Teenager Convicted for Shooting at Officers

A Baltimore jury convicted Ronnie Lester, 19, of the 1300 block of Glyndon Avenue, yesterday of two counts of first-degree assault, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, minor in possession of a controlled dangerous substance, and fleeing and eluding. Judge Wanda K. Heard scheduled sentencing for April 3, 2008. Details from the SA's office:

At approximately 8:50 p.m. on May 24, 2007 officers observed three individuals on dirt bikes traveling south in the 1300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue. As the officers drove up to the individuals, one of the bikes stalled. The officers exited their vehicle and approached the individual on the stalled bike. As they did this, Lester returned on his bike, allowed the other individual on to the back of bike, and fired two shots at the officers before speeding off. The officers gave chase with assistance from Foxtrot. The chase exceeded speeds of 40mph, often going the wrong way down city streets, before the Lester was apprehended when he had to stop his bike due to a gathering of people in the street around a deadly house fire at 1903 Cecil Ave. Officers recovered a .32 caliber pistol that Lester threw off the Maryland Avenue Bridge.

Assistant State’s Attorney Brandis Marsh prosecuted this case.

Double Shooting

Two men were shot at 6:15 this morning in the 2500 block of Edgecombe Circle near Greenspring ave. One died, the other is in shock trauma.
(Thanks galt)

March 11

A man shot Saturday on in the 1800 block of E. 28th St. near Clifton Park in East Baltimore Street died Monday.

The murder/ suicide killer and victim from last Thursday were named: Latasha Harris, 30, and Jerry Bennett, 37.

Tastelessness of the week: "The driver of the city bus on which a woman was severely beaten testified yesterday that he remembered the boy who kicked her in the face but that he wasn't among the accused in the courtroom. Then, the attorney for the boy prosecutors allege kicked Sarah Kreager in the eye threw her arms up in a 'touchdown' sign."

Corrpution Corner
Maybe "The Wire" made this city look too good!
Baltimore City Police Sgt. Robert Smith claims that the city police department’s chief legal counsel told him to drop a defamation lawsuit against the department or face false rape charges.

A second guilty plea in the Utech scandal.

OMG, bitch, puhleeze! Rikki Spector's excuse for her "stupid" traffic ticket = she sent it to the DOT because they needed to know that the officer who cited her was "not dealing well with the public."

The End of "The Wire"

Thoughts?

Meanwhile, "Wire" writers on the drug war (thanks Lucid),
the NYT review, "So Many Characters, Yet So Little Resolution,"
and the very, very long farewell to The Wire from Jersey's Star-Ledger.

Can't get enough? Marc Steiner has podcasts of interviews with the actors.
... and the City Paper has an interview with David Simon.
And it's the final installment of Sudhir Venkatesh's "What Do Real Thugs Think of 'The Wire'?"

March 10

Neighbors' Night Out II coincided with Anna Sowers' 28th birthday. Of course, her husband couldn't be there to share it with her.

Cops are still looking for the man who shot rookie Pedro Perez.

Dang. They have garages in the 600 block of N. Linwood St.? No fair. (Also in the Blotter, a sexual assault in the Eastern, stolen drugs and beer kegs in Parkville, stolen trash bags in Cockeysville, and $160 of stolen cigarette lighters in Franklin, presumably to light the $250 of stolen cigars.)

Check out the specter of Rikki's disappearing traffic ticket.
UPDATE: Rikki denies all wrongdoing in a very confusing story.

Alleged PDJ: David "Dewey" Louis Vasses, of the 100 block of Kipling Court in Abingdon, charged with sexual child abuse, 4th-degree sex offense and unnatural and perverted practices. And gross and willful hair gel violations.

A suicidal man in Glen Burnie followed through on his threats as police tried to intervene.

A man from Frederick took the whole "going to the cemetery" thing a bit too literally.

In Worcestor County, a 77-year-old Pocomoke City man was murdered in his living room.

On a political note: Gloria Steinem says it's OK for women to think for themselves.

Le Week-End

Julie B. serves up the tale of the purported head of the Baltimore "Tree Top Piru" Bloods, Steve Lamont Willock, aka "Kanibal Lecktor," who rose to power while in jail in Cumberland.
Did you know? "the price of crack can be five times higher in Hagerstown than in New York."

"A mystery is developing at the Prince George's County jail: Why, twice in a single week, has an inmate turned up with a handcuff key?"

"For nearly two decades, Kellie Robinson was just another drug statistic in Baltimore. But her story is unique." ... she's middle-class and well-connected. Yawn!

The Annapolis Capital admits to being duped into printing a fauxbituary.

They may not be as bad as those pesky sex children, but Virginians are annoyed by the French kissing children nonetheless.
(compound modifiers are your friends, people!)

Officer Shot

City officer Pedro Perez was shot in the leg at about 1 a.m. this morning by a gunman hiding in some bushes.

March 8

Antwaun Sumpter was arrested and charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl after trying to force his way into her house.

Two Mt. Hebron High School students are facing felony charges after the old bomb-in-a-trashcan trick.

Kelroy Williamson got two consecutive life sentences from circuit court judge Paul A. Hackner. Lots of character witnesses said Williamson is a great guy, but DNA evidence said he's a piece of shit rapist.

Three cheers for the witness who not only testified in the bus beating case, but also ran out of her house to help break up the attack.

There was a bank robbery in Towson yesterday afternoon.

March 7

A domestic murder/suicide Wednesday night in the city, fortunately the kids didn't see it. (There's no Applegate Road in the city, there's an Applegate Court in the County)
Correction: Irwin at the Sun says it's Atholgate Lane and that the couple were found yesterday, not Wednesday.

Bus-beating boyfriend Troy Ennis: no spitting, no slur.

The identity of murder victim #21 remains unknown, and police have released a spooky sketch, right.

Police are "seeking a gunman who opened fire in a Northwest Baltimore convenience store yesterday, grazing a girl and an employee."

A bad week for the PD! Two city officers are in hot water, one for debt card fraud, the other for an armed confrontation with his ex's husband... add that to the two police brutality suits filed last Friday.

Down at the Federal Courthouse: 11 indicted for running a drug-mule conspiracy; 7 1/2 years for a guy who stashed a stolen handgun in a vending machine; a guilty plea on a gun charge from an aging Pagan.

A skeleton found in Emmitsburg may belong to missing Deysi M. Benitez.

"Minnesota bars thwart smoking ban by declaring everyone an actor"
Meanwhile bartenders at Frazier's and Zissimo's are grousing that police are targeting their patrons.

Eight years for Killer of Toy Gun Stickup Man

At a hearing yesterday, Omar McGee, 18, of the 3400 block of Dupont Avenue pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter. Judge Timothy J. Doory sentenced McGee to eight years in prison. Details:

On August 9, 2007 McGee shot to death Troy Richardson, 30. Richardson, using a realistic toy gun, robbed a drug dealer of narcotics in an alley off of the 3400 block of Dupont Avenue at about 1:35 p.m. McGee, informed by another drug dealer of the robbery in progress, retrieved a weapon and approached Richardson, who was still brandishing the toy gun. McGee fired three shots at Richardson, hitting him twice in the leg and once in the face. The toy gun was next to the victim when paramedics and police arrived.

Assistant State’s Attorney Robin Wherley of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

16-Year-Old Pleads Guilty to Murder of 17-Year-Old

At a hearing today, Tevin Moultrie, 16, of the 1600 block of Cliftview Avenue pled guilty to second-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and two counts of reckless endangerment. Under terms of the plea agreement, announced in open court, Moultrie faces a maximum prison term of 30 years when sentenced July 22, 2008 by Judge Lynn K. Stewart.

On March 13, 2007 Steven Washington, 17, was found lying on the sidewalk in the 1600 block of Cliftview Avenue suffering from a fatal gunshot wound to the head following an altercation with the defendants. Police identified Moultrie through witnesses.

Co-defendant Maurice Wilkerson pleaded guilty January 15, 2008 to accessory after the fact to murder and will be sentenced Monday, March 10, 2008.

Assistant State’s Attorney Paul O’Connor prosecuted this case.

Life + 20 for Murder of Ronald Stewart

At a hearing today, Judge John C. Themelis sentenced Ajamilla Longmore, 20, of the 5000 block of Linden Heights Avenue, to life in prison for first-degree murder and a consecutive 20 years in prison for use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. This was the maximum possible prison term Judge Themelis could have imposed. A Baltimore jury convicted Longmore February 6, 2008. On December 13, 2006 at 9:38 p.m. Longmore approached Ronald Stewart, 29, while walking in the 4000 block of W. Belvedere Avenue. Longmore then shot Stewart six times. Stewart was pronounced dead on the scene.

The jury found co-defendant Ernest Hudson not guilty of first-degree murder.

Assistant State’s Attorney Cynthia Banks of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

March 6

A man was stabbed to death at a Texaco station in the 7400 block of Liberty Rd. in Pikesville this morning after a fight inside the Sisters Bar on Liberty Road. County police have ID'd the victim as 23-year-old Marcus Ellis of the 2400 block of Barnesley Place.

Luke B. gives his month-end murder review, but there's just not as much work for him to do this time around.

Contrary to my conspiracy theories yesterday, Heath St. is not in a "bad part of town," and local residents are trying to keep it that way.

At a hearing this morning immediately before he was expected to ask for a postponement of his trial, Paul Jones, 40, the guy who was tackled and held by Judge Ward after climbing out of a Lafayette Street back yard, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted first-degree burglary and one count of first-degree burglary. Judge Timothy J. Doory sentenced Jones to six years, six months in prison on each count, concurrent.

There's an abandoned baby and a whole lotta family drama.

Two men were wounded after being shot in a car in Annapolis.

The alleged HoCo kidnapper got off with a second-degree assault conviction, and he says the whole story is a load of bunk.

Nolan Evans, son of Vernon Evans Jr., was found not guilty.

Eric Jamison shot himself in the thigh with a stolen gun, then stashed it by the vending machines at UMMC where a little kid found it. Society could be spared from his stupidity for 7.5 years.

Good to know at least one College Park student isn't a complete dimwit: "It's scary, but if you lock the door, you can avoid him."

Indictment in Jabari Stocks' Murder

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Phillip Queen, 28, of the 100 block of Conley Avenue for first-degree murder and child abuse resulting in the death of Jabari Stocks, 3, on June 8, 2007 in the 900 block of Patapsco Avenue. Queen was acting as caretaker when he telephoned the child’s mother at work to report the child was not breathing. Jabari died at Harbor Hospital. An arraignment is scheduled for April 7, 2008 before Judge John P. Miller, Room 428 Mitchell Courthouse. Queen is being held without bail.

March 5

Dalion Stanley was fatally stabbed outside his home at the Lakeview Tower Apartments in the 700 block of Druid Park Lake Dr. yesterday morning. In the same article, the un-ID'd man who was shot on W. Lafayette Ave. has been officially ruled a homicide.

Anna D. sheds light on last week's murders, and observes that the Central is the second-most homicidal district in the city this year.

Don Holman, the man whose body was found on Guilford Ave. on Sunday, was the victim of a hit and run.

Things aren't looking good for 21 guards at the Maryland House of Correction.

After reading Gang Leader for a Day, I have some theories about why this dude took a cab to 7-11 instead of calling an ambulance. Any BCFD people out there care to comment on ambulance response time to "bad" neighborhoods in Baltimore? (Of course, the shooting victim may just be a moron, but that doesn't lend itself to conspiracy theories, now does it?)

Sarah Kreager says she didn't do anything wrong on the bus, but her medical record suggests she was a real pain-in-the-ass while she was at Sinai. Of course, she's not on trial for being a difficult patient, now is she?

A really disturbing kidnapping attempt is described in HoCo court.

Convicted dog killer Celeste Rainone made a plea agreement that should keep her out of the dog grooming business.

Maybe we could let Celeste and her grooming tools loose on Michael Hein, who's got a thing for a 6-year-old girl in his care.

In Maryland, rapists maintain parental rights! That's wrong on so many levels, I don't even think I can muster up snarkiness about it.

Somebody in HarCo is in need of a good ass whooping.

Dang. Now what am I supposed to do?

35 Years for 1st-Degree Murder with Crowbar

The SA's office reports that Judge Wanda Keys Heard sentenced Calvin Jackson, 32, of the 3800 block of Fairhaven Street to life in prison suspend all but 35 years. Jackson pleaded guilty November 28, 2007 to first-degree murder.

Judge Heard sentenced Adrian Brown, 38, of the 500 block of Maude Avenue to four years in prison. Brown pleaded guilty November 28, 2007 to accessory after the fact.

On January 5, 2007 police discovered the body of Edward L. Canupp, 61, on the living room floor of 538 Maude Avenue suffering from severe head trauma. Canupp was the landlord of the property. The investigation revealed that Jackson fatally assaulted Canupp with a crowbar and Brown attempted to cover it up.

Assistant State's Attorney Cynthia Banks of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

"Please refrain from eye-fucking me"

Helpful hints for Pigtown drug dealers from Anger Hangover.

March 4

A man was killed on W. Lafayette Ave. last night, and another man was wounded on E. Hoffman St.

The body of one Joram Shijenje, 34, was found in an Essex parking lot at about 1 a.m. today after gunshots were reported to police.

Anthony Underwood was the man who was killed Saturday on Denmore Ave.

The powers-that-be named the three cops who were involved in the killing of an unidentified man during a grocery store robbery on McElderry St.

Two stabbings and a busted nose at Club Choices, aka Club You're Gonna Get Your Ass Beat or Killed If You Come Here.

There was a car chase in Brooklyn early this morning, and WMAR tells us that "A man once scene dangling out the window was trapped, and seriously injured." Sounds like a seen from a good movie.

Sarah Kreager took the witness stand, and said she can only ID one of her attackers.

The drug cops in the Central have been very busy.

More on Little Melvin at the Examiner, and it's pretty danged interesting.

Would TV news ever fan the flames of fear in order to boost ratings? Absolutely not. Meanwhile, "Students at the University of Maryland around the College Park area are worried and with good reason." (Note. Don't read the article if you're worried about serial snugglers.)

PDJ: Pass the child porn, Dahling!

Some TDR Links

A man exposed to lead paint in the projects won a $5.7 million settlement against the city last week.

Paging Judge Judy: "A Locust Point man is suing the production companies behind 'The Wire' for a bicycle crash allegedly caused by a worker during filming of the HBO show."

Constellation Energy to MD: Bitch better have my money!

Daily Record editorial advisory board: Let's go gay for pay!

Conviction in Gang-Graffiti Murder

A Baltimore City jury convicted Thomas Taylor, 27, of the 4000 block of Garrison Avenue today of first-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and attempted second-degree murder. The jury deliberated for approximately four hours today after hearing four days of testimony last week. Judge John N. Prevas scheduled sentencing for April 10, 2008. Details:

At 2:59 p.m. on March 1, 2006 in the 3300 block of Oakfield Avenue, Taylor, a self-described Blood, shot and killed Joseph Miller, 26. Miller, Taylor and others were arguing over Bloods graffiti located on the wall of a corner store in the neighborhood. Taylor, who was wearing red, left the scene. He returned with a gun, having changed his clothing to black. Miller remained at the scene in an attempt to break up the argument over the graffiti. Taylor hid behind some bushes, stood up, and fatally shot Miller and seriously wounded another.

Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Shaffer of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.