Thursday, January 12, 2012
"If you wave at someone in Baltmore, they might shoot you"
Former city homicide detective Kelvin Sewell talks about the difference between policing in Baltimore and Pocomoke City in USA Today. He's also the author of Why Do We Kill?
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Stop Shooting. Start Living.
Flying bullets, Yorkie
Two shootings in Cherry Hill*
A woman was shot through her patio door in the Harford-Echodale-Perring Parkway neighborhood
Trial scheduled to start today for Lee Edward Stephens, one of two prisoners charged with stabbing David McGuinn to death in 2006.
Lead investigator in the Mary Hare murder was arrested three years ago* for not following his sargeant's order, reports Fenton
The Ink has last week's five murders
Immigration lawyer David Agatstein pled guilty to helping immigrants commit marriage fraud
Occupiers succeed in saving woman from eviction, for now
Counterfeit bill passed at the Charles Village Pub
A drive-by purse snatching in the Northern
A mugging with a piece of wood, a machete attack, an engine block stolen out of a parked Chevy and threatening gestures with a spacke knife in the Baltimore Guide blotter
Indictments for "D", "Peaches" (real first name = Tyeast), William Alvin Darden and Keith Eugene Daughtry for a scheme to transfer almost $1.4 million out of the Baltimore Housing Authority's bank account.
A man went to jail in the county after he threw his pet yorkie off of his balcony
A century in jail for 28-year-old Jason Scott of Upper Marlboro, a former postal worker* linked to more than 50 burglaries, nine home-invasion robberies, carjacking, production of child pornography, gun theft, and gun-related charges. He's also charged with the killing of a mother and daughter in Largo. "He told investigators that he was inspired by the movie 'Bullet,' starring Mickey Rourke and Tupac Shakur."
A woman was shot through her patio door in the Harford-Echodale-Perring Parkway neighborhood
Trial scheduled to start today for Lee Edward Stephens, one of two prisoners charged with stabbing David McGuinn to death in 2006.
Lead investigator in the Mary Hare murder was arrested three years ago* for not following his sargeant's order, reports Fenton
The Ink has last week's five murders
Immigration lawyer David Agatstein pled guilty to helping immigrants commit marriage fraud
Occupiers succeed in saving woman from eviction, for now
Counterfeit bill passed at the Charles Village Pub
A drive-by purse snatching in the Northern
A mugging with a piece of wood, a machete attack, an engine block stolen out of a parked Chevy and threatening gestures with a spacke knife in the Baltimore Guide blotter
Indictments for "D", "Peaches" (real first name = Tyeast), William Alvin Darden and Keith Eugene Daughtry for a scheme to transfer almost $1.4 million out of the Baltimore Housing Authority's bank account.
A man went to jail in the county after he threw his pet yorkie off of his balcony
A century in jail for 28-year-old Jason Scott of Upper Marlboro, a former postal worker* linked to more than 50 burglaries, nine home-invasion robberies, carjacking, production of child pornography, gun theft, and gun-related charges. He's also charged with the killing of a mother and daughter in Largo. "He told investigators that he was inspired by the movie 'Bullet,' starring Mickey Rourke and Tupac Shakur."
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Bernsteinorama
Bernstein speaks! Not one but two articles out today about his first year, one with TDR's Ben Mook (subscription required) and another from the Sun and Tricia Bishop*, who Page Croyder says misrepresented her words.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Evicted Occupy to Occupy Eviction
Less than a month after eviction from McKeldin Square, Occupy has moved on to a new thing, the group plans tomorrow to occupy a home at 1433 W. Lombard St where the resident is scheduled to be evicted. Property search shows the home was acquired by Deutsche Bank in August, in 2006 it was flipped by one Jui Fan-Lee Yang.
Twenty-one years in the slammer for a Mississippi truck driver who caused four crashes in MD while hopped up on "bath salts"
A reader/blogger has procured an org chart of the Baltimore FBI field office, if you are interested in that sort of thing.
Twenty-one years in the slammer for a Mississippi truck driver who caused four crashes in MD while hopped up on "bath salts"
A reader/blogger has procured an org chart of the Baltimore FBI field office, if you are interested in that sort of thing.
3, 4, 5
The third homicide of the year occurred Friday when 27-year-old Doral Hinton was shot to death in the 2400 block of Ashland Ave. There were also plenty of non-fatal shootings as well.
Virginia resident Raymon Parrot, 35, was shot and killed in the 4100 block of Mariban Court while visiting relatives Sunday.
A 2006 beating turned into a 2011 death, which has now become 2012's 5th homicide.* Joseph Curtis, age 65 at the time of his death, is counted in this year's tally. His attackers have already been tried for the crime.
The Skateworks rape trial has ended in acquittal. Davon Perry, 26, was found not guilty on two counts of rape while deadlocking on sex offense charges, leaving the opportunity for a re-trial open.
The City PD and the ATF are working together to solve the heinous murder of 84-year-old Mary Hines.
A Maryland man is in hot water for trying to join a Somali terrorist group.
A Towson liquor-store robber got 10 years in the Federal pen. 27-year-old Edward Sample was exiled after pleading guilty to the 2009-2010 robbery spree.
Another Baltimore criminal was exiled for the next decade. Darryl Carter, 48, got his prison term after being caught holding a gun while riding a bike down Oliver Street.
And yet another ten-year term for another Baltimorean. James Bridgeforth, 38, was given the parole-free term after copping to bringing in heroin from India, Ghana and Peru.
Finally, 15 years at Club Fed for Roger "Tink" Ford. Ford was a major player in the Gilmor homes drug conspiracy.
Virginia resident Raymon Parrot, 35, was shot and killed in the 4100 block of Mariban Court while visiting relatives Sunday.
A 2006 beating turned into a 2011 death, which has now become 2012's 5th homicide.* Joseph Curtis, age 65 at the time of his death, is counted in this year's tally. His attackers have already been tried for the crime.
The Skateworks rape trial has ended in acquittal. Davon Perry, 26, was found not guilty on two counts of rape while deadlocking on sex offense charges, leaving the opportunity for a re-trial open.
The City PD and the ATF are working together to solve the heinous murder of 84-year-old Mary Hines.
A Maryland man is in hot water for trying to join a Somali terrorist group.
A Towson liquor-store robber got 10 years in the Federal pen. 27-year-old Edward Sample was exiled after pleading guilty to the 2009-2010 robbery spree.
Another Baltimore criminal was exiled for the next decade. Darryl Carter, 48, got his prison term after being caught holding a gun while riding a bike down Oliver Street.
And yet another ten-year term for another Baltimorean. James Bridgeforth, 38, was given the parole-free term after copping to bringing in heroin from India, Ghana and Peru.
Finally, 15 years at Club Fed for Roger "Tink" Ford. Ford was a major player in the Gilmor homes drug conspiracy.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Rapes, Robberies, and More Rapes. 2012 is Really Starting on a Low Note...
A serial rapist has been arrested for, surprise, surprise, rape. Nelson Bernard Clifford Jr. age 34, was arrested for a series of rapes, including one where he broke into a woman's house and raped her while her children were nearby. Clifford, a convicted sex offender, had been charged with sex offenses 3 times prior, as well as having been indicted for failure to register as a sex offender multiple times. Clifford beat his last rape charge back in September.
A possible robbery turned into a very definitive shooting in Glen Oak. A man was shot in the back Friday night at the 5700 block of Chinquapin Parkway.
Police are ISO a perv who raped a transgendered teen back in November. Though, with his face being plastered everywhere, it should only be a matter of time.
30 years in prison for the death of a County teen. Jason Gross, 37, was given the 30-year term for the murder of Rochelle Battle, despite the fact that her body has yet to be found.
Finally, several charges were thrown out in the last day of trial in the Skateworks rape case. Several charges were thrown out Friday, including first degree rape and assault charges. But after deliberating for several hours the jurors were not able to come to a decision.
I decided to take a trip to the Circuit Courthouse in Baltimore County Friday, to watch a few cases and just generally get a feel for how the county courts were handling cases. I bore witness to a bevy of cases, some interesting, some not so much. I managed to miss all the cases I had wanted to see, including the sentencing of Jason Gross, and the trial of Jeremiah Edwards, who was facing car theft charges, but more importantly was indicted for a Dundalk murder late last year.
I had completely forgotten that the Skateworks trial was going on, and sure enough, I walked into what I thought was a random jury trial, and instead found out to my surprise, that I had in fact walked into the closing statements of the Skateworks trial. I was both horrified, because I had up until then done a good job of burying my head in the sand about this case, and disappointed, because the state had done a very weak job of presenting their case against Davon Perry, 26. Although I had only been to the final portion of the trial, I got the sense that, had I been in the jury box some 10 feet away, my confidence in giving a conviction would have been sub-par a best.
But my trip to the courts wasn't entirely horrendous. I did catch the sentencing of Andrew Palmer, who if you may recall, was the man who made headlines for faking seizures at restaurants to avoid paying his tab. Palmer was on trial for... faking seizures! This time, at a local Applebees. Unfortunately for Palmer, his case was heard by the Honorable Judge Sherrie R. Bailey, who is by far my favorite judge now, after her non willingness to let repeat offenders walk. And golly, Andrew Palmer was a repeat offender, with, and I quote the prosecutor: "a 116 page criminal record" Palmer has been around. Around so much, in fact, that he was caught in the act due to the fact that a paramedic who responded to the scene recognized him from a prior fake seizure. The only line of defense Palmer offered before sentencing was the fact that he has been held since June on these charges, and last Friday he had supposedly "been nearly beaten to death by an inmate serving 127 years without parole." Of course, the great Judge Bailey wasn't interested in his sob story, and gave him the maximum, 18 months.
A possible robbery turned into a very definitive shooting in Glen Oak. A man was shot in the back Friday night at the 5700 block of Chinquapin Parkway.
Police are ISO a perv who raped a transgendered teen back in November. Though, with his face being plastered everywhere, it should only be a matter of time.
30 years in prison for the death of a County teen. Jason Gross, 37, was given the 30-year term for the murder of Rochelle Battle, despite the fact that her body has yet to be found.
Finally, several charges were thrown out in the last day of trial in the Skateworks rape case. Several charges were thrown out Friday, including first degree rape and assault charges. But after deliberating for several hours the jurors were not able to come to a decision.
I decided to take a trip to the Circuit Courthouse in Baltimore County Friday, to watch a few cases and just generally get a feel for how the county courts were handling cases. I bore witness to a bevy of cases, some interesting, some not so much. I managed to miss all the cases I had wanted to see, including the sentencing of Jason Gross, and the trial of Jeremiah Edwards, who was facing car theft charges, but more importantly was indicted for a Dundalk murder late last year.
I had completely forgotten that the Skateworks trial was going on, and sure enough, I walked into what I thought was a random jury trial, and instead found out to my surprise, that I had in fact walked into the closing statements of the Skateworks trial. I was both horrified, because I had up until then done a good job of burying my head in the sand about this case, and disappointed, because the state had done a very weak job of presenting their case against Davon Perry, 26. Although I had only been to the final portion of the trial, I got the sense that, had I been in the jury box some 10 feet away, my confidence in giving a conviction would have been sub-par a best.
But my trip to the courts wasn't entirely horrendous. I did catch the sentencing of Andrew Palmer, who if you may recall, was the man who made headlines for faking seizures at restaurants to avoid paying his tab. Palmer was on trial for... faking seizures! This time, at a local Applebees. Unfortunately for Palmer, his case was heard by the Honorable Judge Sherrie R. Bailey, who is by far my favorite judge now, after her non willingness to let repeat offenders walk. And golly, Andrew Palmer was a repeat offender, with, and I quote the prosecutor: "a 116 page criminal record" Palmer has been around. Around so much, in fact, that he was caught in the act due to the fact that a paramedic who responded to the scene recognized him from a prior fake seizure. The only line of defense Palmer offered before sentencing was the fact that he has been held since June on these charges, and last Friday he had supposedly "been nearly beaten to death by an inmate serving 127 years without parole." Of course, the great Judge Bailey wasn't interested in his sob story, and gave him the maximum, 18 months.
Friday, January 6, 2012
#2
Fenton Tweets: "Breaking: 84 y/o woman who died in fire yesterday morning had been first stabbed multiple times, autopsy finds..."
WTF?! Story here*
And WBAL has pictures of Jerome/Bootsy and friend, the Bolton Hill kidnapping home invaders. Guglielmi says it took police so long to release pictures because of the holiday weekend.
WTF?! Story here*
And WBAL has pictures of Jerome/Bootsy and friend, the Bolton Hill kidnapping home invaders. Guglielmi says it took police so long to release pictures because of the holiday weekend.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
'They brought a toilet and a megaphone'
Adam Meister takes to his blog now that "this part of the saga is over." ... check out this clip he found from the Afro-American, June 1972: Frank Conaway charged after hitting his wife and putting her in the hospital! On one hand, neither I nor Adam had been born when this went down. On the other, I get the sense it was not so easy to get charged with wife-beatery 40 years ago.
Abduction on Jordan Street
A Bolton Hill man was abducted on Jordan Street, taken on a tour of ATM machines and then left in some bushes on North Avenue*, minus his wallet, iPad, cellphone, gym bag and grey 2011 Infiniti SUV.
Remember the Walmart bleach attack? Now the alleged victim in that case, Ebony Odom, has been indicted for reckless endangerment and second-degree assault.
Murders may be down in the city, but they're up in the county
Lots of car-related crimes and a robbery at King Wok in the North Baltimore Patch blotter. In the Northern District, a 30 percent increase in shootings and a 22 percent increase in commercial robberies in '11, say police.
Kooky video of the day: Adam Meister stroking his cat and Frank Conaway jumping out of bushes in WBAL's report about the conclusion of the latest installment of Days of Our Conaways.
Seriously?! Down in DC, 75-year-old Marion Barry is running for re-election.
Remember the Walmart bleach attack? Now the alleged victim in that case, Ebony Odom, has been indicted for reckless endangerment and second-degree assault.
Murders may be down in the city, but they're up in the county
Lots of car-related crimes and a robbery at King Wok in the North Baltimore Patch blotter. In the Northern District, a 30 percent increase in shootings and a 22 percent increase in commercial robberies in '11, say police.
Kooky video of the day: Adam Meister stroking his cat and Frank Conaway jumping out of bushes in WBAL's report about the conclusion of the latest installment of Days of Our Conaways.
Seriously?! Down in DC, 75-year-old Marion Barry is running for re-election.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Who'll pay for it?
The Maryland Court of Appeals has ruled that indigent defendants are entitled to public defenders at all court proceedings including initial bail hearings*. Public Defenders say they don't have the resources to do it.
No charges in Conaway kerfuffle
... for either Meister or Mr. Conaway. But Meister will surely face ¢harge$-- the "frail white boy" hired Warren Brown as his attorney. As for old Frank's firearm permit, his lawyer says it wasn't expired and the charges were based on clerical error.
The Ink recaps last year's 196 murders, with updates on cases. In case you were wondering, Belair-Edison was last year's most murderous neighborhood.
And what the hell? Video of balding man attacking cops is making the rounds. WJZ identifies him as Manuel L. Imel. Blame it on the alalalalalcohol!:
The Ink recaps last year's 196 murders, with updates on cases. In case you were wondering, Belair-Edison was last year's most murderous neighborhood.
And what the hell? Video of balding man attacking cops is making the rounds. WJZ identifies him as Manuel L. Imel. Blame it on the alalalalalcohol!:
#1
Aw geeze, it seemed like we were going to go four whole days into 2012 with no murders, but it was not to be. The first victim of the year is reportedly a 62-year-old man shot in Park Heights last night. *
The Ink details last week's four murders, plus updates
In the County, a girl gang-raped at Skateworks identified one of her attackers* -- she was 12 and he's 26. Blargh. One of the other attackers, Kadeem R. Santiful, 19, plead guilty, and the other, Tracey W. Hankins, 15, was moved to the juvenile justice system.
Oh Conaways, you so crazy! Frank Senior pays* $3,640 in back taxes
Three men (including Thomas Jefferson!) cop to stealing $2.6 million worth of metal through a fence-hole at the Port of Baltimore. Sounds like Peanut is still at large.
A sexagenarian M&T trader pleaded guilty to stealing $223k from her former employer and one of its trading partners
Donor Richard Stewart pleaded guilty to failing to pay employment taxes, so the guv re-gifted his contributions to a group that shoots deer for the hungry.
The Ink details last week's four murders, plus updates
In the County, a girl gang-raped at Skateworks identified one of her attackers* -- she was 12 and he's 26. Blargh. One of the other attackers, Kadeem R. Santiful, 19, plead guilty, and the other, Tracey W. Hankins, 15, was moved to the juvenile justice system.
Oh Conaways, you so crazy! Frank Senior pays* $3,640 in back taxes
Three men (including Thomas Jefferson!) cop to stealing $2.6 million worth of metal through a fence-hole at the Port of Baltimore. Sounds like Peanut is still at large.
A sexagenarian M&T trader pleaded guilty to stealing $223k from her former employer and one of its trading partners
Donor Richard Stewart pleaded guilty to failing to pay employment taxes, so the guv re-gifted his contributions to a group that shoots deer for the hungry.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Hermann: 80 percent of perps had it coming
Life "" art: Omar Little arrested for handgun charges*
Hermann does the math so you don't have to: 80 percent of 2011's murder victims had criminal records, as 90 percent of those arrested for murder. I wonder if the trend holds from a few years back in which victims had been arrested more times, on average, than alleged perps.
2012's first shooting victim is 13*
Bernstein to organize prosecutor's caseloads into geographic "zones"*, as opposed to by crime category. Sensible solution, or deck chairs?
A case to watch: MD being sued over racial disparities in school funding
Dickeyville tire-slasher arrested
Er, whut? The city sheriff is going to start seizing the Housing Authority's stuff to pay for the lead paint judgement against them
Hermann does the math so you don't have to: 80 percent of 2011's murder victims had criminal records, as 90 percent of those arrested for murder. I wonder if the trend holds from a few years back in which victims had been arrested more times, on average, than alleged perps.
2012's first shooting victim is 13*
Bernstein to organize prosecutor's caseloads into geographic "zones"*, as opposed to by crime category. Sensible solution, or deck chairs?
A case to watch: MD being sued over racial disparities in school funding
Dickeyville tire-slasher arrested
Er, whut? The city sheriff is going to start seizing the Housing Authority's stuff to pay for the lead paint judgement against them
Sunday, January 1, 2012
2011 Homicides
With 197 homicides this year, Baltimore has had its lowest homicide total since 1977. Fenton from the Sun reports on the near-jubilance of public officials over this under-200 year.
Last year we had 223 homicides,
2008 was 234;
2007 was 291;
2006 was 274;
2005 was 269.
We've blogged 1,487 murders.
Here is the complete listing of 2011's 197 victims:
197. Phylicia Barnes, 16, 6500 Eberle Dr. Found: (4/20/11) Added: (04/26/12)
196. Tiyon Campbell, 31, 2800 block of W. Garrison (12/28)
Last year we had 223 homicides,
2008 was 234;
2007 was 291;
2006 was 274;
2005 was 269.
We've blogged 1,487 murders.
Here is the complete listing of 2011's 197 victims:
197. Phylicia Barnes, 16, 6500 Eberle Dr. Found: (4/20/11) Added: (04/26/12)
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Justice Delayed
It has been more than five years after the murder of CO David McGuinn at the Maryland House of Correction. Jury selection in the trial of the first of his two alleged killers begins Tuesday* in Anne Arundel County.
Friday, December 30, 2011
'I don’t think there’s anything about which
I will ever be more grateful'
Robberies galore in the southeast and coats for the homeless stolen in the southern, reports the Baltimore Guide
Last week's four murders recapped in the Ink. Says O'Malley of the drop in the murder toll this year, "I don’t think there’s anything about which I will ever be more grateful in public service."
The WaPo follows up on the case following the killing of U of MD student Justin DeSha-Overcash
Police backtrack on the whole "prosecutors are stalling and hindering our cases" thing
Two "doctors" (can you call them doctors if they lost their licenses to practice?) are facing murder charges under Maryland's "viable fetus" law after two botched abortions. The women lived.
Nathan A. Chapman Jr., once a prominent man about town, is now a man about a halfway house*
Hellz yes, tax giveaways need more scrutiny
The FBI says gun sales are up
The Tribune Co. bankruptcy case will lurch on until at least this summer with hearings not starting until May. In better news, the judge has reversed himself, deciding that Zell won't be in line for a bankruptcy payout after all.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
196
Tweets Fenton, "Shooting at 2800 W Garrison is a homicide."
UPDATE: Fenton says the 31-year-old victim was killed when he fought back during the course of a home-invasion robbery*.
a friend of mine was also burgled yesterday in Endor Gadrens-- had her door kicked in in the middle of the day; thieves took her kids' Christmas presents. Sigh.
UPDATE: Fenton says the 31-year-old victim was killed when he fought back during the course of a home-invasion robbery*.
a friend of mine was also burgled yesterday in Endor Gadrens-- had her door kicked in in the middle of the day; thieves took her kids' Christmas presents. Sigh.
Have you seen...
this guy? He's wanted for questioning in reference to the December 9th triple-shooting near Club Envy in the 1800 block of Maryland Ave.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
The year in crime, torts and general bad behavior
It's the end of the year, which means it's a fine time to recap some of the most notable civil- and criminal-law stories of the past 12 months:
10. Conaways in the crossfire: Frank Conaway Senior kept his position as clerk of the court again, but there was still bad news aplenty for the family: Belinda lost her city council seat to Nick Mosby after Adam Meister revealed she was claiming a tax credit illegally, TDR revealed a laundry list of problems at the Clerk's office, and Frank Senior got in hot water for brandishing a firearm with an expired permit in front of his house. And Frank Conaway Jr.'s book's sales rank slipped to #4,104,807th on Amazon.
9. Tow-mageddon: 17 officers charged with extortion in a dirty towing scheme. As Jayne Miller's source said, "it's not the crime of the century, but it's not pretty."
8. It got a little harder to rape somebody. The Sun's Justin Fenton uncovered the unsavory fact that the city has the nation's highest level of rape cases deemed "unfounded"*. And, finally, the FBI changed the definition of "rape" to include male victims, penetrations sans penis and non-forcible rapes.
7. For whatever reason, this was the year an exceptionlly high number of dirty political chickens came home to roost in MD: Paul Shurick, Jack Johnson, Tiffany Alston, Richard Stewart of the redistricting committee and Belinda C. all felt karma's bitter sting.
6. The Brew attacks! Rapacious newsroom cuts by the Sun's evil gnomish overlord left the local paper of record with scant resources to do the time-consuming, ass-pain investigative pieces necessary to uncover pork, malfeasance and sketchy government dealings. Stephen Janis' defection from Investigate Voice to join the Fox news team left another news hole. But fortunately for us all, the Baltimore Brew stepped into the breach, uncovering the mayor's plan to stealthily privatize rec centers, explaining the little acronyms like TIF and PILOT that let city officials grant breaks to their developer pals, and the high price of settling police misconduct lawsuits. What they cover is just a fraction of what could use delving into, but hey, it's something.
5. It gets better-ish. The arc of the moral universe is long and full of dings, dents, and crack-crazed seagulls, but it eventually, slowly bends towards not sucking as much. So it went this year for the state's gay and transgender citizens. In spite of the Senate passing the gay marriage bill, it died in the House. In March, Tyra Trent was murdered, and in April, Chrissy Polis had the tar beaten out of her at McDonald's. But it is now possible for a baby to have two mommies on a birth certificate (if said mommies married elsewhere), and starting next month, Baltimore county employees who were married in other states can receive same-sex benefits.
4. Phylicia Barnes, a 16-year-old honor student, went missing December 28 of 2010, and a long, pitiful search by police and family ensued-- one so desperate, police were taking tips from Cham. Barnes' beauty, youth, apparent innocence and mysterious disappearance seemed a perfect fit for Natalie-Holloway-level national hysteria and hand-wringing, but Barnes was apparently not blonde enough* for the national media, which ignored her case until Anthony Guglieimi shamed producers into briefly spotlighting her disappearance. Barnes' body was found in April in the Susquehanna, the medical examiner ruled her death a homicide, but still, no one's been arrested yet.
3. Mayhem at the Select Lounge. Chaos reigned at West Franklin and N. Paca on January 9: 42 shots fired, Officer William Torbit Jr. and reveler Sean Gamble killed, four citizens hit with bullets. But after an eight-month independent investigation, no charges were filed, no changes were made to BPD procedures, and FHB III concluded that officers "acted reasonably."*
2. Baltimore swore in a new prosecutor, Gregg Bernstein, who was promptly never heard from again. To be fair, press releases have finally started trickling out in the past few months, and as promised, office staffers did get their BlackBerries and the do-not-call list was abolished*. But it's uncertain if the office is actually more functional than Jessamy's was: in August police complained about prosecutors stalling and "hindering"* cases.
1. Murders, shootings and unclassified deaths are down-- way, way down. From 335 murders in 1993, to 223 last year, to possibly under 200 in 2011, which will make the murder rate lower than it's been since the 1960s. The drop in violent crime is not just a local trend, but a nationwide thing (hellz, crime is even down in Detroit!), and theories abound as to why. Cops having better technology? The right people finally going to jail? Have we "bupe" to thank? We may never know for sure, what whatever it is, we'll take it.
... so what did I miss? ... Fenton posted his top 10 in crime* a little while after I posted this one.
10. Conaways in the crossfire: Frank Conaway Senior kept his position as clerk of the court again, but there was still bad news aplenty for the family: Belinda lost her city council seat to Nick Mosby after Adam Meister revealed she was claiming a tax credit illegally, TDR revealed a laundry list of problems at the Clerk's office, and Frank Senior got in hot water for brandishing a firearm with an expired permit in front of his house. And Frank Conaway Jr.'s book's sales rank slipped to #4,104,807th on Amazon.
9. Tow-mageddon: 17 officers charged with extortion in a dirty towing scheme. As Jayne Miller's source said, "it's not the crime of the century, but it's not pretty."
8. It got a little harder to rape somebody. The Sun's Justin Fenton uncovered the unsavory fact that the city has the nation's highest level of rape cases deemed "unfounded"*. And, finally, the FBI changed the definition of "rape" to include male victims, penetrations sans penis and non-forcible rapes.
7. For whatever reason, this was the year an exceptionlly high number of dirty political chickens came home to roost in MD: Paul Shurick, Jack Johnson, Tiffany Alston, Richard Stewart of the redistricting committee and Belinda C. all felt karma's bitter sting.
6. The Brew attacks! Rapacious newsroom cuts by the Sun's evil gnomish overlord left the local paper of record with scant resources to do the time-consuming, ass-pain investigative pieces necessary to uncover pork, malfeasance and sketchy government dealings. Stephen Janis' defection from Investigate Voice to join the Fox news team left another news hole. But fortunately for us all, the Baltimore Brew stepped into the breach, uncovering the mayor's plan to stealthily privatize rec centers, explaining the little acronyms like TIF and PILOT that let city officials grant breaks to their developer pals, and the high price of settling police misconduct lawsuits. What they cover is just a fraction of what could use delving into, but hey, it's something.
5. It gets better-ish. The arc of the moral universe is long and full of dings, dents, and crack-crazed seagulls, but it eventually, slowly bends towards not sucking as much. So it went this year for the state's gay and transgender citizens. In spite of the Senate passing the gay marriage bill, it died in the House. In March, Tyra Trent was murdered, and in April, Chrissy Polis had the tar beaten out of her at McDonald's. But it is now possible for a baby to have two mommies on a birth certificate (if said mommies married elsewhere), and starting next month, Baltimore county employees who were married in other states can receive same-sex benefits.
4. Phylicia Barnes, a 16-year-old honor student, went missing December 28 of 2010, and a long, pitiful search by police and family ensued-- one so desperate, police were taking tips from Cham. Barnes' beauty, youth, apparent innocence and mysterious disappearance seemed a perfect fit for Natalie-Holloway-level national hysteria and hand-wringing, but Barnes was apparently not blonde enough* for the national media, which ignored her case until Anthony Guglieimi shamed producers into briefly spotlighting her disappearance. Barnes' body was found in April in the Susquehanna, the medical examiner ruled her death a homicide, but still, no one's been arrested yet.
3. Mayhem at the Select Lounge. Chaos reigned at West Franklin and N. Paca on January 9: 42 shots fired, Officer William Torbit Jr. and reveler Sean Gamble killed, four citizens hit with bullets. But after an eight-month independent investigation, no charges were filed, no changes were made to BPD procedures, and FHB III concluded that officers "acted reasonably."*
2. Baltimore swore in a new prosecutor, Gregg Bernstein, who was promptly never heard from again. To be fair, press releases have finally started trickling out in the past few months, and as promised, office staffers did get their BlackBerries and the do-not-call list was abolished*. But it's uncertain if the office is actually more functional than Jessamy's was: in August police complained about prosecutors stalling and "hindering"* cases.
1. Murders, shootings and unclassified deaths are down-- way, way down. From 335 murders in 1993, to 223 last year, to possibly under 200 in 2011, which will make the murder rate lower than it's been since the 1960s. The drop in violent crime is not just a local trend, but a nationwide thing (hellz, crime is even down in Detroit!), and theories abound as to why. Cops having better technology? The right people finally going to jail? Have we "bupe" to thank? We may never know for sure, what whatever it is, we'll take it.
... so what did I miss? ... Fenton posted his top 10 in crime* a little while after I posted this one.
Monday, December 26, 2011
Suspicious Food Containers, Merry Merry Shootings
City Hall was shut down for a little while this morning due to a bomb scare. Turned out it was just a food container and a t-shirt, though the BCPD intelligence section is taking over the investigation now.
A 30-year-old man was shot in the face in the 100 block of South Monroe St. on the 23rd.
Another December 23 shooting, this time in the 400 block of North Rose St. Two people, a man and a woman, were non-fatally shot at around 7:30 pm.
Two people, a 20-year-old and a 26-year-old were shot in the leg on the 24th in Poppleton, specifically the 100 block of North Freemont Ave.
If there weren't a lot of Christmastime homicides this year, it wasn't for a lack of effort. Two more people still were shot in West Baltimore, inthe 700 block of West Lexington St.
Finally, an arrest has been made in the Woodlawn stabbing death of Kevin Regusters. Registered sex offender George Robert Evans Jr , 35, was charged with first degree murder on Dec. 22 for his role in the stabbing death.
A 30-year-old man was shot in the face in the 100 block of South Monroe St. on the 23rd.
Another December 23 shooting, this time in the 400 block of North Rose St. Two people, a man and a woman, were non-fatally shot at around 7:30 pm.
Two people, a 20-year-old and a 26-year-old were shot in the leg on the 24th in Poppleton, specifically the 100 block of North Freemont Ave.
If there weren't a lot of Christmastime homicides this year, it wasn't for a lack of effort. Two more people still were shot in West Baltimore, inthe 700 block of West Lexington St.
Finally, an arrest has been made in the Woodlawn stabbing death of Kevin Regusters. Registered sex offender George Robert Evans Jr , 35, was charged with first degree murder on Dec. 22 for his role in the stabbing death.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Aw geeze
A murder Christmas Eve brings the toll to 195. A moment of thanks and appreciation to the dedicated and selfless officers, EMTS, firefighters and medical examiners who work on Christmas.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
The Legend of Stanley
Violence in SW Baltimore is related to the shooting of a "legend," says FHB III-- a legend named Stanley, who is apparently as slippery as a greased pig on a Teflon pan*: "Armed robbery and handgun charges were dropped by prosecutors in 2008, and he was found not guilty of attempted murder in 2004. In 2007 he was convicted of drug possession with intent to distribute and sentenced to eight years in prison, but seven years and four months of the sentnece (sic) were suspended."
Towson Town Center shooting victim, Rodney Vest Pridget, was not picked at random and not robbed*, county police say. He was also once convicted of roughing up a guy and stealing an Xbox.
How far we've come: Fenton posted a year-in-crime story from 1993, when by Dec. 14, 335 people had been murdered in the city*.
O'Malley fills the CSA seat left vacant by Judge Joseph F. Murphy Jr. with "Bob"
Towson Town Center shooting victim, Rodney Vest Pridget, was not picked at random and not robbed*, county police say. He was also once convicted of roughing up a guy and stealing an Xbox.
How far we've come: Fenton posted a year-in-crime story from 1993, when by Dec. 14, 335 people had been murdered in the city*.
O'Malley fills the CSA seat left vacant by Judge Joseph F. Murphy Jr. with "Bob"
Beatings, Shootings, and Life plus 40
A Baltimore grandmother who was beaten with a hammer by her own 14-year-old grandson in March has died. 67-year-old Shirley Garrett died in the hospital after receiving the fatal injuries from her grandson Hassanhii Garrett, 14. Hassanhii was charged as an adult with attempted murder before his case was juvenile court. This murder replaces the murder of Cristopher Gilliam on the homicide list, after his killing was deemed justified.*
The jury has deliberated in the school bullying case, and returned a verdict in favor of the school.
A 40-year-old man was shot to death on West Pratt Street last night.
A man is dead from apparent stab wounds after a fight in Woodlawn got out of control yesterday night. Kevin Eric Regusters, 23, was killed on Purnell Drive in Woodlawn.
Life plus 40 for the home invasion murder of Shelton Elliott back in 2009. Abron Scott, 44, was given the life term after being convicted on all counts in October.
Another County homicide. The death of a Pikesville woman has been ruled a homicide. Herbert Wesley Johnson Jr. is being held without bail for beating Gwendolyn Jackson to death.
Just another day in Baltimore. An elderly woman was robbed not once but twice over a span of a few minutes.
Finally, a large scale brawl erupted at a basketball game between Lemmel Middle School and a DC school.
The jury has deliberated in the school bullying case, and returned a verdict in favor of the school.
A 40-year-old man was shot to death on West Pratt Street last night.
A man is dead from apparent stab wounds after a fight in Woodlawn got out of control yesterday night. Kevin Eric Regusters, 23, was killed on Purnell Drive in Woodlawn.
Life plus 40 for the home invasion murder of Shelton Elliott back in 2009. Abron Scott, 44, was given the life term after being convicted on all counts in October.
Another County homicide. The death of a Pikesville woman has been ruled a homicide. Herbert Wesley Johnson Jr. is being held without bail for beating Gwendolyn Jackson to death.
Just another day in Baltimore. An elderly woman was robbed not once but twice over a span of a few minutes.
Finally, a large scale brawl erupted at a basketball game between Lemmel Middle School and a DC school.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Suspects suspected
Phylicia Barnes' father says he's anticipating an arrest in the case, BoCo Popo say that's not so, though note the investigation is still active and progress has been made. Hmm.
Police Tweet "SHOOTING: 700 Belnord (Eastern District, Madison-Eastend Community) 11:58pm, adult female shot. Detectives investigating."
The judge threw out 9/13 counts* in the city bullying lawsuit, the case is to the jury now
Rod Rosenstein: politicians who shove cash in their "under ware" are stupid, greedy dummkopfs (to paraphrase a little)
Police Tweet "SHOOTING: 700 Belnord (Eastern District, Madison-Eastend Community) 11:58pm, adult female shot. Detectives investigating."
The judge threw out 9/13 counts* in the city bullying lawsuit, the case is to the jury now
Rod Rosenstein: politicians who shove cash in their "under ware" are stupid, greedy dummkopfs (to paraphrase a little)
Blood on Blood Action
Dajuan Marshall , 29, The leader of the Bounty Hunter Bloods has been sentenced to life plus 20 for kidnapping and fatally shooting Kenneth Jones the leader of the Pasadena Denver Lane Bloods.
The Sun has released their top 10 local news stories of 2011. Crime stories making the list were the Select Lounge shooting, the McDonald's assault of a transgendered woman, and the Wire's Felicia "Snoop" Pearson being arrested and later convicted for her role in a drug ring.
Police have released surveillance photos of the two men who shot the owner of Upclose Barbershop during an attempted robbery. The owner is still in critical condition.
Grand Prix officials have until Dec. 31 to pay back the more than 1 million dollars in taxes they owe to the state.
County police are trying their hardest to emphasize that the fatal shooting of Rodney Pridget (Pictured Right) was "absolutely not a random act." Which is good, in the sense that regular citizens aren't being robbed and murdered, but it's still pretty cruddy no matter what.
Finally, a one-alarm fire in Hampden left a man dead.
The Sun has released their top 10 local news stories of 2011. Crime stories making the list were the Select Lounge shooting, the McDonald's assault of a transgendered woman, and the Wire's Felicia "Snoop" Pearson being arrested and later convicted for her role in a drug ring.
Police have released surveillance photos of the two men who shot the owner of Upclose Barbershop during an attempted robbery. The owner is still in critical condition.
Grand Prix officials have until Dec. 31 to pay back the more than 1 million dollars in taxes they owe to the state.
County police are trying their hardest to emphasize that the fatal shooting of Rodney Pridget (Pictured Right) was "absolutely not a random act." Which is good, in the sense that regular citizens aren't being robbed and murdered, but it's still pretty cruddy no matter what.
Finally, a one-alarm fire in Hampden left a man dead.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
193
Two men were shot last night, leaving one dead. 29-year-old Donte Lamonte Collins was shot and killed at the 1500 block of North Rosedale St. Yet again, there is a bit of confusion with how his name is spelled, with District Court records calling him Donte, while Circuit Court records spell it Dante. Unless someone says otherwise, he will be listed as Donte in the homicide tally.
County Police have id'd the man shot to death at Towson Town Center. Rodney Vest Pridget, 19, was shot in what police are calling a "targeted shooting" although they have not given any reason as to how they have come to this conclusion.
An arrest has been made in the shooting of a city cab driver. Maurice Alvin Turner Jr. has been charged with first degree murder after being identified as one of the two men who robbed the cabbie. The other man has not been identified. According to court records, this is Turner's third arrest for attempted murder after being charged in May of 2007* and June of 2008* respectively. Turner was given a 30 year sentence with all but 5 years suspended for the second attempted murder charge.
Life plus 20 for Kelly Shird, age 28, for murdering Craig Bouie in 2010 during a break-in gone bad.
The man shot by county police during a home invasion in Dundalk has been id'd as Christopher Kane Bernert, 27. Bernert is now facing a bevy of serious charges, including attempted murder and armed robbery.
A 20-year-old man was shot early this morning in the 1300 block of Glyndon Ave.
Police are asking John Q. Public for help finding family members 54-year-old Joseph Allan McCoy who was killed in a motorcycle accident last month.
Finally, Maryland lawmakers are at it again, trying to repeal the death penalty. The last execution in Maryland took place in 2005, when Wesley Baker was put to death.
County Police have id'd the man shot to death at Towson Town Center. Rodney Vest Pridget, 19, was shot in what police are calling a "targeted shooting" although they have not given any reason as to how they have come to this conclusion.
An arrest has been made in the shooting of a city cab driver. Maurice Alvin Turner Jr. has been charged with first degree murder after being identified as one of the two men who robbed the cabbie. The other man has not been identified. According to court records, this is Turner's third arrest for attempted murder after being charged in May of 2007* and June of 2008* respectively. Turner was given a 30 year sentence with all but 5 years suspended for the second attempted murder charge.
Life plus 20 for Kelly Shird, age 28, for murdering Craig Bouie in 2010 during a break-in gone bad.
The man shot by county police during a home invasion in Dundalk has been id'd as Christopher Kane Bernert, 27. Bernert is now facing a bevy of serious charges, including attempted murder and armed robbery.
A 20-year-old man was shot early this morning in the 1300 block of Glyndon Ave.
Police are asking John Q. Public for help finding family members 54-year-old Joseph Allan McCoy who was killed in a motorcycle accident last month.
Finally, Maryland lawmakers are at it again, trying to repeal the death penalty. The last execution in Maryland took place in 2005, when Wesley Baker was put to death.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Man killed at Towson Town Center
191, 192
32-year-old Jeffrey Smith was shot and killed on Belair Rd. No suspects or motive at the moment.
Dayon Barnes, 27, was shot and killed while sitting in a car in the 200 block of N. Smallwood St. Barnes made local headlines last year after being part of a money counterfeiting group with Erik Desmond Stokes and Darryl Bacon. Stokes was shot and killed by County police during apprehension. Barnes and Bacon were arrested without incident. Both men had their cases Nolle Prosequi earlier this year. With Barnes dead Darryl Bacon is the only member of this ring left, although he is currently wanted out of Annapolis for parole violations.
The Sun has id'd the guy shot on Elsinore Ave. as 23-year-old Lawrence Edwards. While every District court charge he has calls him by Lawrence Edwards, all his circuit court charges spell his name Lawrence Edwardes. I'll stick with Edwardes for the moment until I hear otherwise.*
A Baltimore cabby was robbed and shot at the 2700 block of Sisson St.
The shootings keep piling up in the City, with a man in serious condition after being shot earlier today, while two men were shot in the 3000 block of Belmont Ave. Thursday evening.
Lavelva Merritt, the co-conspirator in the Stephen Pitcairn murder was given another 5 years to her sentence.
A home invader in Dundalk was shot by County police after a woman reported a man with a ski mask standing over her as she slept.
21-year-old tattoo fanatic Dalonte S. Dunston was the 5th and final person charged with a robbery murder in little Taneytown, MD.
Finally, proving that your never too young to be mind-bendingly creepy, 21-year-old Scott Seidel was given a two year sentence for impersonating an FBI officer on teen chat-rooms while simultaneously pretending to be a hacker, all in order to convince girls to strip on webcams. Creepier yet, as recently as last year Seidel lived in the Donnybrook Lane apartments, located a few hundred feet from Towson High School, which is full of young women the same age as the girls he targeted online. So to sum it up, what a scuzzbag.
Dayon Barnes, 27, was shot and killed while sitting in a car in the 200 block of N. Smallwood St. Barnes made local headlines last year after being part of a money counterfeiting group with Erik Desmond Stokes and Darryl Bacon. Stokes was shot and killed by County police during apprehension. Barnes and Bacon were arrested without incident. Both men had their cases Nolle Prosequi earlier this year. With Barnes dead Darryl Bacon is the only member of this ring left, although he is currently wanted out of Annapolis for parole violations.
The Sun has id'd the guy shot on Elsinore Ave. as 23-year-old Lawrence Edwards. While every District court charge he has calls him by Lawrence Edwards, all his circuit court charges spell his name Lawrence Edwardes. I'll stick with Edwardes for the moment until I hear otherwise.*
A Baltimore cabby was robbed and shot at the 2700 block of Sisson St.
The shootings keep piling up in the City, with a man in serious condition after being shot earlier today, while two men were shot in the 3000 block of Belmont Ave. Thursday evening.
Lavelva Merritt, the co-conspirator in the Stephen Pitcairn murder was given another 5 years to her sentence.
A home invader in Dundalk was shot by County police after a woman reported a man with a ski mask standing over her as she slept.
21-year-old tattoo fanatic Dalonte S. Dunston was the 5th and final person charged with a robbery murder in little Taneytown, MD.
Finally, proving that your never too young to be mind-bendingly creepy, 21-year-old Scott Seidel was given a two year sentence for impersonating an FBI officer on teen chat-rooms while simultaneously pretending to be a hacker, all in order to convince girls to strip on webcams. Creepier yet, as recently as last year Seidel lived in the Donnybrook Lane apartments, located a few hundred feet from Towson High School, which is full of young women the same age as the girls he targeted online. So to sum it up, what a scuzzbag.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
190
A man was shot to death at around 9:10 p.m. Friday in the 2200 block of Elsinore Avenue
Media blabber:
Why is this guy waving a sign about bedbugs in front of @Adam Meister's house? (while Meister and Toilet Artist Duane G. Davis -- in an "ass family" shirt-- take pictures?)
In spite of paying its reporters in gum, Patch.com is reportedly losing $100 million a year
Media blabber:
Why is this guy waving a sign about bedbugs in front of @Adam Meister's house? (while Meister and Toilet Artist Duane G. Davis -- in an "ass family" shirt-- take pictures?)
In spite of paying its reporters in gum, Patch.com is reportedly losing $100 million a year
Friday, December 16, 2011
Judge to state: shove your SLAPP suit
Judge Althea Handy dismissed the state's $100 million counterclaim against State Center's opponents. Reasoned the Judge, "the Noerr-Pennington doctrine applies and the “sham” exception as defined in Prof’l Real Estate Investors, Inc., et al. v. Columbia Pictures Indus., Inc., et al., 508 U.S. 49 (1993) does not; and it is further ORDERED that because the Noerr-Pennington doctrine is dispositive of the motion in this matter, a decision on the other arguments raised by the parties need not be reached." BLAM! BooYA!
UPDATE: more from TDR
UPDATE: more from TDR
Violators and the violated
Extra time for John Wagner, convicted killer of Stephen Pitcairn, the murderous crackhead will now serve "life" plus seven years, eight months, and six days.
Police are ISO a female serial bank robber who wears leggings and Uggs.
The FBI has (finally!) changed the definition of rape to remove the requirement that the victim is a woman, the weapon is a penis and the "forcible" part. (So what did they call "the Sandusky" before? Plain old sexual assault, I guess?)
Down at Ft Meade, Bradley Manning's trial is underway. Wikileaks' most recent leak: documents from the "mass surveillance industry"
And how about that NDAA? So long habeus corpus, bye bye Bill of Rights. We've arrived at a point where unaccountable persons in the government (or serving corporations that subcontract for the government) can read your email, decide they don't like it, and stuff you into a van, never to be heard from again. Obama is expected to sign NDAA today-- if so it'll be exactly 220 years and a day after the Bill of Rights was ratified. There's a lot out there written about it (too little, too late), the IB Times has a good compilation. Of the Maryland Delegation, three voted for it: Hoyer, Ruppersberger and Bartlett. In the senate, Milkulski and Sarbanes both voted against.
Police are ISO a female serial bank robber who wears leggings and Uggs.
The FBI has (finally!) changed the definition of rape to remove the requirement that the victim is a woman, the weapon is a penis and the "forcible" part. (So what did they call "the Sandusky" before? Plain old sexual assault, I guess?)
Down at Ft Meade, Bradley Manning's trial is underway. Wikileaks' most recent leak: documents from the "mass surveillance industry"
And how about that NDAA? So long habeus corpus, bye bye Bill of Rights. We've arrived at a point where unaccountable persons in the government (or serving corporations that subcontract for the government) can read your email, decide they don't like it, and stuff you into a van, never to be heard from again. Obama is expected to sign NDAA today-- if so it'll be exactly 220 years and a day after the Bill of Rights was ratified. There's a lot out there written about it (too little, too late), the IB Times has a good compilation. Of the Maryland Delegation, three voted for it: Hoyer, Ruppersberger and Bartlett. In the senate, Milkulski and Sarbanes both voted against.
It gets better
Got an email from the Justice Policy Institute expressing aggravation that while prison populations are down nationwide, Maryland's prison population is up. Of course one's first gut reaction is, I don't want to pay $40-60 a day to feed, house and clothe 1.8% more assorted fuckweasels and fudgeclowns. But-- could it be-- dare we imagine-- that the growth in state prison population is a sign that homicides and shootings are down because police are arresting the right people, prosecutors are bringing better cases, rapes are being investigated and prosecuted and the jury pool is sucking slightly less? Note that per Gary Maynard, 40% of MD's prison population is from Baltimore City, 25% is from PGC, 15% from Baltimore County, and the state's other 21 counties make up the rest.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Bullies: mostly winning
Mike, the owner of the Up Close barber shop is still in critical condition after being shot in the head during the course of a robbery yesterday. Police are ISO a lead.
Nelson Bernard Clifford, a sex offender who just beat rape charges, was linked by DNA to two more rapes*. And was also charged with a rape last month. He was also charged with failing to register as a sex offender, but the circuit court dropped those charges, 10 days before he was charged with rape again.
A year and a day on tax evasion charges for former criminal defense attorney Stanley Needleman, who had $1.3 million in cash from clients stashed in his basement. Probably there's a lot more to this story, probably involving laundering drug proceeds, but probably we'll never know. For what it's worth, in June Needleman was also charged with stealing a book from a courtroom.
Justin Fenton is trying to figure out how Brandon Mitchell, 18, was arrested for murder and released on bail*-- twice in one week, no less, and after a commissioner ordered him held without bond.
Oh crackheads, you so crazy! A burglar broke into a house by busting through the wall of the vacant next door.
Nationwide, death-penalty cases are at a 35-year low, says the Death Penalty Information Center.
Jury selection was underway this morning in the case of parents who are suing the city school system for $1.3 million for not doing enough to protect their special-needs son from bullies at Hazelwood and Glenmount Elementary Schools. More here*
In other torty news, Blockbuster just settled sexual harassment and retaliation claims from its Gaithersburg distribution center for $2 million.
And no decision yesterday from Judge Althea Handy*, who was asked to dismiss a $100 million SLAPP suit from the state aimed at opponents of the $1.5 billion State Center project. Two plaintiffs dropped out of the suit in exchange for the state agreeing to not sue them for suing.
Nelson Bernard Clifford, a sex offender who just beat rape charges, was linked by DNA to two more rapes*. And was also charged with a rape last month. He was also charged with failing to register as a sex offender, but the circuit court dropped those charges, 10 days before he was charged with rape again.
A year and a day on tax evasion charges for former criminal defense attorney Stanley Needleman, who had $1.3 million in cash from clients stashed in his basement. Probably there's a lot more to this story, probably involving laundering drug proceeds, but probably we'll never know. For what it's worth, in June Needleman was also charged with stealing a book from a courtroom.
Justin Fenton is trying to figure out how Brandon Mitchell, 18, was arrested for murder and released on bail*-- twice in one week, no less, and after a commissioner ordered him held without bond.
Oh crackheads, you so crazy! A burglar broke into a house by busting through the wall of the vacant next door.
Nationwide, death-penalty cases are at a 35-year low, says the Death Penalty Information Center.
Jury selection was underway this morning in the case of parents who are suing the city school system for $1.3 million for not doing enough to protect their special-needs son from bullies at Hazelwood and Glenmount Elementary Schools. More here*
In other torty news, Blockbuster just settled sexual harassment and retaliation claims from its Gaithersburg distribution center for $2 million.
And no decision yesterday from Judge Althea Handy*, who was asked to dismiss a $100 million SLAPP suit from the state aimed at opponents of the $1.5 billion State Center project. Two plaintiffs dropped out of the suit in exchange for the state agreeing to not sue them for suing.
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Crazy numbers
Some amazing stats reported at the CJCC meeting today:
So why so few shootings, murders and overdoses, and why so much robbery? Is the judicial system just that more effective this year? Is the economy turning former shoplifters into armed home invaders? All or none of the above? Mysteries abound...
- From January 1 until today, there have been 549 homicides and shootings so far in the city, compared with 942 in 2000.
- The city closed about 1,000 more felony cases this year than it did in 2010, thanks to reorganization of the docket and the addition of a second administrative judge.
- Deaths in which the manner was undetermined are way down, from 331 in 2007 to a virtually unprecedented 154 so far this year, said David Fowler of the ME's office. (Most of these are drug-related, with the ME's office unable to determine if a heroin addict injected themselves or was injected by someone else, which would make the death technically a homicide).
- Arrested citizens released without charges are also way down from last year, with the city releasing 70% fewer arrestees with no charges than last year-- 4,875 fewer people.
- And finally, homicide arrests: 93 so far this year for 189 homicides, for a tidy 50% clearance rate.
So why so few shootings, murders and overdoses, and why so much robbery? Is the judicial system just that more effective this year? Is the economy turning former shoplifters into armed home invaders? All or none of the above? Mysteries abound...
A murder conviction, cross-dressing cops and a stolen sandwich
The Ink covers last week's five murders
A second man, Kedar Anderson, was convicted for involvement in the murder of Kenneth Jones, former leader of the Pasadena Denver Lanes Bloods gang.
Police Tweet "4200 block Ivanhoe. Adult male reported to be shot in the leg"
A warning to the patrons of the transgendered prostitutes of Charles Village, a sting operation is "forthcoming."* (Is "transgenders" really a plural noun?)
Sixteen students at Chesapeake High School in Essex were sent to the hospital after an officer used pepper spray to break up a fight.
Baltimore rape suspect Kendall Thomas Lynn was arrested in NC
Molto duro combattimento between bocce players in Little Italy
A $77,500 fine for Wheelabrator Baltimore, after the company's smokestack showered us all with mercury.
A $500k fine for Wells Fargo, which made defamatory statements about a local broker
A snowblower, three 500-pound weights and an air conditioner among the purloined loot in Towson last week.* Stolen in the Northern: a snakeskin wallet, deodorant, a buffalo chicken sub.
Federal judge: it's legal to not hire tattooed prospective cops
A second man, Kedar Anderson, was convicted for involvement in the murder of Kenneth Jones, former leader of the Pasadena Denver Lanes Bloods gang.
Police Tweet "4200 block Ivanhoe. Adult male reported to be shot in the leg"
Sixteen students at Chesapeake High School in Essex were sent to the hospital after an officer used pepper spray to break up a fight.
Baltimore rape suspect Kendall Thomas Lynn was arrested in NC
Molto duro combattimento between bocce players in Little Italy
A $77,500 fine for Wheelabrator Baltimore, after the company's smokestack showered us all with mercury.
A $500k fine for Wells Fargo, which made defamatory statements about a local broker
A snowblower, three 500-pound weights and an air conditioner among the purloined loot in Towson last week.* Stolen in the Northern: a snakeskin wallet, deodorant, a buffalo chicken sub.
Federal judge: it's legal to not hire tattooed prospective cops
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Settling for less
More city lawsuit payouts TK*, including $375k to the family of Edward Lamont Hunt, unarmed and fatally shot in the back in the parking lot of the Hamilton Park Shopping Center in 2008 (You might remember ... Officer Thomas Sanders was charged with manslaughter, but acquitted) and $36,600 for an army reservist who didn't get his job back after his service.
Five-time felon McKenzie White got 19 years in the federal pen after his latest attempted robbery that was stymied by his clever would-be victim and his quick-thinking dad.
A disturbing number of citizens robbed by teenagers in the latest Baltimore Guide police blotter
Timothy Ray Berry of Owings Mills copped a guilty plea to illegal possession of weapons and explosives: he shot a kid in the leg with a BB gun, which led the FBI to search his house and find his stash of C-4 explosive material, an M-800 pyrotechnic device, containers of potassium nitrate and potassium chlorate, smokeless shotgun powder, model rocket igniters and motors, pool chemicals, various fuse materials, PVC and metal pipe of varying lengths and pipe fittings. (And he would've gotten away with it, if it wasn't for that kid!)
Stealing donations from the United Way? That's low, Dorothy Shields Talbot.
The death of a 57-year-old inmate at the North Branch Correctional Institution was ruled a homicide, the medical examiner say Lewis J. Thompson Jr. was strangulated.
How much would it cost to tear down the city's vacant buildings? Oh, take a wild guess.
Five-time felon McKenzie White got 19 years in the federal pen after his latest attempted robbery that was stymied by his clever would-be victim and his quick-thinking dad.
A disturbing number of citizens robbed by teenagers in the latest Baltimore Guide police blotter
Timothy Ray Berry of Owings Mills copped a guilty plea to illegal possession of weapons and explosives: he shot a kid in the leg with a BB gun, which led the FBI to search his house and find his stash of C-4 explosive material, an M-800 pyrotechnic device, containers of potassium nitrate and potassium chlorate, smokeless shotgun powder, model rocket igniters and motors, pool chemicals, various fuse materials, PVC and metal pipe of varying lengths and pipe fittings. (And he would've gotten away with it, if it wasn't for that kid!)
Stealing donations from the United Way? That's low, Dorothy Shields Talbot.
The death of a 57-year-old inmate at the North Branch Correctional Institution was ruled a homicide, the medical examiner say Lewis J. Thompson Jr. was strangulated.
How much would it cost to tear down the city's vacant buildings? Oh, take a wild guess.
Goodbye Occupy
The Occupy Baltimore encampment is gone*. Police evicted them peacefully around 3 AM this morning with no arrests being reported.
(Un-paywalled-story here at the SF Chronicle, and video from Fenton*, who apparently never sleeps and/or was tipped off by someone... - MJ)
(Un-paywalled-story here at the SF Chronicle, and video from Fenton*, who apparently never sleeps and/or was tipped off by someone... - MJ)
Monday, December 12, 2011
189
A 58-year-old man was stabbed to death at an apartment complex for seniors in the NW.
Police released a sketch, left, of a suspect wanted for a robbery/stabbing at a gas station on Nov. 6 in the 2200 block of North Charles Street
The city's 11th police-involved shooting this year was one Franklin Williams, 38, now in critical condition. His family says he suffers from schizophrenia; police say was wielding a knife and wouldn't drop it. As per their custom, BPD has refused to release the officer's name.
Two shootings yesterday in west Baltimore
A man found suspiciously dead in a Remington parking lot was ID'd as Steven Rudy, 53.
A suspect was arrested after trying to rob the PNC bank inside the Towson University student union.
Can police check a passenger's immigration status during a traffic stop? If a passenger in a car has a history of arrest for armed robbery, can he be lawfully patted down for weapons? Can Spanish-speaking prospective jurors be dismissed if they aren't sure they can ignore any Spanish they encounter in favor of a translator's translation? All these questions and more answered in TDR's roundup of Fourth-Circuit Court of Appeals' Opinions
From the Evergreen listserv:
The city's 11th police-involved shooting this year was one Franklin Williams, 38, now in critical condition. His family says he suffers from schizophrenia; police say was wielding a knife and wouldn't drop it. As per their custom, BPD has refused to release the officer's name.
Two shootings yesterday in west Baltimore
A man found suspiciously dead in a Remington parking lot was ID'd as Steven Rudy, 53.
A suspect was arrested after trying to rob the PNC bank inside the Towson University student union.
Can police check a passenger's immigration status during a traffic stop? If a passenger in a car has a history of arrest for armed robbery, can he be lawfully patted down for weapons? Can Spanish-speaking prospective jurors be dismissed if they aren't sure they can ignore any Spanish they encounter in favor of a translator's translation? All these questions and more answered in TDR's roundup of Fourth-Circuit Court of Appeals' Opinions
From the Evergreen listserv:
Video Americain [on Cold Spring Lane] was robbed on Wednesday, 7th of December at 9:30PM. We have a description of the robber who claimed to be wielding a firearm (which was never shown) and assaulted one of our employees before robbing us: African-American. 5'8 or 5'9. Skinny. Short dreads. Tribal-looking tattoo under left eye. Also noticed a smaller one near his right eye.O'Malley wants Lady Gaga to come to MD to fight against bullying. Insert punchline here.
An arrest has been made in a September killing in Dundalk. Jeremiah Ezekiel Edwards, 19 has been charged with first degree murder for the murder of Robert Charles Nelson, 24.
County police are searching for a missing 14-year-old girl. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Madison Renee Davis of Dundalk, please let the authorities know.
A shooting outside Club Envy on Maryland Ave. puts three in the hospital.
Police in Towson have arrested a man for committing a series of Goodwill store robberies. Richard Carvan Pettaway, 29, who also happened to be a former employee of the Padonia store, was busted after showing he seriously lacked goodwill. (That was terrible...)
Durante Ricco Ervin, 50, a Pikesville vagrant was arrested for committing several robberies including one where he threw an elderly couple to the ground during a house robbery.
After three years the search for Brittany Peart has taken a tragic end with the discovery of her body in a field in Delaware.
County police are searching for a missing 14-year-old girl. If you have any information on the whereabouts of Madison Renee Davis of Dundalk, please let the authorities know.
A shooting outside Club Envy on Maryland Ave. puts three in the hospital.
Police in Towson have arrested a man for committing a series of Goodwill store robberies. Richard Carvan Pettaway, 29, who also happened to be a former employee of the Padonia store, was busted after showing he seriously lacked goodwill. (That was terrible...)
Durante Ricco Ervin, 50, a Pikesville vagrant was arrested for committing several robberies including one where he threw an elderly couple to the ground during a house robbery.
After three years the search for Brittany Peart has taken a tragic end with the discovery of her body in a field in Delaware.
Friday, December 9, 2011
Man shot at 29th & Calvert
A man was shot in the head at Calvert and 29th streets in Charles Village at 11 p.m. last night. UPDATE: he was ID'd as Brandon Hudson, 22*, shot while sitting on a couch in the first floor of an apartment.
and Police Tweet, "Triple Shooting, 1800 Blk Maryland Ave (Central District), 12:58am, adult males shot."
Fenton Tweets that 1992 shooting victim Ronald Watkins had been hanging out at Odell's nightclub. (Remember Odell's? That place was awesome). Apparently this story was written just two weeks before Watkins' shooting-- the armed guards must have not done much good. The club was owned by Milton Tillman, Jr., of bail bonds fame, and defended by his lawyer, Elijah Cummings. Heh heh, Doo Doo Brown.
Ten years for an Edgewood cocaine dealer, whose slang term for crack was "the Jolly Rancher."
A 12th officer, Rafael Feliciano Jr., has pleaded guilty in the towing scandal
More speed cameras have gone up around town for a total of 142 (!!) -- noticed a new one on North Charles St. southbound at Blythewood (by Loyola) when some Speedy McJerkwad in front of me got the flash, a location that notably not on this list. Not a bad idea to check the list-- then drive like a grandma anyway.
A new e-book about Ed Norris is out, focusing on his investigation of the shooting death of Jewish Defense League founder Rabbi Mier Kahan while with the NYPD. If you're interested, you can download it for Kindle
for less than a buck.
A Federal court judge ruled bloggers aren't entitled to journalists' legal protections that allow them to shield sources. In other words, bloggers, if you allege something expect to have to prove it's true. &@%#!!
and Police Tweet, "Triple Shooting, 1800 Blk Maryland Ave (Central District), 12:58am, adult males shot."
Fenton Tweets that 1992 shooting victim Ronald Watkins had been hanging out at Odell's nightclub. (Remember Odell's? That place was awesome). Apparently this story was written just two weeks before Watkins' shooting-- the armed guards must have not done much good. The club was owned by Milton Tillman, Jr., of bail bonds fame, and defended by his lawyer, Elijah Cummings. Heh heh, Doo Doo Brown.
Ten years for an Edgewood cocaine dealer, whose slang term for crack was "the Jolly Rancher."
A 12th officer, Rafael Feliciano Jr., has pleaded guilty in the towing scandal
More speed cameras have gone up around town for a total of 142 (!!) -- noticed a new one on North Charles St. southbound at Blythewood (by Loyola) when some Speedy McJerkwad in front of me got the flash, a location that notably not on this list. Not a bad idea to check the list-- then drive like a grandma anyway.
A new e-book about Ed Norris is out, focusing on his investigation of the shooting death of Jewish Defense League founder Rabbi Mier Kahan while with the NYPD. If you're interested, you can download it for Kindle
for less than a buck.A Federal court judge ruled bloggers aren't entitled to journalists' legal protections that allow them to shield sources. In other words, bloggers, if you allege something expect to have to prove it's true. &@%#!!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
186, 187
Why so stabby, Baltimore? Another fatal stabbing, this time a 45-year-old man in the NW*; in the 3500 block of Woodland Ave. Update: Fenton ID's the man as Christopher Gilliam, and says a female "of interest" is in custody but not charged.
Ronald Watkins, shot 19 years ago at the corner of North Ave and Charles Street, has died from his injuries and been added to this year's homicide toll.
A suspiciously dead body that is either male or female-- or is it two bodies? was found in Remington. WMAR clears up the mystery-- it's a body that police first reported was a woman, then decided was male. Ok then.
A woman was robbed of her cell phone by a guy driving a Cadillac and wielding a baseball bat; in Abell a would-be robber was disarmed by employees; a 7-Eleven robbed in Remington in the North Baltimore Patch blotter.
The Country Club of Maryland was burglarized and thieves made off with $2,000 of stuff-- aka one-third of one member's initiation dues.
Today in bad sex news, two officers are are on leave following an alleged public threesome; a Glen Burnie teacher is in trouble for having sex with three students.
Here's a theory to ponder: trust in government leading to a lower crime rate, with the decline in crime the past few years a result of "the Obama effect."
Ronald Watkins, shot 19 years ago at the corner of North Ave and Charles Street, has died from his injuries and been added to this year's homicide toll.
A suspiciously dead body that is either male or female-- or is it two bodies? was found in Remington. WMAR clears up the mystery-- it's a body that police first reported was a woman, then decided was male. Ok then.
A woman was robbed of her cell phone by a guy driving a Cadillac and wielding a baseball bat; in Abell a would-be robber was disarmed by employees; a 7-Eleven robbed in Remington in the North Baltimore Patch blotter.
The Country Club of Maryland was burglarized and thieves made off with $2,000 of stuff-- aka one-third of one member's initiation dues.
Today in bad sex news, two officers are are on leave following an alleged public threesome; a Glen Burnie teacher is in trouble for having sex with three students.
Here's a theory to ponder: trust in government leading to a lower crime rate, with the decline in crime the past few years a result of "the Obama effect."
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
185
A man stabbed to death on Eastern Avenue Northeast N. East Avenue
A man shot multiple times at 12:39 p.m. in the 700 block of Willow Avenue, mere blocks (but worlds away) from Guilford
A second week with only one murder (that we know of). The unfortunate victim was Kenneth Davis, 29.
Attorneys need to stop releasing information about who'ssnitching cooperating with law enforcement, said RJR* following the indictments of Tavon Dameon Davis, 24, and Bruce Eric Byrd, 26, for conspiring and committing murder for hire, murdering a witness and conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
Tyrone Jackson, 52, pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing $488,572.50 in forged checks and 327 videos and 779 photos of pornographic images of children (why do the pedo guys always have so many damn images?).
Assault victim Christy Lee Polis was charged with disorderly conduct after reporting a robbery in the county.
Eastern District commander is owner of a run-down vacant that he's too broke* to fix up, reports the Sun's Scott Calvert
Deposed fraudster Belinda Conaway attended her last City Council meeting on Monday night, as did Nick D'Adamo, who serenaded the venerable council with a parody tune.
A man shot multiple times at 12:39 p.m. in the 700 block of Willow Avenue, mere blocks (but worlds away) from Guilford
A second week with only one murder (that we know of). The unfortunate victim was Kenneth Davis, 29.
Attorneys need to stop releasing information about who's
Tyrone Jackson, 52, pleaded guilty in federal court to possessing $488,572.50 in forged checks and 327 videos and 779 photos of pornographic images of children (why do the pedo guys always have so many damn images?).
Assault victim Christy Lee Polis was charged with disorderly conduct after reporting a robbery in the county.
Eastern District commander is owner of a run-down vacant that he's too broke* to fix up, reports the Sun's Scott Calvert
Deposed fraudster Belinda Conaway attended her last City Council meeting on Monday night, as did Nick D'Adamo, who serenaded the venerable council with a parody tune.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Schurick Guilty on all Four Counts
Tweeted Luke Broadwater
Update, here's the Sun story*, the WBAL story (featuring an old clip that includes character witness John Heath: "the Paul Schurick that I know was a person who went in the hood ... and he hung out in Old York Road with the brothers.")
.. and down in PGC, seven years in the slammer for Jack "put it in your panties" Johnson.
Update, here's the Sun story*, the WBAL story (featuring an old clip that includes character witness John Heath: "the Paul Schurick that I know was a person who went in the hood ... and he hung out in Old York Road with the brothers.")
.. and down in PGC, seven years in the slammer for Jack "put it in your panties" Johnson.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Deputy shot in the line of duty may be fired
He took a bullet while serving a murder warrant, now he may take a fall for speaking to the media.
Meanwhile, no end in sight to the city worker turned criminal turned tax payer funded pensioner (aka The Dixon rule)
Meanwhile, no end in sight to the city worker turned criminal turned tax payer funded pensioner (aka The Dixon rule)
'never thought he'd do something like that to a friend'
Hampden went on lockdown yesterday due to the report of a roving armed loonybird
Three people reported shot this weekend, Tweeted the BPD: two adult males at Vancouver & Markham, and a woman shot in the 900 block of Jack Street.
Paul Schurick's robocall case is expected to go to the jury today; he faces a maximum of 12-16 years in jail if convicted on three conspiracy charges and failure to supply an authority line. (WJZ says 12 years, the WaPo says 5 years for 3 counts plus one year for the authority line thing... who's right?). Henson's trial is scheduled for February.
Trial postponed for Dante Parrish, a convicted murderer accused of killing teenager Jason Mattison, right. "The family told 11 News at the time of the slaying that Parrish was a friend and that they knew he was a convicted murderer but never thought he'd do something like that to a friend."
Stolen copper gutters, yes, latest trend, no. In spite of feeble legal attempts to crack down on the sale of stolen metal, homeowners are still getting (literally) ripped off... exacerbating the suck, homeowner's associations are forcing some residents to re-purchase the luxury gutters.
National: D.E.A. launders millions of dollars in drug money to find out who's laundering money. Ps., happy 78th Repeal Day! Have some fun facts about prohibition. ("In Los Angeles, a jury that had heard a bootlegging case was itself put on trial after it drank the evidence"). There are still more than 100 dry communities in the U.S., but none in Maryland, where no municipality is allowed to have an ordinance more strict than state law. Though you'd think MD's annoying prohibition against buying booze on Sunday dates back to the Volstead act, it actually doesn't-- it apparently dates all the way back to pre-colonial times.
Three people reported shot this weekend, Tweeted the BPD: two adult males at Vancouver & Markham, and a woman shot in the 900 block of Jack Street.
Paul Schurick's robocall case is expected to go to the jury today; he faces a maximum of 12-16 years in jail if convicted on three conspiracy charges and failure to supply an authority line. (WJZ says 12 years, the WaPo says 5 years for 3 counts plus one year for the authority line thing... who's right?). Henson's trial is scheduled for February.
Trial postponed for Dante Parrish, a convicted murderer accused of killing teenager Jason Mattison, right. "The family told 11 News at the time of the slaying that Parrish was a friend and that they knew he was a convicted murderer but never thought he'd do something like that to a friend."
Stolen copper gutters, yes, latest trend, no. In spite of feeble legal attempts to crack down on the sale of stolen metal, homeowners are still getting (literally) ripped off... exacerbating the suck, homeowner's associations are forcing some residents to re-purchase the luxury gutters.
National: D.E.A. launders millions of dollars in drug money to find out who's laundering money. Ps., happy 78th Repeal Day! Have some fun facts about prohibition. ("In Los Angeles, a jury that had heard a bootlegging case was itself put on trial after it drank the evidence"). There are still more than 100 dry communities in the U.S., but none in Maryland, where no municipality is allowed to have an ordinance more strict than state law. Though you'd think MD's annoying prohibition against buying booze on Sunday dates back to the Volstead act, it actually doesn't-- it apparently dates all the way back to pre-colonial times.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Hordiculous
There really needs to be a word that combines ridiculous and horrible. Ridorrible? Horriculous? Whatever you call it, it was bountiful Friday at the robocall trial, with the defense calling somewhere between nine and 18"character" witnesses* to testify to the general awesomeness of Ehrlich's campaign manager, Paul Shurick. How their platitudes could be material to the facts I can't imagine, but anyway, the beacons of virtue hand-picked to testify included executive director of the Maryland Coal Association, a firefighter, and Michael Steele, now best known for presiding over the Republican party as it wooed donors with bottle service at a bondage club. Oh, and also former governor Marvin Mandel, now 92 years old and best known as MD's first (and only) convicted-felon governor, who spent 19 months in jail on various fraud charges. And Schurick testified for his own defense, blaming it all on his underling. "I recall saying to Julius, 'I’m paying you $16,000 a month, give us a plan." Adding to the ridiculorribleness, beloved dykon Jayne Miller broke her ankle on a city shitty sidewalk while covering the case. And BTW and p.s., after testifying that he had never heard the robocall, on Friday a special agent basically proved that he had. Then he admitted it. D'oh!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
#BlackMan'sRights??
Good Jeebuz! Three men were arrested last night after a four-hour, two-county crime spree that involved 12 victims, including a man stripped naked, another man shot in the eye and the leg, and a wrecked Lincoln Continental.
A third murder at Perkins Hospital? Really?
The prosecution rested yesterday in the robo-call case, after Julius Henson's employee Rhonda Russell, who recorded the "relax, everything's fine" message, offered the lamest excuses ev. er., testifying that the calls were "reverse psychology ... I was told this call would stimulate whoever wanted to vote for Mr. Ehrlich." Never mind that the calls went only to Democrats or that Russell's notes included the phrase "suppress turnout in black communities." Not every member of the black community is horrified by this, though. Wrote Mr. Hassan MrPolitics Giordano on the Facebooks, "First their aim was at Julius (Henson), and still is quite frankly; now they're looking 2 hang Frank Conaway?! I guess an outspoken black man who doesn't have 2 rely on them 2 gain fortune & fame better learn their place huh?! SMDH...#BlackMan'sRights??"
Speaking of, the Sun has posted the police report from the Conaway/Meister kerfuffle... oh my, not very flattering to either one of them! The report says Adam Scott attempted a karate kick, and Frank Melvin was indeed on the sidewalk with his gun. Oh, my.
Stephanie Lynn Schwab, the "Blonde Bandit," the Thanksgiving carjacker, the potato-chinned MS-13 mom, was nabbed on the D.C. beltway after robbing a bank in McLean, VA.
More good news: Fenton tweets that November ended with "only" 10 homicides: the lowest level in 40 years. A man who allegedly home-invaded the elderly in Pikesville has been arrested. So relax. Everything is fine. The only thing left is to watch it on TV tonight. Congratulations, and thank you.
A third murder at Perkins Hospital? Really?
The prosecution rested yesterday in the robo-call case, after Julius Henson's employee Rhonda Russell, who recorded the "relax, everything's fine" message, offered the lamest excuses ev. er., testifying that the calls were "reverse psychology ... I was told this call would stimulate whoever wanted to vote for Mr. Ehrlich." Never mind that the calls went only to Democrats or that Russell's notes included the phrase "suppress turnout in black communities." Not every member of the black community is horrified by this, though. Wrote Mr. Hassan MrPolitics Giordano on the Facebooks, "First their aim was at Julius (Henson), and still is quite frankly; now they're looking 2 hang Frank Conaway?! I guess an outspoken black man who doesn't have 2 rely on them 2 gain fortune & fame better learn their place huh?! SMDH...#BlackMan'sRights??"
Speaking of, the Sun has posted the police report from the Conaway/Meister kerfuffle... oh my, not very flattering to either one of them! The report says Adam Scott attempted a karate kick, and Frank Melvin was indeed on the sidewalk with his gun. Oh, my.
Stephanie Lynn Schwab, the "Blonde Bandit," the Thanksgiving carjacker, the potato-chinned MS-13 mom, was nabbed on the D.C. beltway after robbing a bank in McLean, VA.
More good news: Fenton tweets that November ended with "only" 10 homicides: the lowest level in 40 years. A man who allegedly home-invaded the elderly in Pikesville has been arrested. So relax. Everything is fine. The only thing left is to watch it on TV tonight. Congratulations, and thank you.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Sixth time's a charm?
Drug dealer, convicted double-murderer and amateur lawyer Anthony Grandison is headed to the Court of Appeals* for the sixth time. Grandison is currently on death row for hiring Vernon Evans to kill David Piechowicz and Susan Kennedy in April of 1983.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
