September 16

Three more murders. The unid'd man killed yesterday was identified as Brian Smith-Hopkins. Also, reports JZ:
- At 11:38 p.m. Saturday night, Tyrone Jones, 26, was shot and killed on the 1500 block of North Woodyear. He was pronounced dead at Shock Trauma.
- At 4:30 p.m. Sunday, two men were shot on the 3400 block of Belair Road. Both were pronounced dead at area hospitals.

Antoine Skipwith, who "walked off from the Baltimore City Correctional Center," robbed a bank customer in HoCo with a buddy, then drove his car into a ditch.

How can this article about police shootings not mention the fact that the department is still understaffed by some 200-300 officers? Doesn't it seem pretty obvious that understaffing puts officers in life-threatening, backup-less situations more often, not to mention leaving more criminals out there?
Instead it blames everything from police training to gangs to O'Malley. Huh?

September 15

Three homicides "last night" (so it's unclear if these were Friday or Saturday):

• John J. Christen, 20, shot multiple times in the Top Shelf Lounge at about 1 a.m. in the 200 block of Fredhilton Pass


• Unidentified adult male with a gunshot wound to the torso, 2300 block of East Oliver Street, 11:10 a.m.


• Qafim Kaba, 29, stabbed to death, the 2500 block of Terra Firma Road in Cherry Hill

In the County, in addition to the Cranbourne road muder/suicide, another asshole-male domestic in Essex, a man shot by his lover's jilted swain.

Friday Night

Galt says there was a man shot in the head at Harford & Homestead St. last night at about 10 pm. No links yet to any stories.

A murder-suicide tonight at 1904 Cranbourne Road in Timonium has left two children orphaned. The wife had a restraining order against her husband, but he violated it. Obviously.

Police say two teens were stabbed while riding an MTA bus in southwest Baltimore this afternoon while the bus was coming from Walbrook High School.

WTF? Four sex attacks in 40 minutes in College Park. Police say the suspect is a white male, 5'9", 160 pounds, who always strikes between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. and doesn't force his way in but finds unlocked doors and windows. The think he has hit nine times prior to this.

Checking the markets now, pot prices surged in all regions and sectors last quarter, and trading remains heavy on the Maryland Exchange with local prices climbing to $420 an ounce for "Poolesville Train Wreck."
And cocaine prices are expected to continue to surge over the New York Q1 average price of $30,000 a kilo wholesale as the imprisoned Diego Montoya's rivals and lieutenants fight for their share of the world's largest market, which observers expect to fracture into smaller, less efficient operations. "Authorities doubt any would-be cartel leader can maintain his 250-strong private army," the "Machos."

"The Washington and Baltimore field offices of the FBI, in conjunction with the Drug Enforcement Administration; the Fairfax County, Virginia, Police Department; the Montgomery County, Maryland, Police Department; and Loudoun County, Virginia, Police Department arrested 18 individuals and conducted 12 searches as part of a methamphetamine trafficking investigation."

September 14

An inmate stabbed a guard at Jessup last night.

Blotter's got the shootings:
A man in his 30s was being treated at a hospital after he was shot in the neck by an assailant in the first block of N. Ellamont St. near Gwynns Falls Parkway about 2:15 a.m. yesterday, and in the Eastern, "shortly before 3 a.m. yesterday police responding to a report of a shooting in the 2800 block of E. Federal St., near Baltimore Cemetery, found a 20-year-old man lying in the street and bleeding from multiple gunshot wounds. He was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital and admitted. His condition was not available, and no arrest had been made."

Another new low for the White House: they're threatening to take away the only U.S. Attorney we've ever loved and hide his gorgeous suits under a judge-burka!
I HATE YOU SO MUCH GEORGE!!!

A man convicted of sexually abusing his ex-girlfriend’s 6-year-old daughter is entitled to a new trial, the Court of Special Appeals held, finding that the judge at Frederick Roscoe Coates’ first trial erred in admitting statements the girl made to a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (“SAFE”) nurse.

After a challenge from the Attorney General's office, Eastern Correctional Institution has changed its policy on inmate reading materials and will lift an all-out ban on a white supremacist newsletter and distribute copies if they're in line with department policy. No word on when or if the jailbirds will get their "Maxim."
(...speaking of the Eastern Institutions, we're totally jazzed about this!)

In Elkton, 20-year-old Matthew Blackburn pleaded guilty to first-degree murder charges in a shooting that prosecutors say was the result of a robbery disguised as a drug deal.

Councilman Jack Young: "We need to have a dialogue about taking the profit motive out of drug dealing and ending the so-called war on drugs."

Police Seeking Pistol-Whipper

Baltimore City are searching for Damian Knight, a dangerous suspect wanted for pistol-whipping and shooting at a woman after she wouldn't give him her phone number. He was last seen with braids, but may be sporting a different hairdo now (right).
He may also be going by the name Donta Carter.

Nine Months of Ankle Bracelet for Horticulturalist

The ordeal of city pot grower Joseph Guadagnoli is over. You’ll recall that May 8 after a 9-month investigation, Federal, County, and city task forces raided Guadagnoli’s home and garage in the 6400 block of Glenoak Avenue in Hamilton and claimed to find some $230,000 worth of wacky terbacky growing there. The investigation began when undercover state police officers witnessed Guadagnoli enter a store called “Maryland Hydroponics” in Laurel. Officers ran Guadagnoli's license plate and found that he lived in Baltimore City and had priors for possession of marijuana, and began observing his house and collecting his trash. A trash inspection found a pot stem in a vacuum cleaner bag. A warrant was obtained and a raid conducted on May 8.

Guadagnoli received a five-year sentence with all but 9 months suspended, which he is serving at home with an ankle bracelet. His wife was also charged and received Probation Before Judgment. In spite of the previous reports, sources say Guadagnoli actually had less than $20,000 worth of marijuana seized (about 3 pounds? What's the going rate for an ounce these days?).

September 13

Carl Lackl's mom, Marge Shipley, talks to the Sun, and it sounds like the SA's office is confirming (via not exactly denying) her shocking allegations that her son was informed that his life was in danger with a form letter, which Shipley says Lackl never recieved.

Brandon Green, 22, and Jerome Whitaker, 23, were arrested and charged with the murder of Christopher Clarke, killed March 13 in the 3100 block of Cliftmont Ave. Clarke was apparently just walking by when the two black rednecks got into a gunfight. Rodricks deems Clarke's death an example of "generational suicide" (huh?).

Also, two men, ages 19 and 21, were shot about 2 p.m. yesterday in the 4000 block of Franklin St. and a man, 19, was sitting on the front porch of a house in the 600 block of McCabe Ave. about 11:45 p.m. Tuesday when an unknown man standing across the street shot him in the left leg.

Me Want Money Woman!
On September 3, "man asked woman for money after she parked car, then punched her in the face and stole the car."
If I lived in Waverly, I would be PO'd to hear about this 10 days later. Shouldn't the whole point of the local news be to inform residents about random stuff like this so they can be wary? Or should every city resident just get a flier when they move in to keep on the fridge:

Welcome to Baltimore! Thanks for buying here!
Whether your street is lined with trees or rat corpses, there are some risks that all city residents should be aware of:

People who approach your car

People who knock on your door

Testifying in criminal trials

Calling police about drug dealing on your street

Males who show interest in your children

Parking your car on the street

Walking or driving near people who are arguing

Opening the windows in your car or home

Purchasing narcotics

You'll find that by simply avoiding these risks, you can have a safe and pleasant Baltimore living experience! Enjoy your new home!

Arrested Peoples
A man suspected of an attempted armed robbery at West North Avenue and Ashburton Street about noon yesterday was captured after he fired at least one shot at pursuing police. No officers were hit and none returned fire. And two men were shot in unrelated incidents, one in the first block of N. Ellamont St. at about 2:15 a.m., another in the 2800 block of E. Federal St. in East Baltimore. Their names and conditions are not known.

More on George Robert Chaney, the murderer who was out enjoying a suspended sentence when he robbed a bank: "Chaney pleaded guilty in April [of what year it doesn't say... this year? 1993?] to second-degree murder for the 1993 killing of Mary Ann Fisher, who was found strangled with a telephone cord under her bed in the Perkins Homes public housing project in Southeast Baltimore."

Darrell Tyrone Avery, 22, was arrested for murdering Diekia T. Davis, 21, sometime between September 8 -10 in the Comfort Inn in Catonsville. Police are asking anyone who may have seen anything suspicious there to call detectives.

Perverts:
"William Edward Wray, II, age 50, of Crespatown, Maryland, pleaded guilty [Sept. 12] to two counts of sexually exploiting a minor to produce child pornography."

Roderick Gene Parks, age 42, of Berlin, Maryland, was sentenced to 30 years in prison Sept. 12 followed by a lifetime of supervised release for sexually exploiting a minor to produce child pornography. What worse, Parks has AIDS and the boy must now have yearly HIV tests.

In PGC, Jafet Hernandez got life for raping a woman as she was on her way home from a Riverdale park bus stop.

Jablow Gets a Real Job!

Contrary to the rumors, Jablow, formerly MD's Most Useless Public Relator, will now be producing America's Most Wanted. Vozzella:

So America's Most Wanted viewers should expect to see lots of Baltimore cases, right? Wrong. Charm City has more than its share of crime, but generally not the kind that makes for good TV. Fugitive drug lords, serial killers, missing children - that's entertainment. Drug dealers popping other drug dealers, not so much. Said Jablow: "They're looking for really compelling narratives."

(Wow, way to massage a quote for the 'happy' ending!)

Lackl Mom Livid at SA's Office

Carl Lackl's mom is on Ed Norris saying that the State's Attorney's office never informed him that he was in danger, much less reached out and offered protection. The State's Attorney's office claimed that they sent a letter, Lackl's mom says that he never got it.
"They destroyed his life, they destroyed his baby's life."
"I want them to admit that they court system really sucks. That they let people who shoot people out of jail ... they cost me my son by their stupidity, and now [the State's Attorney's office is] blaming the victim."

September 12

It's official, thanks in part to an abysmal turnout, Dixon and Stuffame Galling-Flake will be leading whoever's left in Baltimore into the future. At least opium production is up in Afghanistan so we can dull our pain on the cheap.

This week's Ink names victims, updates stories, adds stats about how things have been since the duo above have been in charge:

• "So far, 18 females have been murdered this year in the city; 10 of those murders took place in the last three months" and "at least eight" women have been charged with 2007 homicides.


• There have been 20 juveniles murdered this year since September 8


• Last week marked the 25th police-involved shooting this year; nine of the shootings were fatal.

This week brought the 26th ... or is it 27th? police shooting, this one shortly after 3 a.m. on Park Heights Avenue. The "victim," who pointed a gun at an officer, survived.

A doozy of a blotter; in addition to the usual robberies, stolen cars and burglaries:

Northwestern
Arrest // Following a nearly month-long investigation, district drug enforcement unit officers armed with a search and seizure warrant yesterday raided a house in the 3300 block of Elgin Ave. and arrested a man on drug distribution and deadly weapon charges. When officers entered through the front door by force, the man tried to escape. Sgt. Ronald Beverly, head of the unit, said officers entered the house about 4 p.m. and that a search resulted in the finding of a quantity of cocaine valued at $12,000 hidden in various rooms. Found hidden under the floor boards of a second-floor room was an unloaded 9 mm Israeli-made Uzi machine pistol and 50 rounds of armor-piercing ammunition, Beverly said. He said the suspect, Artis Dirton, 28, of that address, fled to the roof but was captured. Beverly said Dirton was charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and unlawful possession of a firearm and was being held at Central Booking and Intake Center. Beverly said an investigation showed that drugs were being distributed from the house to dealers in Southwest and Northwest Baltimore.

Robbery try/shooting // A male, 18, was standing the rear yard of his home in the 4300 block of Groveland Ave. about 2:30 p.m. Monday when a gunman approached and demanded his money. When the victim resisted, the gunman shot him in the left leg then fled. The victim was treated at Sinai Hospital.

Northern
Shooting // A man, 21, was reported in good condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center after he was shot in the back, the head and a leg by an unknown assailant about 9 p.m. Monday in the 700 block of Beaumont Ave. Police said the man was a walk-in patient at Good Samaritan Hospital, where his condition was stabilized before he was transferred to shock-trauma for emergency back surgery.

Southeastern
Stabbings // Two brothers, 36 and 44, were walking in the 400 block of S. Newkirk St. about 2:15 a.m. Sunday when they became involved in an argument with two other males. During the argument, one brother was stabbed in the back and the other was stabbed in the stomach. Both brothers were treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital and were listed in fair condition. No arrests had been made.

Family of Isaiah Simmons III, who died after six counselors at Bowling Brook Preparatory School near Taneytown allegedly held him down for three hours, are asking the state for a single trial for all six defendants.

Gabby County circuit judge Bruce Sewell Lamdin (remember him?) may be suspended for his off-the-cuff commentary.

A potty-mouthed mom reports that a cashier and security guard at the White Marsh (Nottingham) Wal-Mart accused her of abducting her own child. She ran home and notified the media, naturally.

Awkward! "Some fifth-graders at Glenn Dale Elementary School in Prince George's County thought they were going to watch "Star Wars" on DVD, but instead, they got a glimpse of a pornographic movie."
... why are fifth-graders watching "Star Wars" at school?!

If you were alarmed to hear a scratchy Amber Alert break into the evening's 6 p.m. 'Simpsons' episode, don't worry, the one-year-old has been found.

Two Years for Hit-and-Run Driver, Murder Indictments

Today Judge Allen L. Schwait sentenced Keionna Baker, 27, of Waterspout Court in Owings Mills, MD to five years, all but two years suspended in the hoosegow, and three years supervised probation after a city jury convicted Baker July 2, 2007 of leaving the scene of an accident where serious bodily injury resulted. Details:

On July 30, 2004 at approximately 10:00 p.m. the victim, Doreen Winters, 49, and her husband were crossing the 900 block of East North Avenue at Cecil Avenue when Baker struck and killed Mrs. Winters with her vehicle. Mr. and Mrs. Winters were on their way to a local club to sing karaoke. Baker left the scene of the accident that night and was not arrested until June 2006 when she was charged with a single count of leaving the scene of an accident where death occurred after an investigation conducted by the Baltimore Police Department and the Baltimore State’s Attorney’s Office.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Andre Haskin, 22, of the 2100 block of Garrison Boulevard for first-degree murder and handgun charges on Monday. Court documents allege that Andre Haskin was responsible for a shooting incident on May 29, 2007 in the 3400 block of Clifton Avenue. Neil Rather, 18, was found shot in the parking lot on Clifton and Denison Avenue. The two men were allegedly engaged in an argument over a $20.00 debt when Rather was shot. He died later at Sinai Hospital. His co-defendant, Christopher Ford, was indicted on June 28, 2007 on the same charges. His trial date is set October 15, 2007.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Sandra Milton, 46, of Cumberland, Maryland on a charge of first-degree murder today.
Court documents allege that she was responsible for an incident on August 13, 200 in which Milton and Ramona Bradley were engaged in an argument over money while on the corner of Harper and Armistead Way. The victim’s friend approached and advised the victim to walk away. As Bradley and her friend walked away, Milton approached Bradley and allegedly pushed her from behind, causing her to strike her head on the curb. As a result of a serious head injury and other serious complications stemming from the incident, Bradley died a few days later at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.

At a violation of probation disposition hearing today, Judge Martin P. Welch sentenced George Chaney, 46, of the 1000 block of North Chapel Street to 15 years in prison. Judge Welch ordered that this sentence be served consecutive to a 15 year federal prison term handed down against Chaney yesterday. Chaney pled guilty to robbery with a deadly weapon October 12, 2006 and was sentenced by Judge Welch on March 8, 2007 to 20 years suspend all but 18 years in prison and five years probation. The guilty finding in federal court violated the terms of that probation. The Collateral Division of the State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted Chaney’s Violation of Probation.

September 11

"Trained to fight and bred to kill, police say a dogfighting ring was busted last week."
(I know there's been a lot of shootings lately, but isn't that a bit of a harsh way to speak about our officers?)
Speaking of, one of the men shot Sunday was id'd as Darryl Harcum, 45, who, police say, was trying to stab his brother.

Robbery, burglary, a woman sliced with a box cutter and a man shot in the buns in the Blotter.

In HarfCo, a 45-year-old man was beaten and robbed in front of his family in an Abingdon movie theater parking lot Friday by four teens he shushed during 'Rush Hour 3.'

Don't forget to vote, Baltimore!

So it turns out rainy weather doesn't make your vote count more!
You still get a .000001 % say.
And while it does seem Mayor Dixon's a done deal, City Council president matters a lot, and district representitve races are important too (and with those your vote may actually count, even Jean Marbella says so).
Here're the City Paper endorsements.

Murderer on Parole Gets Time for Bank Robbery

George Robert Chaney, a city murderer out on parole, got 188 months federal for a bank robbery he committed a month after he was released.

Lavon Caldwell, age 25, of Baltimore pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Caldwell and co-schemers used fraudulent driver’s licenses at stores to open credit accounts in the names of victims, and then used the temporary credit cards to buy high-priced goods that were then sold for cash.

Police in Colombia say they've arrested a man they call the biggest drug boss in the country, Diego Montoya, allegedly responsible for producing "tons" of cocaine for the US market.

September 10

City police are investigating the "suspicious" deaths of two people whose bodies were found early this morning inside a house in the 3500 block of Elmley Ave in the Belair-Edison neighborhood of Northeast Baltimore.
UPDATE: The Sun has updated the above link to note that it was a male/female murder/suicide in the 3600 block of Elmley Ave. Police identified the female victim as Khonji Walton, 27, and the man was identified as 36-year-old Antonio Clyburn.

An unidentified man was found shot on the 800 block of North Chester Street just before 2 a.m. Saturday. No suspects, no motive.

A 30-year-old woman was shot and died in Dundalk at 5:45 this morning.
UPDATE: She was identified as Lymaris Mejias, 29, a Latina exotic dancer and mother of four who used the stage name Chyna. A neighbor says that she told him she had a lot of enemies.

Baltimore County police are looking for Emory Lamont Lewis, 24, who allegedly shot Felicia Ann Spratley, 22, of Silerton Road, after she ran from him during a fight.

In Woodlawn, "A male in his 20s was shot in the face outside a house in the 1600 block of Kirkwood Road in the West Edmondale community shortly before 9 p.m. yesterday and was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he was admitted in critical condition. Police were seeking two males seen running from the scene." Also lots of robbery, burglary and theft in the Blotter.

There's a new home for pregnant nonviolent offenders in Park Heights.

Dept. of Negligent Snack-Food Culture
Dan Rodricks moderates a discussion on crime
Anyway, crappy education, lack of employment opportunities and kids eating Doritos® for breakfast are all blamed ... yet no one has the 'nads to blame the culture and people who see no shame in letting kids drop out of school and serving them Doritos® for breakfast.
We musn't be culturally insensitive!

* New slang alert!
Dorito: [noun] A lazily slipshod and dilatory individual, undeservedly prideful and violence-prone; a person who serves children snack foods for breakfast
"He had to overcome a lot to get to college, his parents are total Doritos."
"You don't want to buy that house, there's a whole bunch of Doritos living next door."

Speaking of Britney Spears, we read an article in out favorite paper a while back that she was addicted to opiate lollipops-- turns out they're for real!

September 9

Two more police-involved shootings today, and unshockingly both were the result of "domestics."

Alleged killer of Detective Troy Lamont Chesley (and alleged carjacker, robber, assailant, etc etc), Brandon Grimes. is seeking to change his plea from "not guilty" to "not criminally responsible" on account of bipolar disorder or a learning disorder or something.

Amazing survival story! Missing student James McCormick had driven his car into a ravine, and was found a week later by a sharp-eyed pregnant passenger!

Wow, there really are more black men in jail than in prison!

While Baltimoreans are annoyed about crime, but apparently not enough so to do anything about it, Annapolitans are freaking.

A happy ending! Detective Ed Burns and David Simon of "The Wire" introduced the real-life Omar Little* to his wife-to-be! Awwwwww! Here's more.
*We're assuming there's at least one major difference...

Sheriff's deputies in Florence, S.C., continued a two-day manhunt mit Hunden in the forest off Interstate 95 today for convicted armed robber Marvin Ray Jordan, who escaped his leg shackles last month at the Courthouse East.

Three Years for Kaufman's Brick-Basher

This morning Judge Wanda K. Heard sentenced Steven Carr, 38, of the 3800 block of Hillsdale Road, to 15 years in prison, suspending all but three years. Said the SA's office, in their no-nonsense style:

Carr pled guilty to robbery with a deadly weapon May 11, 2007 for assaulting mayoral candidate A. Robert Kaufman in the head with a brick, taking money from Mr. Kaufman on December 6, 2006 at Mr. Kaufman’s home on North Hilton Street. Judge Heard ordered that the sentence run concurrent to the two years that Carr is currently serving for violating probation on a previous CDS case. The court also ordered that Carr be placed on probation for five years following his release from prison, during which time he is to complete his GED, and complete his licensing as an electrician. He will also be provided with drug and alcohol treatment, if necessary, along with an anger management counseling. At the hearing, Mr. Kaufman spoke at length about his concerns for Mr. Carr, and the city in general. He expressed his wishes that Mr. Kaufman receive rehabilitation and counseling during his incarceration in the hopes that Mr. Carr will “become a productive member of society.” Judge Heard said that she was very moved by both Mr. Kaufman’s and Mr. Carr’s comments. The State had asked for a prison term of 20 years suspend all but 10 years. Assistant State’s Attorney and General Trial Division Chief Lawrence Doan prosecuted this case.

September 7

AAC police are asking for the public's help to find 6-year-old Colin Jackson, left, kidnapped by his non-custodial parent. They're believed to be in a 1992 Chevrolet Blazer, with Maryland tags A184479.

Blarf! It's the BCrime diet plan... every time you have an appetite, read this article about Richard Lewis Marks' 30+ years of pedophilia. Hork! Heave!

A stolen-car chase yesterday ended with police shooting out one of the car's windows on Pratt Street; the driver was arrested. This is intuguing: "an electronic scanning device mounted on the police vehicle indicated that [the car had] been stolen." So futuristic!

An 18-year-old arrested for murder and a Woodlawn home-invasion robbery in the Blotter.

Kenneth Beauchamp of Dundalk, wanted in the murder of Patrick Pearce III of Rosedale, was arrested in Ohio.

WYPR: "Crime Anxiety Grips Three Baltimore Neighborhoods"
(only three? Finally some good news!)

Ellicott City gallery owner/Ponzi schemer Thomas H. Akins got 6 1/2 years in the federal pen for his "Art Investment Program."

Politics
Janis: when it comes to elections, voter turnout is what counts. In '06 MD's turnout was 47.3 percent, not much worse than the US average. Wonder what it is in the city? One Oz Bengur says "a third," but doesn't source that number.