the defendant's car. The defendant admitted he was at fault for the accident and the case was about how much Brown should get for his injuries. Brown had gone to five different doctors or hospitals in three weeks after the accident, demanding (and getting) Oxycodone prescriptions from all of them and discovering new injuries as he went along. Once we got to the jury room at around 3 it took us about 5 minutes for all of us to agree that he was full of it and about 10 minutes to bitch about what a liar he was. I was the only one who thought he should get anything-- I thought one trip to the emergency room on the day of the accident was reasonable to ask for-- but everyone else was adamant that he get nothing, so nothing was what he got.

So we were done by 3:30. or almost done, we had to wait for the very slow old elevator standing next to the plaintiff and his dad! Awkward! Fortunately they did not pack into the elevator with us, and I caught a cab quickly on Calvert Street and that was that.

Baltimore PoliceDept UPDATE: SHOOTING REPORTED @ 1700 N PULASKI ST HAS 2 VICTIMS.

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Anthony Benitez, 21, was shot to death Wednesday near O'Donnell Heights.

"Decomposed body found in St. Paul Street garage"

City may lose out on Justice Department funds because no one can figure out how previous federal grants were spent (Didn't that happen in the school system, too?).

Detroit and Baltimore-- who's #1?

Rent and wreck

Smashing up rental cars is costing the BCP lots of dough

Police response to a nanny attack in Bolton Hill raises questions

"An Owings Mills woman was sentenced to a year in prison Wednesday after she pleaded guilty to stealing more than $450,000 from the University of Maryland, Baltimore"

96?

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Baltimore PoliceDept SUSPICIOUS DEATH: 2743 St Paul St. Body of elderly adult male found.

Guess whose

beach weekend was ruined by the first JURY DUTY of my life tomorrow?
Be careful what you wish for!
So where should I park?
Can you plug in your laptop? Is there an Internet connection? Can you bring in your phone?
Where are you supposed to go first?
I can't find that piece of paper they mailed me!!
$@#&!

Sex offender on the move

A convicted sex offender who abused family members in Baltimore has been charged in West Virginia for abusing more children in his care.

Ink of the Week

Ink updates city's murder toll to 94, (Sun says 95) Anna Ditkoff is on Ed Norris this morning from 9:30-10. The Northeast is far surpassing other districts' murder rates.

Fenton: "Baltimore saw fewer killings last year than any other in the past two decades, but data released this week show the city's homicide rate ranked the highest among the nation's cities with a population of more than 500,000."

Two teenagers shot after midnight

A second suspect arrested in the Coconuts murder

From the SAO:

June 3, 2009 – State’s Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy announced today that prosecutors secured a 25-year no parole sentence against Darnell Smith, 28 of 1602 E. Belvedere Street, Baltimore following his conviction on October 10, 2008 for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine. Judge Timothy J. Doory imposed the sentence at a hearing yesterday. The State’s Attorney’s Office filed for enhanced penalties after reviewing Smith’s criminal record. Smith had three prior drug convictions.

On November 27, 2007 at about 3 PM on 3100 Presbury Street, an undercover officer approached Darnell Smith and said, “Any ready out?” This is the street term for cocaine. Mr. Smith stated, “Yeah” and the undercover officer asked for 2 dimes of cocaine. Mr. Smith advised the undercover officer to go wait in his car and yelled “you bring back 4” to Rodney Holden. Mr. Holden walked out of view for approx. 15 seconds and Mr. Smith met a co-defendant at Presbury and Bloomingdale Streets. He then walked to the vehicle and handed the undercover officer 4 zip locks of cocaine in exchange for 2 $10 bills of pre-recorded buy money. Both were arrested and positively arrested by officers who recovered $146 along with the 2 $10 bills of pre-recorded buy money.

The case was prosecuted by narcotics prosecutor Keri Borzilleri.

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Baltimore PoliceDept "HOMICIDE: 21 OLD RIVERSIDE RD, ADULT MALE SHOT" (@ 8 a.m. 6/2)
Also
"SERIOUS AGG ASLT (CUTTING): 2601 MADISON AVE, 2 ADULT FEMALES CUT BY EX-HUSBAND. SERIOUS INJURIES TO BOTH" (@ 1 a.m. 6/1)
"UPDATE SUSPICIOUS DEATH - @ 1943 Mosher St. No obvious signs of foul play. Medical examiner will investigate further" (@ 10 p.m. 6/1)

Liberian presidential candidate Joseph Woah-Tee was the city's 92nd homicide.
Ditkoff: "Last year, another Liberian was murdered in Baltimore City. Jeff Payne, a 22-year-old African-American man, was shot at a party at the Morgan View Apartments on Feb. 15, 2008. At the sentencing of his killer, his family lamented the fact that he survived so many years of civil war in Liberia to die violently in Baltimore."

Wells Fargo whistleblowers say loan officers rode "stagecoach to Hell," pushing "Ghetto loans" on "mud people"

"Gansler considers recognizing gay marriages"

Random Attacks

Victims of random attacks by packs of juveniles include an off-duty NJ police officer. Reader "Tom" writes about a man punched in the face by teens on the Light Rail.

QTD: "The harbor should not be a de facto day care center for people"
- FHB III

Police say last week's raids caught a big fish, Emiliano "Blikk" Aguas, "identified as the leader of the local Pasadena Denver Lanes Bloods set" and now being held without bail.

Undetermined re-cap

Undetermined deaths on the rise, according to 2007 annual report from the State Medical Examiner's office.

Six shootings and one stabbing

in the past 24 hours, reports Spotcrime

NYT: "Black tar" heroin from Ohio making its way southwest

Wired Magazine

... on cell phones in prisons.

Two burned dogs

From the SAO:

On December 12, 2007 Scottie Marco Pinder, Linwood Buckson, 28, of the 2500 block of the Edgecomb Circle was convicted of animal cruelty and second-degree arson (207253015-016) and was sentenced to two years in prison by Judge Martin P. Welch.

Today, in a violation of probation hearing before Judge Welch, Pinder was found guilty of violating his probation and the court sentenced him to the balance of the two years, six month suspended sentence he received on December 12, 2007.

On August 1, 2007 at 8:45PM police responded to the 2700 block of Ulman Avenue for a report of a dog killed as a result of being set on fire. Upon arrival, police took a report from a victim who stated that her German Sheppard, Alize, was set on fire and that the victim knew the person who set Alize on fire and that he was still in the vicinity. The victim identified Pinder and police placed him under arrest.

During his violation of probation hearing today, Judge Welch found that Pinder violated the terms of his probation by a rule 10 violation, or failure to pay all fines, costs and fees as ordered by the court. Those fees totaled $1,400.

Assistant State’s Attorney Nancy Olin of the Collateral Division prosecuted this case.

Meanwhile, Phoenix, the bull terrier set on fire in the SW has died this morning of her injuries.

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BaltimorePolice SHOOTING: REPORTING @ 2400 RUECKERT, ADULT MALE FOUND IN ABANDONED CAR. POLICE INVESTIGATING

also today

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SHOOTING: REPORTED @ PORT ST / MCELDERRY ST. ADULT MALE SHOT MULTIPLE TIMES. UNITS ARE ON THE SCENE.

TGIF

Why charges against Dixon and Holton were dropped: swapping services for votes isn't illegal!

Hermann on the Crime Stat disconnect, plus part 2

Yesterday's raids were brought to you by Operation Dial a Cell

It's a Gang Code Glossary, birthday boys and girls!

Kids these days...
From ambitious scholarship recipient to felon: what happened to Sirlilar Stokes?

Hagtown teen to be tried as adult for soliciting murder of dad

Two claiming to be priest's children suing Baltimore Catholic order

Bed bugs in b-nmore

Bed bugs and other critters have residents of a city homeless shelter up in arms and planning to march on city hall.

Helen Holton off the hook!!

Some charges dismissed against the Mayor, entire case against Helen Holton thrown out ("God that can do anything but fail has found favor with this child of his ... HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH!")

Raids!

Federales!

Assorted Crime News of the Day...

Jailhouse snitches (including one featured in "Stop Snitching") are the feds' golden hope in the capital-murder trial of Dinkins, Gilbert and Goods, accused of killing witness John P. Downey Jr.

Baltimore PoliceDept HOMICIDE ARREST: Christopher Briggs (M/B/DOB12/23/93) was arrested yesterday for the May 25th murder of Keon Cameron; Tavon Julian Grey (12/12/82) was arrested TODAY for the Aug 08 murder of Eric Jebron Brown

A pitbull set on fire in the SW

More mayhem at the Victor Cullen Academy

No reports of random attacks lately ... except for this poor guy

Catholics designate a week in June to pray for peace;
"Community Conferencing Center uses restorative justice techniques to deal with crime in Baltimore"
HBR on the art of the apology

Extras:
We've all been there, right? Mom leads cops on chase around 495 with three kids in the car
Perceived racism makes you fat, study says

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Unidentified man, 20s, 15. S. Eutaw St.
Unidentified man, 32, 1101 W. North Ave. (scene footage from WMAR)
A man shot in the upper body at 1306 Roundhill Rd.
Shootings mapped

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David Parker, 200 block of N. Collington Ave., about 10:35 a.m. yesterday

.. and Statistics

Overall, crime is down, police say. The reduction may not be immediately obvious however-- burglaries and car break-ins are up, and there are 9 more murders this year than there were during the same period of '08.

There's audio of Justin Fenton and JHU Prof Doug Ward talking crime numbers on WYPR.

Have you seen...

Police ISO Donald Donnell Brown Jr., right, in connection with a shooting in Edgewater

Beyond Recognition

"A man dressed up as a woman and standing on the corner, even though it's obvious what he is doing, is not against the law."

A few lucky residents of the Central will win a police ride-along

Hagtown inmate beaten beyond recognition; wrong family notified of an inmate suicide at the Eastern Correction Institution

Parents' insurance companies to pay for boy burned by acid on playground slide

Baltimoreans go to Ocean City, get arrested for brawling on Boardwalk

Scandal in Boonsboro: a pastor's spouse on the sex offender registry

Amusingly Defaced Street Signs, pts 1, 2 and 3

The Right Thing

Last month's firing of the Police chief of internal affairs' trial boards has led to misconduct charges being dropped against 12 officers.
Says Sun's Andy Green(?): "The Baltimore Police Department is doing the right thing"

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"A 24-year-old man was shot about 10 p.m. Monday in the 3100 block of Cliftmont Ave. and later died of his injuries"

... and the winner is...

Sonia Sotomayor!
Sonia Sotomayor!
Sonia Sotomayor!

The California court is due to rule on Prop H8, too. An exciting day in American jurisprudence!

86, 87

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WJZ reports four murders so far this holiday weekend: Hardy Jones, found around 6:30 a.m. today in a car in the 3300-block of Noble Street. Also dead, Keon Cameron, "involved in a verbal altercation that escalated into a fight on the 1800-block of East 28 Street" on Saturday.

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85

BPD via Facebook: "HOMICIDE: UNIT BLOCK CLINTON ST. ADULT MALE FOUND SITTING IN CAR WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND."


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18-year-old Chernere Wooten was shot to death in the 300 block of North Carollton Avenue at around 3:30 p.m. Saturday

Shooting in the 2100-block of Sinclair Lane at around 12:45 p.m. yesterday afternoon, police are "looking for two men seen running from the scene. One man was wearing no shirt and plaid shorts. The second was seen wearing a black hat and white shirts."

Stabbing@ Charles & Mulberry

Baltimore PoliceDept STABBING: N. CHARLES ST / E. MULBERRY ADULT MALE STABBED.
Posted around 8 p.m.

84

BPD Twitterberry: SHOOTING: 2100 SINCLAIR / 2000 CHESTER. ADULT MALE SHOT IN CRITICAL CONDITION. POLICE INVESTIGATING

Fox Tweets "Baltimore City police have identified the woman found fatally shot Saturday in West Baltimore as 18-year-old Chernere Wooten."

Swine flu

As if we don't have enough problems, health officials have discovered three confirmed cases of Swine Flu in Baltimore City.

Still MORE Random Attacks

by packs of "wilding" teenagers, most recently in Federal Hill/ South Baltimore.

CHUM shooting

5/23 1801 E. 28th. Adult male

Prop 8 Won't Pass

But it doesn't matter, predicts Law Dork 2.0

Whole Lot of "Special"

A courthouse fight ensued after a U.S. marshall put a witness in the same holding cell as Gilbert, Dinkins and Goods, the "Special" gangsters accused of killing murder witness John P. Dowery Jr.

North Avenue fender bender part III

IV now has photos of accident damage to a car involved in a fender bender that lead to the suspension of three school police officers

82, 83

Two new victims added to '09's toll:


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# 83. Lee Johnson, 28, shot Sept. 27, 2008, 1900 block of Frederick Ave. (5/22)


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# 82. Tavon Crawford, 26, shot April 12, 2005, 2700 block of Saint Lo Drive (d. 1/2009)

Too Much Attention, Too Little Attention

Court of Appeals: city's "problem-solving" drug courts are legal

Former deacon of Beth El Temple Church of Christ in Park Heights accused of sexually assaulting a teenage boy

Legislature closes sex-offender loophole

Hagtown corrections officers to be tried in groups for inmate beating

Mom-napped 555-pound teen found in town (wonder if she's like that creepy "Half Ton Teen" mom, spackling extra mayo on his sandwiches)

Wow! The American Brewery in Broadway East has been restored to serve as HQ for a nonprofit. Broadway East is aka "a Neighborhood Abandoned"

Pending

A backlog of "Pending" cases, like those of the bodies found in the Harbor, leave some questionable deaths in purgatory

Fed. Hill Assailants on the Streets

Ashley Adoline Zion, 22, (right) and Brittany Meekins, 19 are out on probation after pleading guilty to second-degree assault for their roles in a triple stabbing in Federal Hill.
If the JIS is up-to-date, it does appear Zion still could face charges of juror intimidation and parole violations in Anne Arundel County.
UPDATE: The SAO tells us the Sun story is inaccurate-- they were not sentenced to time served, but eight years suspended and three years' probation.
Don't ef it up, ladies!

Jayne Miller has video of what appears to be some highly questionable police search action at an unnamed West Baltimore bar

More Random Attacks

in Charles Village and Mt. Vernon, a second-hand source tells Hermann police hung up on the victim

More prostitution than usual on St. Paul street

Faith Bocian's murder bears stolen

Public Transportation = Dangerous

A mother and daughter were attacked by teenagers on the metro Monday while on the way to Hopkins for treatment for daughter's neurological condition. Three teens were arrested and charged as juveniles; the MTA won't release video of the attack.

"Baltimore police said a man is in critical condition after his throat was slashed Wednesday during an argument at a bus stop near Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.
The incident occurred around 11:30 a.m. in the 4900 block of Eastern Ave."

Guilty verdict in Timonium light-rail assault, Kiheem Malik Taylor, 22, faces a maximum of two life sentences plus 140 years in jail.

BPD: 84-year-old homeless Lucio Solorzano beaten to death with his own walking stick

"Gov. Martin O’Malley signed legislation on Tuesday requiring a judge to confiscate firearms from people who have final protective orders filed against them."

BBC's world news programme features a segment narrated by "Baltimore's Crime Scene Reporter" Peter Hermann with a cameo by Gus Sentementes

Two years for kidnapping, torture of teens

Luke blogged this already, but did you catch it? "Two of the five men accused of kidnapping two teenagers from a bus stop and torturing them in an attempt to elicit information about a stolen PlayStation game console pleaded guilty to second-degree assault Monday and were sentenced to two years in prison."

Bealefeld: "... if it happened in a white neighborhood in any other community in this state, we'd still be talking about it, and people would be talking about life sentences"

81 = 84

Police tweet: "HOMICIDE ARREST: Hector Jose Posado H/M/35 arrested JUST NOW for the homicide of 84 yr old Lucio Solarzano which occured Sunday" ... found beaten to death behind the Texaco at 7001 Reisterstown Rd.

Also, "Xavian Chriscoe M/B/DOB-1/6/78 was arrested yesterday @ 4026 W. Century Blvd.
Inglewood CA. for the Murder of Shaun Williams which occurred on 4/27/09 @ 2200 Christian St." (right)

A shot fired at the bucolic Jarrettsville BP station, county police are ISO a do-rag'd dingus and his blond female friend

Workshop for Families of Homicide Victims

From the SAO:

Survivors Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE) is sponsoring an Information Workshop for Caretakers of Children (that have lost a parent to homicide). The session is scheduled for Saturday May 23, 2009, 10:30am-12:30pm at the Enoch Pratt Library, 1303 Orleans Street (parking in the rear). The purpose is to provide useful information for families whose loved ones have been murdered and are faced with the additional challenge of raising their children.

For Further Information Contact:
Robin Haskins
(410) 361-9301
(443) 226-3497

School police

IV editor Regina Holmes rants on the controversy surrounding the suspension of three city school police officers.

Tuesday morning cheer

• They were two college-bound 17-year-olds from Baltimore County in the back seat of a car at the Timonium light rail station.

But their “make out” session quickly turned into a traumatic attack when two men kidnapped them at gunpoint, forced the boy into the trunk and sexually assaulted the girl before dumping them both in Baltimore City’s Cherry Hill neighborhood, the victims testified Monday in Baltimore County Circuit Court.

• Baltimore police found an unidentified body Tuesday morning in the Inner Harbor near the Maryland Science Center. 

• A federal grand jury indicted a Reisterstown couple on four counts of child sex trafficking, alleging that the pair recruited, housed and prostituted three minor teenage girls, in part by advertising sexual services on Craigslist.

• Two of the five men accused of kidnapping two teenagers from a bus stop and torturing them in an attempt to elicit information about a stolen PlayStation game console pleaded guilty to second-degree assault Monday and were sentenced to two years in prison.

• One Carroll County man has been arrested and another is awaiting extradition from Florida on charges related to recent burglaries in Manchester, according to Maryland State Police.

State Pursues Attempted Murderer/Cell Phone Smuggler for VOP

From Margaret Burns of the SAO:

A violation of probation hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 19 at 9 AM before Judge Lynn K. Stewart in the case of State vs. Jerrod Rowlett. The State intends to proceed on a violation of probation without a conviction (Rule 4 Violation). Rowlett is alleged to have possessed a cell phone and charger while held on bail at the city jail and prosecutors believe this violation constitutes Rowlett’s failure to obey all rules.

On August 8, 2007 Rowlett pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute a controlled dangerous substance and first degree assault. He was found guilty and sentenced to 15 years suspend all but time served leaving a suspended sentence of 14 years and 11 months and five years probation through August 8, 2012.

On June 7, 2008 Rowlett was arrested and charged with attempted murder and indicted under case number 108185009. That case is scheduled for May 26, 2009. On August 20, 2008 while incarcerated at the Baltimore City Detention Center and awaiting trial, Rowlett was allegedly found in possession of a cell phone and charger. Following an investigation by the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, he was arrested and charged with possession of a telecommunications device in December 2008. That matter was ultimately placed on the stet docket.

Since that time, prosecutors have reviewed Rowlett’s probation case with probation agents assigned to the Division of Probation and members of the Violent Repeat Offender work group and have determined to proceed on the above violation. Nancy Olin of the Collateral Division will represent the State.

Sigh.

Shooting death in Dundalk

Tires slashed in West Baltimore

Homeless man beaten and robbed of art supplies

Two CV Incidents

From JHU Security:
Armed Robbery – Rear of 3246 Abell Ave. – On May 15th at 1:10 AM, two undergraduates walking east on 33rd Street were approached by two unknown males who emerged from an alley. One male displayed a handgun and repeatedly mumbled, “Give it up.”  The suspects took a wallet, cell phone and keys from one of the students and then fled south through the alley.  No injuries.  Baltimore Police responded. The incident was reported to Campus Security on May 15th at 1:23 PM. Investigation continuing.

Commercial Burglary – 3100 St. Paul St., Suite #1, Video Americain – On May 17th at 1:55 AM, Baltimore Police and store owner responded for an alarm. It was found that $200 cash had been taken from store. Entry had been gained by forcing open an interior basement door.  Investigation continuing by Baltimore Police.

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Police tweet: "HOMICIDE: Reported @ 7001 Reisterstown Rd. Adult male found with head injuries, police investigating"

also

SHOOTING: Reported @ 4103 Stokes Dr, prelim report of non-life threatening injuries.
Yesterday [5/16/09] at 12:42am
SHOOTING: Reported @ 500 Edgewood St. Adult female shot in the chest, person taken into custody
Yesterday [5/16/09] at 8:20pm
SHOOTING: Reported @ 3100 blk of McElderry, initial report of adult male shot in leg. Police investigating 10:13pm [5/16/09]

Hermann: house of beheaded Gypsy still standing, and her crazed killer is free

Ronnie Winkler, accused of strangling 19-year-old Kiuna Jackson and dumping her body in Herring Run park, was indicted by a Frederick jury on first-degree murder charges in the death of Shneara Kerrie Boone, also 19.

Another brawl at the Harbor?!

"About 20 to 30 young people were observed fighting at about 2:30 p.m." today near the World Trade Center, five were arrested. Apparently all city schools were dismissed early for parent/teacher conference day.

Bail Granted for Fugitive

From "no bail" to $500k for alleged killer pastor James Clea III from Judge Nathan Braverman. Clea is charged with first-degree murder in the death of blind, disabled Lemuel Wallace, found shot in a Leakin Park restroom. After his alleged accomplice was arrested, Clea fled to a motel in South Carolina.

Assault at the Crispy Bagel

The Sun reports a man shot in the arm in the parking lot of the Crispy Bagel on Franklintown Road, though the BPD reports "Investigation revealed that 230 N. Franklintown is an aggravated assault, not a shooting."

Western Correctional inmate admits to strangling his cellmate, gets another life sentence on top of his life sentence.

A "confrontational" man shot by county police in Lochearn

CSA: MD's sex offender registry doesn't violate rights to privacy

Spoiler alert! Stop reading if you can't handle scandalous truth! The "black-eyed Susans" at Preakness are really mums! Also, while we're at it, the USS Constellation was built in 1854, not 1797, and Phillip's crab cakes are not made of blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, but South African and South Asian species, Portunus pelagicus. You're welcome.

Thought police

School police are cracking down on employees who wrote unflattering comments about management on the Web.

Spectators Intimidate Witness before Murder Testimony

How much more brazen can it get?!

Clearance Stats

Via Facebook: "HOMICIDE STATS: So far this year, BPD has charged 75 people w/ murder compared to 26 last year. Homicide clearance rate is 63% vs 51% in 08... these are homicides from the last couple of years."

Ed Norris podcast: Carl Lackl's mom and sister punched in the head in the courtroom! (Note to slacking workers: this is an audio link)

Another tourist assault: Yankees fans robbed at the same motel where Petro Taylor was beaten

Oh the Geniosity

What the?! Witness breaks out of handcuffs and beats defendant at the courthouse!

"Special" gang members made sure the short bus ran on time

After swapping out cell phones, Feds then had to crack the criminals' so-fisticated code
ps., wonder how much time and $ the state will spend before concluding that jamming prison cell phones is a bad idea?

Two teens arrested for murders: "Marquel Gaffney, now 16, was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder in the killing of Alfred Smith, who died Sept. 26, 2007" and Sami McCargo, 19, was arrested for killing 22-year-old Quinton Savage on April 11.

"The Obama administration is weighing plans to detain some terror suspects on U.S. soil -- indefinitely and without trial." So much for change you can believe in!

CSA: Voir dire strikes must be gender-neutral

Not crime but noteworthy: Baltimore's lead-rich soil may make your backyard vegetable garden not so healthy

Double Shooting

.. at the Edmondson Village shopping center.


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A gunshot victim at Eager & Somerset, above.

In better news, new police efforts to catch the a-holes who break into cars!

Federal Witness Murder Trial Starts

Trial is set to begin today down at the federal courthouse for James Dinkins, Melvin Gilbert and Darron Goods, "Special" gang members accused of killing murder witness John P. Dowery Jr. in Thanksgiving of 2006. Julie Bykowicz and Matthew Dolan covered this story way back then. Gilbert and Goods face the big D if convicted.

A couple convicted of charges that they paralyzed a man following a fight over a cleaning cart.

The State's Attorney's office reports that yesterday, after a jury was seated and his murder trial was moments away from starting, Anthony Thompson, 50, pled guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 30 years in prison, all but 15 years suspended, and five years probation. Sunpapers has the horrible details.

Fenton: educators tried to push gang leader's book of teachings on Mayor Dixon

DNA evidence links a man in MA to a 2003 home-invasion robbery and murder in Brooklyn.

Correction: the Hopkins Hospital identity-theft story from yesterday was actually not related to the other Hopkins Hospital identity theft story but is a completely new case!
Also, in the 60s, Hopkins tried to change a guy into a girl.

Exhibit A's Mike Silvestri: "Police officers’ failure to go to court in Baltimore last year allowed thousands of suspects, including nearly 200 charged with felonies, to walk free, according to state’s attorney’s office data."

Detroit Leaning = No Reason

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The Ink puts names to last week's murder numbers, including Anthony Griffin, 23, shot to death by a man he was walking with on Montebello Terrace (above) in Beverly Hills.

Legal opinion: the "Detroit Lean" is not cause for traffic stop

Leash-law outrage leads to lower fines, potential naked dog time at local parks and butt-scootingly wretched canine puns from local news media. What I want to know: whose idea were the higher fines in the first place?

Media blabber:
Bankruptcy judge says broke-azz Trib can pay managers bonuses, but not severance pay for employees laid off in December.

Midtown Attacks

Last Saturday night was a bad time to be in the general vicinity of the Belvedere hotel-- Hermann reports two apparently random attacks on passers-by at around 11:30.

Clay

Baltimore Inspector General Hilton Green has issued a report urging federal prosecutors to open the case of Baltimore businessman Robert Clay.

20 Years for Kiddie Heroin Dealer

Says the SAO:

Judge John N. Prevas sentenced Bland R. Gatewood, 33, of the 5900 block of Johnnycake Road to 20 years in prison today.

A Baltimore jury on April 1, 2009 convicted Gatewood of possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of heroin and possession with intent to distribute heroin within 1,000 feet of a school.

On December 3, 2008 in the 2000 block of Linden Avenue police officers observed Gatewood standing across the street from PS 61, the John Eager Howard Elementary School. Police observed Gatewood engaging in a hand to hand transaction utilizing a ground stash and placed him under arrest. Police recovered 20 gel caps of heroin.

As you might suspect, this wasn't Gatewood's first brush with the law, he's been charged with armed robbery, carjacking, assault, burglary, etc etc etc.

... Chief Judge Prevas is by far the most beloved Circuit Court judge in Baltimore City, with more than twice the votes of the runner-up, the Honorable Gale E. Rasin.

Feds turn tables on cell-phone smugglers by smuggling in a dirty phone of their own. Meanwhile, the gov wants permission from the FCC to try to figure out how to jam prison cell-phone signals.