December 6

CP:
Murders this week: 251
Andre Alexander, 21, 4300 block of Fairfax Road;
Dennis Talley, 48, 3800 block of Towanda Avenue;
Jason Sanders, 17, 2100 block of East Biddle Street (aka "300 block of Chester street" and "1100 N. Chester");
Hamel Hurley, 25, 1500 block of Shadyside Road
Rassan Jones, 22, 300 block of West Lafayette Avenue in Bolton Hill

"Police also reported for the first time a killing Friday in Northeast Baltimore's Hillen neighborhood. The victim, Hamel Hurley, 25, called 911 about 2 p.m. from his front steps and told a dispatcher he had been shot in the upper body during a robbery attempt in the rear of his home in the 1500 block of Shadyside Road. He died nine hours later at Johns Hopkins Hospital, police said. The killings brought the city's homicide toll for the year to 251, compared with 252 at the same time in 2005..."

Lucille Thorn of Newark, Delaware is now in the custody of U.S Marshals in Baltimore after she "allegedly attempted to hire a man to kill her 83-year-old stepmother so she could get some of her late father's inheritance money."

A New Twist in the Redwood Trust Double-Murder Case

Four buildings doused with flammable liquid and torched in the Southwest.

I wonder what happened with this double shooting near eeb's mom's house? (What's that neighborhood called, anyway? Hamilton?)

Blotter: Guns, drugs and another burglary in Parkville, where former owner Muhammad R. Choudhry was shot.

They are the champions: An utterly nutty story abot HoCo neighbors whose seven-year feud has led to 13 criminal cases (so far).

"Scrub Me Mama With A Boogie Beat" and "All This and Rabbit Stew"? Greg Kane's English class = edutainment!

Best New Blog: Bags In Trees, devoted to (what else?) the city's native bird, Bageotus Plasticus.

Congrats to my dad, winner of the TU President's Award! Someone put that man on the Board of Regents!

The Poor

Lots of comments on the "why are there poor people" poll.

I was just curious to know how many people blame poor people themselves. About one-fifth, it turns out!

From YouTube:

December 5

At a hearing today, Judge John Carroll Byrnes sentenced Calvin Amos, 53, to 15 years in prison. A Baltimore City jury convicted Amos October 13 of voluntary manslaughter and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Judge Byrnes sentenced Amos to 10 years for the manslaughter and a consecutive five years without the possibility of parole for the handgun count. The case:

On March 3, 2006 Amos shot Joseph Schlick, 25, in the head at Amos' home, 2301 Herkimer St. Amos told responding officers the he had just shot Schlick. He was transported police headquarters where he gave a full confession to shooting Joseph Schlick. A search and seizure warrant was obtained and a black-powder handgun was recovered from the counter top of the kitchen. The victim was found on the kitchen floor. Investigation revealed that the victim came through the back door. Furthermore, there was no sign of forced entry. The victim and the defendant knew each other.

Very odd: A 24-year-old off-duty officer, Momodu Gondo, was shot in the back in the 5700 block of the Alameda in the Northwestern (Northwestern?!)

Yooooicks! Who hired this eyeliner-wearing freaknut to teach middle school? And how did he manage to lure a 13-year-old student into his bedroom undetected for two weeks?

Three years later, the death of federal prosecutor Jonathan Luna remains a mystery. (Wonder what RodJR's theory is?)

More on the criminal case against Pearson "Trey" Sunderland III, the NIH Alzheimer's researcher on the take.

"Sexual lifestyles" -- the class no one cuts!
I hope high school civics classes are showing the CSA's Big Gay Webcast today!!
(Wonder how Frank Conaway enjoys being the plaintiff in the Big Gay Lawsuit?)
Meanwhile, three conservative Maryland rabbis are part of a theological committee re-examining homosexuality and Jewish law, and in Oakland, schools are becoming more accomodating to the less "gender typical" student.
And FYI, I was sober, Mrs. Hunter ...! Tw*t!

December 4, evening

Interesting goings-on at the US Attorney's office:

• Franklin "Dragon" Molina of the Silver Spring trout gang was sentenced to 114 months for racketeering.
• And scientist Pearson "Trey" Sunderland, III, age 55, faces charges of taking some shady dollars from a drug organization (aka Pfizer).
• "Wig lady," aka 54-year-old Carol Silva, was indicted for bank fraud and identity theft. Her younger friend Jacqueline Elaine Belim, 46, was indicted on the 20th.
• Anthony Pender, 37, of Laurel got life for guns and drugs.

Why does no one from Baltimore City ever get some of that? (I smell a poll question)

Anon Comments from email:

(1) the Feds have better evidence rules on what they can get into evidence and (2) they have juries that usually convict and (3) [prosecutors] can't get a life sentence for any drug offense in state court, even as a fourth striker, by Maryland law ... the evidence in those cases stink since most people don't cooperate...even witnesses.

There is no lifer law for guns and drugs - if the question relates to Federal Court - there have been life sentences in the past (usually with a murder attached) but in recent times No defendant has been stupid enuff to go to trial with the usually Baltimore County-like - convict'em all juries in federal court - that's what plea bargaining is - in Fedland it means do 20-30 years without parole or get life without after trial - which is totally the opposite of what we have in State Court - which is [why prosecutors] can't get defendants to necessarily take ten years with parole or even probation sometimes on a MURDER let alone drug cases!

December 4

A gun battle near the 3400 block of Cottage Ave. in the Northwest at about 7:10 p.m. yesterday; 17-year-old Keith Holly arrested for attempted murder in a shooting witnessed by cops; a second suspect arrested for the Executive-Inn-stairway-beating murder.

Bail for BalCo hit-and-run tot killer Arellano de Hogue, 40, was set at $250,000.... Her "vehicle struck Elijah Cozart, 3, and his grandmother, 55-year-old Marjorie Thomas, as she pushed him in a stroller across Goucher Boulevard."

The gay-marriage fight has surely pushed our court into one long-thrusting thorny thicket, with everybody watching the long, slow webcast!
(At least in theory... looks like they have plenty to hear about first, like who gets to award contracts to whom)
Other hot high-court action: DC Supreme probes race and schools!)

Down in Tacoma Park, a District man was arrested for the city's fifth homicide this year.

Looks like O'Malley's down with gambling gaming after all ... just the untaxed bar-video kind.

41st-Street Approval Index

Most-applauded Mayor's Christmas parade participants:
15. Fancy horses
14. The horse that pooped
13. Vietnam Vets
12. Ravens mini-motocycles
11. Charm City Rollergirls
10. Dulaney flag girls and band
9. Underdog as Winter Fairy
8. Steam Calliope
7. Hampden Red-Hat Ladies in Duck Boat
6. Sarbanes
5. O'Malley, wife and kids
4. Mary Pat Clarke- people love her!
2. Boumi lawn-mower-engine carpets/ Edmondson Village Steppers (tie)
and, for the fifth year in a row,
#1 most-cheered= the guys who clean up behind the horses!

"Miss Marylands" in the Parade: six
Most popular thrown candy: Tootsie rolls
"" "", populous dancers: Peruvian Bolivian puffy-sleeve dancers
Most popular media guy: Ron Matz

least popular car ... Sheila Dixon's!
Crickets!
(She looked cold and miserable, too!)
The teeming multitudes really do seem to dislike her!
Why would that be?

December 2

A man was shot near Monroe Street and Penrose Avenue; a 13-year-old girl cut off a teenage boy's thumb; a woman was abducted from a gas station in he 1400 block of Washington Blvd. and raped.

A Federal Judge refused to dismiss the NAACP/ACLU lawsuit against the police department.

Judge Heard yesterday denied a motion to have rape charges dropped against two members of the "flex squad."

Godfrey Bonsu and wife, Victoria Boateng were sentenced yesterday to 14 years in prison, and 11 years three months in prison, respectively, with each sentence followed by five years of supervised release, for running a drug-courier business from the Takoma Park Quality Inn.

Rabbi David Kaye, featured on "Dateline NBC," got 6 1/2 years in prison for trying to solicit sex from (someone he thought was) a 13-year-old boy (but was really a 26-year-old worker from Perverted Justice).

Lots of stolen cars, bikes and $s in the Northern.

Yay! Underdog will be at the parade tomorrow!

December 1

John Gaumer's statements will be allowed in court.

A five-month-old Cecil County boy was murdered.

Sad: a hit-and-run driver hit and killed a child in a stroller.

Police have arrested a 15-year-old boy for allegedly stabbing his 17-year-old brother to death this morning in East Baltimore [249]. The 17-year-old stumbled out of the house, collapsed and died on the 1100 block of North Chester.

At arraignment today, Shanda R. Harris pled not guilty to reckless endangerment. Court documents allege that between July 1, 2005 and July 30, 2006 Harris allowed convicted child sex offender Melvin Jones access to her children after being notified that he was a registered child sex offender. The decomposed body of her 15-yar-old son, Irvin, was found July 31 in a wooded area at Clifton Park Golf Course after he'd been missing for three days. Shanda Harris remains held at the Baltimore Detention Center on $50,000 bail. A jury trial is scheduled for February 15, 2007 before Judge Allen L. Schwait.

The U.S. prison population has hit a record high, with 7 million people in jail or on probation or parole.

Samuel Pounds, 30, of the 2800 block of Sanafae Avenue, pled guilty today to one count of reckless endangerment. Judge Kaplan sentenced Pounds to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised probation, and ordered Pounds to complete a parenting, submit to drug and alcohol screening, complete an anger management course and to stay away from the victim and the victim's family. On October 27, 2006 a co-defendant in this case, Tia Whitehead, pled guilty to one count of reckless endangerment. The court set a sentencing date of December 27. Reckless endangerment carries a maximum prison term of five years. On June 16 Pounds chained a 15-year-old-girl to a bed in an upstairs bedroom at a house in the 3200 block of Beehler Avenue. The girl was not discovered until three days later.

A double shooting on the 3000 block of White Avenue and Harford Road, a shooting on the 1000 block of West Lanvale, a shooting on the first block of South Conkling; no one was killed. Also a murder arrest, a boy shot with a paintball gun and lots of robbery.

Can I get a witness? With only two people working the relocation program, and many witnesses refusing protection or to stay out of their old neighborhoods, knocking off witnesses can be remarkably easy.

A fourth teen was arrested for stabbing Paul Jones. A fifth suspect, 16-year-old Antoine Martin, is still at large.

A 16-year-old Glen Burnie boy was stabbed in a fight over a cell phone.

Michael Sapko of Arbutus pled guilty to possession of 86 images of sadistic child porn.

A police-involved auto accident on Fulton and Pratt last night.

Sun: criminals are becoming more forensic-science saavy.

November 30

A man was found shot to death on the 3800 block of Towanda Avenue early this morning (248).

The City Grand Jury indicted Kendrick McCain, 15, of the 700 block of McCabe Avenue. for first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery. Court documents allege on November 7 Kendrick McCain and three other persons approached Nicole Edmonds and her brother as they exited the MTA Light Rail Train at the West North Avenue station. Nicole's brother was thrown to the ground and a jacket was pulled over his head and that as Nicole ran away, she was chased, caught and fatally stabbed by McCain. McCain is held without bail at the Baltimore Detention Center.

The family of Josie P. Brown had to listen to a tape of UMBC student John C. Gaumer recounting how he sexually assaulted her, beat her to death and then dismembered her to cover his tracks, like he learned on CSI. Her beating death was also recorded on her cell phone. But, Gaumer says, he beat her with his head turned because "I don't have a good stomach for blood."

Ameer Taylor's first-degree murder trial was scheduled to start this morning... no word yet on if it actually did.
Update: Postponed until March 1 of next year.

A 17-year-old was shot in the back and died in Landover.

The drunk Mexican who killed Marine Cpl. Brian Mathews on Thanksgiving is an illegal immigrant.

A dice game may have been behind the stabbing of Paul Jones at Southwestern High. Three teenagers have been arrested and charged as adults.

In Upper Marlboro, the 13-year-old who killed his mother Katrina Powe and brother Mystery Hillian with a knife and ax handle pled "involved."

HoCoPoPo are looking for two pervs: a flasher in a grey car and a man who tried to grope a 13-year-old girl.

Also in HoCo:
A former firefighter, Joseph Schroen, pled guilty to arson.

There may be liquor in the front, but no poker in the rear.

November 29

Andre Alexander, 21, was shot to death on the front steps of his home on the 4300 block of Fairfax Road in the Northwest (247).

The Ink: Five murders last week, 246.

• Tereem Tayor, 21, 1700 block of W. Saratoga Street
• John Dowery, 38, 700 block of Bartlett Avenue (more on that story in the Sun today)
• Shawn Reed, 32, 400 block of East 22nd Street
• Undentified man; age unknown, 5100 block of Reisterstown Road
• Bernard Simon, 14, 1200 block of Shellbanks Road.

Paul Jones (!), a 20-year-old student at Southwestern High (?) was stabbed behind the school in the chest by an 18-year-old, who's still on the lam.

Demetrious Williams, 18, was charged in the beating death of Cecil Saunders, 28, an employee of Executive Inn Motel in the 3600 block of Pulaski Highway.

More details about the murder of one-month-old Joshua Watson. Warning: deeply depressing.

A man was shot in the wrist in the parking lot of Waverly Shopping Center; a man was shot in the back and arm in the 600 block of Mosher Street.

A Reisterstown Road jewelry store is allegedly a front for a drug-money laundromat. Owner Eugene Petasky was arrested Monday night. Petasky, 56, lives in Pikesville and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Children's Cancer Foundation.

What a great idea: Frederick police are posting open arrest warrants on their Web site.

W. David Stoffregen, former president of mechanical contracting firm Poole and Kent Co, pled guilty yesterday to racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud and filing a false tax return, and has agreed to testify against his codefendant, former state senator Thomas L. Bromwell.

More on the death of HoCo Marine Cpl. Brian Mathews, killed by a drunk driver a day after he returned from Iraq.

Ew, ew, ewie ew. A Westminister housewife, Melissa Lynn Kozimor, 27, got five years of probation (14 years suspended) for sexually abusing two teenage girls and having intercourse with a teenage boy while her husband and daughters were sleeping upstairs. She blames alcohol and PPD. Speaking of sexually offensive females, what the hell's going on with Britney and all the clam shots? Three in one week! (Warning: don't open that link at work .. or if you're easily offended!) But seriously, if she was an old man, she'd be in jail!

Speaking of grody flashers: County police arrested peeping tom/flasher Clinton Gardner, 38 (left). How much would you freak out if you saw that guy out your window?!

Headline of the day: "Md. Residents Say Dead Cat Smell Remains"

Greg Kane uses the word "Brobdingnagian" in a timely essay about the selective application of racial sensitivity.
Here's my question: as my 5-year-old pointed out, nobody actually has black skin, so why do we use that term?
And what's up with "African-American"? Doesn't that imply someone is only half an American, a recent immigrant?

ps. I'll be on the Ed Norris show on 105.7 this Friday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Tune in!

November 28

Tannea Bullock and Lawrence Watson plead guilty today in connection with the January 2005 death of their one-month old infant son, Joshua. Bullock plead to manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and child abuse resulting in death, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years. Lawrence plead guilty to reckless endangerment and was sentenced to time served. In accordance with the terms of the plea agreement announced in open Court, Bullock is scheduled to be sentenced January 30, 2007. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 tears with a referral to Patuxent Institution. Statement of Facts:

On January 5, 2005 at their residence in the 4800 block of Liberty Heights Avenue, Bullock and Watson said that they awakened at 5 a.m. and found Joshua cold and unresponsive. Watson called 911. Emergency operators performed CPR and rushed Joshua to Sinai Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The medical examiner found loop-shaped scars and signs of blunt force trauma to the right side of Joshua's body, skull fractures, hemorrhaging and contusions of the brain and 27 healing fractures to his torso. Bullock later admitted "the baby was crying and I just snapped."

Philip Carter, 18, pled guilty to robbing and beating Sun reporter Carl Schoettler, and another, less-famous old man.

More on the triple-shooting of teenagers in Cherry Hill. Says the Sun, Bernard Simon, 14, was the city's 246th murder.

A woman stabbed her babydaddy to death in Woodlawn.

The Court of Appeals is going to start Webcasting arguments, so we'll all get to watch the gay marraige thing go down.

In AAC, Albert Givens is going on trial for murder for the fifth time.

The big fat convenience-store robber turned himself in. Joseph Gregory, 33, claims to be a crackhead (I thought that made you skinny?)

Here's part two of the Benjamin Garris story.

The Tribune Co. has turned down he offer by a group of local investors to buy the Calvert Street birdcage-liner factory.

How much does Mrs. J hate the gov-to-be? She wished jury duty upon him!

November 27 evening

Correction: the person who told us about the 6th season was full of it! Sorry! Number five is the end!

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Stephens Zukael, 19, for first-degree murder, deadly weapon, reckless endangerment and first-degree arson in connection with the beating death of Marcus Rogers. Court documents allege Zukael was last seen with the victim on surveillance camera prior to his death. An arraignment is scheduled December 20, before Judge John P. Miller, 428 Mitchell Courthouse. Assistant State's Attorney Dianna Smith will prosecute this case.

We love a conspiracy!

So, about 19 of BCrime readers polled think that the unclassified 341 deaths from 2004 are the result of some kind of incompetence, while 18 believe it's a political conspiracy. That seems to be giving everyone downtown a whole lot of credit. But if it was one, guess it worked!

November 27

Three teenage boys were shot last night in Cherry Hill; one has died. (244)

In Harford County outside the VFW, Rondale Guy of Havre de Grace was shot twice and a woman was assaulted.

Fake $100 bills from South Ossetia, Georgia have been found in Baltimore (as well as NY, Newark and Buffalo).

A fat white guy with a ponytail and a dark red pickup truck robbed four convenience stores in one day.

Theft, robbery, burglary. Yawn.

The governor-to-be is due at the courthouse this morning ... for jury duty! Hizzoner has also served once before, serving as foreman in the case of "an unemployed flutist who complained of being squeezed in the door of a bus while trying to catch a ride to a pet store to buy fish food."

November 26

Indeed, James Dowery was a witness in the murder trial of two men, Tamall Parker and Tracy Love. Dowery had been threatened and had been shot before, but testified anyway.

An off-duty officer shot two men who tried to rob him in South Baltimore.

A 20-year-old man was found dead in the parking lot of the Panera Bread Co. on York Road in Lutherville. Also, someone apparently had plans to burn down apartment buildings near TU.

Kids these days...

Rodricks: "The 16-year-old and the 15-year-old accused in the killing of the 17-year-old did not appear out of thin air." Meanwhile, Jessamy plans to study our young "street urchins."

For the second time in a week, a teenager was shot in Anne Arundel County.

The Feds are trying to revoke $2.5 million of school money because officials can't prove funds were spent appropriately. Speaking of school, today the NYT has a story about the achievement gap between poor and middle-class students. Interesting tidbit: a study found that professional parents talk to their kids almost three times more than parents on welfare.

The Frederick News-Post tells the tale of Benjamin Garris, who at the age of 16 murdered psychiatric nurse Sharon Edwards.

The Cordish Co. is being sued in New York for various torts related to their Tiki Bob's bar allowing underage drinking.

That's some killer office furniture ... Maryland Correctional Enterprises sold $42.8 million worth of goods last year without an internet presence ($3.8 million in sales were from license plates).

November 24

John Dowrey, 38, was shot to death on Thanksgiving at the Kozy Korner bar (243).

November 22

Ink: Three murders last week, 241 this year.
Alfred Williams, 26; Lamont Jackson, 21; Dennis O'Neil Bryant, 38.

A 19-year-old man was shot to death last night. (242?)

Murders committed by juveniles are up. or, as JZ puts it,
'This allegation We cannot continue to loose so many of our future leaders to such senseless violence. Our community cannot accept these numbers. added Marty Burns'

"Sometimes you make some crazy mistakes."
That's as close as Carl Preston Evans Jr. (left, from mugshots.com) has come to explaining why he stabbed, beat and strangled his 13-year-old stepdaughter to death, then set the family's Essex rowhouse on fire. Evans got life plus two 15-year-sentences.

Police cameras led to an arrest for the October 22 murder of Joel Bradley.

Ciara Jobes' grandmother won a $15 million lawsuit against Jobes' murderer, Satrina Roberts. Roberts is serving 40 years for second-degree murder and child abuse.

Since the two rape allegations against officers this year,
male officers aren't supposed to be left alone with female suspects, and the City Council wants cameras in interrogation rooms.

Gregory Kane reminds us (like anyone living this town could forget) there's no such thing as the right not to be offended. But how great it would be if there were ...

November 21

Mums went tits-to-the-wind at BWI to defend the right to breastfeed.

"It's always like this, the columnist coming in after the funeral."
(... unless, of course, you're one of 2006's 236+ murdered citizens ignored by columnists).

"New, chilling details" in the shooting of brother and sister Marcus and Nicole Edmonds, 16 and 17. The siblings were shot by two teenagers for their cell phones; Nicole died from her injuries.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Tavon Berson Tyner, 22, of the 2500 block of W. Lanvale Street, and Donte Lamont Tyner, 22, of the 3700 block of Brownbrook Court, for first-degree murder of Darrell Artis. LaTosca Octavia McCullough, 26, of the 3400 block of Gaither Road, was indicted for accessory after the fact in connection with the homicide. Court documents allege that on September 7, 2006, a Nissan Quest Van driven by LaTosca McCullough was parked on a parking lot in the 7100 block of McClean Boulevard along with Darrell Artis, Tavon and Donte Tyner. An argument started between Artis and Donte Tyner, which escalated to a fistfight. Donte Tyner produced a handgun and shot Darrell Artis several times, then fled the scene along with Tavon Tyner and LaTosca McCullough. Artis died from his injuries the same day. An arraignment is scheduled for December 15, 2006 before Judge John P. Miller.

Question: what happens if you need an ambulance, fire truck or cop in Israel on a Friday night or Saturday? Do a bunch of Shabbos goys work one day a week, or what? I guess the question is, do the Orthodox make allowances for first responders a la , David Brown?

November 20th

Simon Fitzgerald was kind enough to pick up my slack today. For all the stuff he wrote, please check the comments section for the November 18th entry. Actually updating this blog every day is turning out to be a lot tougher than I expected. When does Mrs. Cybrarian come home again?

A couple of things I wanted to add to Simon's stuff:

Two guys have been arrested for an October murder in Annapolis. One thing I noticed is that Hometown Annapolis asserts that "Johnson's death was the seventh homicide in the city this year and the 19th in the county. Since his death, one more person, Jay Steven Fayne, 52, from Severna Park, was killed," even though there has been at least one more homicide, possibly two, in AAC since Fayne (Joel Young, whose killing may or may not considered justified, I haven't read anything about a decision being made on this; and an as-yet unidentified guy killed in Brooklyn Park). PLUS, multiple news sources keep repeated this "seven murders in Annapolis this year" figure. I've only ever read about six, plus one guy killed by Annapolis Police, which we should all know by now is not supposed to count towards the official murder tally.

And, in keeping with my favorite theme ("all the local news outlets around here totally suck"), WUSA's article about the Annapolis mall shooting doesn't add anything to the Sun article that Simon posted, but is entitled "Mall Shooting Started At Nearby High School," which implies that there was actually shooting occurring at Annapolis High, when in fact what started there was the argument which eventually culminated in the shooting, which was wholly confined to the mall. Sigh.

November 18th

In Metro Digest (after the food bank story), a guy was shot to death in Upton and another guy was shot a bunch of times and may or may not be dead or dying in Ellwood Park.

One of the four people believed to be responsible for the stabbing death of a 17-year-old girl at a light rail stop has been apprehended.

Here are a few more details in the other day's murder-suicide in Sparks.

A woman in Glen Burnie was convicted of shaking her 15 day old baby to death last year.

Kids in Annapolis just can't get enough of fighting in school.

Brian Doyle, the Homeland Security internet pervert, has been sentenced to 5 years in Florida.

Another Maryland pervert has been arrested down south, this one for murder.

Good old ABC7 doesn't realize that there are Caroline Counties in both Maryland and Virginia. This incident obviously took place in Virginia, and even has "Va." in the headline, but when you click on the "Maryland" tab on their front news page, this article is listed in there.