John Paul Newcomb Indicted for Arson

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted John Paul Newcomb, 49, of the 3800 block of Pinewood Avenue for three counts of arson, malicious burning and reckless endangerment.
Court documents allege that between November 17, 2006 through December 26, 2007, Newcomb is responsible for setting fire to several houses in the Rosemont Community of Baltimore City. An arraignment is scheduled for July 11, 2008 before Judge Michel W. Pierson, Room 329, Courthouse East.

June 16

Damn. A guy takes a coupl'a days off from reading the news, and he comes back to find the air filled with more bullets than mosquitoes. So here's what I can put together. It's a bit repetitive from what MJB already posted, but for what y'all pay me, you can suck it up and deal with reading the same link twice. So there.

(Colin of Spotcrime.com has helpfully mapped all of those shootings, see right -- MJB)

On Friday night, we had nine shootings in less than five hours. Two of those were fatal.

On Saturday morning, some dude was found on Hamilton Ave. with a bullet hole somewhere in his body. He's not being called a murder victim yet.

A few hours before that, a robber shot himself in the leg as he was trying to rob someone in the 400 block of E. 33rd St. (Heh. That's pretty funny, actually. Too bad more of our robbers don't do that.)

Early Sunday morning, a man and woman were shot after a fight at the Rush Hour Bar & Grill on Liberty Rd., and police are seeking someone who looks like something.

Father's Day went to shit yesterday when papa went all Marvin Gaye Sr. on his growed-up boy in Carney.

Early this morning, a man was shot twice in the 3000 block of Denison St. near Lake Ashburton. He's being treated at Sinai, in case you want to send flowers or a little cuddly teddy bear or something.

Okay, I think that takes care of the shootings. On to other news.

Naham Perry, a cop at University of Maryland Eastern Shore, has been charged with getting his perv on with a 15-year-old girl. It's the second time he's been charged with being unable to control himself around young teenage girls.

Two cold cases in Baltimore County were ruled as homicides. One case involves the strangulation of 18-year-old Joyce Rein in 1975, and the other is for the strangulation of 23-year-old Natalie Williams in 1982. Both women can be linked to convicted murderer Harold Houndshell, who would be charged in their deaths if he hadn't died in 1999.

More on the HoCo PD shooting in Jessup in April, including the fact that the second teen who was shot also might not be charged with any criminal activity.

If they shut down vital bus lines in AAC because they're too violent, can they just shut down the entire city of Baltimore for the same reason?

Two baggage handlers for AirTran at BWI have been charged with stealing people's luggage.

Sad: An investigation into the death of Jarrell Gray of Frederick found that he was not wearing a hearing aid when he was Tasered for not following the commands of a sheriff’s deputy.

This just in: eating at lyin'-ass Applebee's will make you 6% fatter than you'd planned on being.

A Very Violent Weekend

... and it's only Sunday morning!
At least nine people were shot over 4 1/2 hours from Friday night to Saturday morning, and at least two are dead.
A suspiciously dead male body was also found in Hamilton.
The Sun quotes the Mayor: "You hate to associate the moon, but sometimes when it is a full moon, it seems to get crazier."

and in Carney, a man shotgunned his son to death.
Happy Fathers' Day!

Two people were shot outside of the Rush Hour Bar & Grill on Liberty Road in Randallstown.

Ocean City police are ISO one Omil Milfort, right, who's wanted for a stabbing a Pennsylvanian at 16th and Baltimore Streets.

Happy Flag Day

Controversy continues over Margaret Burns' bizarre "sleeping baby" remark. Burns called the article a "misrepresentation;" the reporter stands by the quote.
Meanwhile, Adam Meister blogs about PCJ's salary.

Plumber George Thompson (allegedly) to hired killer: you can beat my ex to death with this brick!

The city's Health Department has some events going on related to the Safe Streets program.

Taurean Philip Williams, 18, and Timothy Patrick Williams, 20, were shot in Edgewood, HarfCo.

Tim Russert is Dead!

Tim Russert is dead!
That sucks!!
Why couldn't it have been John Gibson or Sean Hannity?!

June 13

Annie wrote a mighty good story on Harry Goodman, the man who shot a robber in his Charles Village dry cleaner shop.

The man who was killed on Bonner Rd. on Monday has been ID'd as Kenneth Cooper Jones. Also in the Blotter, an armed banana thief and his woman are on the loose on the Southeastern.

Jeanine Alice Blackwell, the mother who allegedly drowned her newborn baby in a West Baltimore toilet, is already at Jessup and will be hit with murder, child abuse, and drug charges.

The Annapolis mother who pimped out her 16-year-old daughter got... uh... well, she didn't really get shit, now did she?

A burning man was found behind a house in North Baltimore this morning.

Nakita McDaniels is goin' to juvie.

One of the two little kids who were shot during a drive-by at a West Baltimore apartment complex has been released from the hospital. Lucky guy, now he gets to go back to the West Baltimore apartment complex where gang members shoot at little kids.

One of the teenagers who was shot by HoCo police during a Jessup drug sting won't be charged with any crimes.

Damned peace lovin' hippies and their stupid peaceful protests. Forcing the state to do all that pesky surveillance.

When you read the headline "Fox Tests Positive for Rabies" on the WJZ web site, do you think they're referring to a cute animal or to a competitor?

quick, dirty and with lots of exclamation points!!!!

Four murders reported today: three men and a baby!
Number four is a man found dead near Gwynns Falls Park who may have been the victim of a kidnapping.

Chillage cleaner shoots knife-wielding bandit!

Knife-wielding 7-year-old stabs 11-year-old!
Car service driver shot!

A local busybody is trying to clean up the block I fled two years ago on account of filth and hooliganism. You're a bigger woman than I, Joy Sushinsky!

"Are you concerned about juvenile crime in your community? Do you wish there was something you could do that might save a young person from a life of crime? Are you a busy lawyer short on time?" Then Teen Court needs you!

National:
"The number of people under supervision in the nation's criminal justice system rose to 7.2 million in 2006, the highest ever."

Federal porn trial compromised by judge's dirty web site!
... isn't jury duty unpleasant enough without having to watch six hours of people boning poodles and pooping on each other?

June 12

Bah. Another day in which I cannot post. Please put any news in the comments, and hopefully MJB or I will get a proper post up later today.

I'll get y'all started with a murder or three before I leave. There was a double killing at about 3:00 a.m. in Easterwood Park in the 1500 block of Moreland Ave. Two adult males, no ID's yet.

And in one of the most tragic stories in at least a week or two (and no, I'm not being sarcastic, that's just how fucking depressing it is to follow the news in this city), a woman who claims she didn't know she was pregnant drowned her approximately 32-week-old baby in a toilet in West Baltimore. The baby had air in his lungs, meaning he took at least one breath, so "mommy" is getting arrested and charged with (I presume) murder.

Okay, it's all on you guys. Go scour the media and tell us what you find.

June 11

CP's Edward Ericson Jr.: Jose Morales has served very little time in the hoosegow in spite of being arrested more than 30 times, convicted of five felonies and facing accusations of theft, domestic assault, drugs, attempted murder, identity theft, a baseball bat attack, burning an SUV, bad checks, unlicensed contracting, a link to murder #42 and gross and willful hair gel violations.

Two shootings in the Blotter: " A man, 28, was shot about 1 a.m. yesterday while standing with several other men on a front porch in the 3000 block of Spaulding Ave." and "An 18-year-old man was standing in the 300 block of S. Addison St., near South Fulton and Wilkens avenues, about 12:20 a.m. yesterday when a gunman shot him in the upper right leg." and WTF is this about?:

Police were seeking a man who used a sledge hammer to shatter the driver-side window of a Ford pickup truck parked in the 900 block of N. Collington Ave. about 2:40 a.m. Monday and attempted to hit the 56-year-old male occupant. ... About two hours later, the same man attacked a woman with his fists and a baseball bat near the scene of the first incident.

Two perps, Kinlaw "Baby Boy" Jones, 19, and Erica Ammenhauser, 21, pleaded guilty to an attack on Marine reservist Michael LaMaris Simms, 18.

The two- and three-year-old children shot on Monday are recovering at Hopkins.
(nitpicky peeve: "toddlers" are 12-24 months of age)

Former rape suspect Chaz Ricks, right, may have been cleared of the Roland Park home invasion and rape, but he's going to face trial for a robbery and sex offense in the county that he confessed to city detectives during questioning down here.

More on the bust of Phillip Robinson Winkfield, son of a federal judge who may soon be getting a different kind of Federal Express package.

McDonogh Eagle Lewin Powell III, 16, was indicted for killing his mother, Donna Campbell-Powell. He's charged as an adult.

It's Wednesday, so don't forget to read the Ink!

"Four Prince George's County youths, ages 14 and 15, have been charged with first-degree murder after they 'laid in wait' for a 56-year-old man, knocked him to the ground and kicked him so viciously that he died two days later."

El Jizz: "when fire swept through [Keith] McMahon's Greenspring Valley home in January, most people called it a tragic loss, until federal alcohol, tobacco, and fire arms agents took a closer look."

... and now, "12 nude, middle aged, mostly out of shape, jewish men, discreetly covered by cats!"

Sticky Weeditorial

I'm shocked and saddened, as the politicians like to say, to find out that one of my good friends has been arrested for marijuanica!
A month ago I wrote, "one upside to living in the city, law enforcement is too busy with actual crimes" to put its scare resources towards busting nonviolent drug offenders.
Boy was I wrong! Maryland has one of the highest marijuana arrest rates in the country, and the city has a higher arrest rate than HoCo!

Here's a link for galt who (I suspect) will say we need to enforce all of our laws even if they're stupid. I disagree. This is nothing but a tragic waste for everyone involved. This guy had no weapons, no white drugs, no prior arrests.
This state needs to end costly, wasteful and pointless marijuana prohibition and put its resources towards keeping us safe from violent criminals!

10 Years for Murder of Azerwoine Walker

Kennis Lambert, 18, of the 6200 block of Alumure Way plead guilty to second-degree murder of Azerwoine Walker.

Lambert pleaded guilty to the following facts of the case:

On April 29, 2007 at or around the 6200 Block of Elliott Street in Baltimore MD; the victim, Azerwoine Walker, was walking with his cousin when they were approached from behind by Kennis Lambert, and another individual. An argument ensued and at some point during the verbal argument a gun was drawn by Lambert and the victim was shot eight times. The victim’s cousin identified Lambert as the shooter date April 29, 2007 in a photo array, but subsequently changed his story and said he was not sure who the shooter was. Another witness did not see the shooting but was able to identify Lambert as having a gun and walking in the direction of the 6200 block of Elliott Street moments prior to the incident.

Lambert was sentenced before Judge Heard to 20 years with all but 10 years suspended and 3 years of probation.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Richard Gibson.

20 Years for Hair-ron

Judge John Prevas today sentenced Lance Gorham, 25, of the 100 block of North Kenwood Avenue to 20 years at the Department of Corrections following a guilty conviction for possession with intent to distribute heroin and conspiracy to distribute heroin.

The jury convicted Gorham based on the following facts of the case:

On May 26, 2006 at 2:15p.m., a Detective in a covert location in the 900 block of North Caroline Street observed two juveniles and an adult woman accepting money in exchange for suspected CDS. Lance Gorham was observed accepting money from the three sellers. Gorham left the area and returned approximately 30 minutes later and handed the three suspected CDS. Gorham then walked to a nearby vacant yard and placed suspected CDS under a porch, then left the area in a car. Officers then stopped the car and arrested Gorham and recovered Controlled Dangerous Substance from the three sellers and the CDS from under the porch. The total amount of controlled dangerous substance recovered were 75 pieces of heroin and 21 pieces of cocaine.

Since Gorham was also on probation at the time of the arrest, a violation of parole hearing is scheduled for July 24, 2008. Assistant State's Attorney Jerry E. Jones of the Narcotics Division prosecuted this case.

11 Years for Coked-Up Hit and Run

Judge John Themelis sentenced Steven Norwood, 32, of the 1600 block of Moreland Avenue, to 11 years in prison following a plea agreement. Judge Themelis sentenced Norwood to 10 years for possession with intent to distribute and 1 year for hit & run bodily injury and ordered that the sentences run concurrently.

Norwood plead to the following facts of the case:

On October 2, 2007 at approximately 10:45 p.m., Detectives observed a black 2-door Acura matching the description of a vehicle used in a homicide in the 1700 block of Pulaski Street. Later they observed the same vehicle stopped in the middle of the street at the intersection of Pulaski and Presbury Streets. Detectives executed a traffic stop and the defendant presented his driver’s license to Detectives while attempting to stuff an object into the center console of the vehicle. Detectives asked the defendant to exit his vehicle. The defendant placed the vehicle into reverse striking the detective’s vehicle and one of the detectives present at the scene. The detective suffered no injuries.

The defendant then fled in his vehicle and the detectives followed reaching speeds of 70 mph in a residential area with a 25 m.p.h. speed limit. The defendant then ran a stop sign at Presbury and Bentalou Streets and collided with a vehicle driven by Melvin Horton and occupied by the front passenger Richard Jones. Both victims were transported to Shock Trauma. Horton suffered a fractured pelvis, lacerated liver, punctured lung, fractured ribs, and traumatic head injury. Jones suffered a laceration to the left hip and bruises. Horton stopped breathing briefly but was immediately revived by Jones the passenger -- Horton’s friend of more than 10 years. Both vehicles were totaled.

The defendant fled on foot immediately after the accident and was caught and arrested moments later. Detectives recovered 123.7 grams of cocaine from the defendant. Upon returning to the defendant’s vehicle, detectives recovered 124.8 grams of cocaine from the front floor of the defendant’s vehicle and $13,795 cash from the trunk. A search of the defendant’s house located 2 blocks from where the defendant was arrested revealed packaging material including a capper, quinine and mannitol. Also recovered from the defendant’s house was $12,255 cash. The street value of the cocaine was approximately $12,000.

Assistant State's Attorney Jerry E. Jones, of the Narcotics Division, prosecuted this case.

Quinine? Isn't that for treating malaria?

Four Burglaries on Guilford Avenue

A mini-crime wave on Guilford Avenue in Charles Village: 3037, 3040, 3042 and 3028 were all burgled between 3 and 5 a.m. yesterday morning; electronics and jewelry were stolen.

thanks Spotcrime!

15 Years for Drawing a Death Bath

From your SA's office:

Today Judge Lynn K. Stewart sentenced Tiffany Natasha Brown, 22, of the 1400 block of N. Dukeland St. to 30 years in prison suspend all but 15 years for conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and a concurrent 15-years for robbery. Brown pleaded guilty August 21, 2007 for her role in the murder of Donald Russell.

Brown helped tie up and bind the victim before he was killed. She then drew the bath water that the victim was drowned in. Once he was killed by co-defendant Octavius Savage, Brown helped drag the body downstairs and accompanied Savage to a local Wal-Mart where they bought the supplies to dispose/hide the body.

A Baltimore City Jury convicted Octavius Savage April 10, 2008 of second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, robbery, first and second-degree assault and conspiracy to commit robbery. Judge John N. Prevas sentenced Savage May 19, 2008 to life plus 30-years for conspiracy to commit murder and the second-degree murder of Donald Raymond Russell.

Savage murdered Donald Raymond Russell, 64, between April 30 and May 3, 2006 at Mr. Russell's residence in the 1400 block of N. Dukeland Street. Evidence introduced at trial showed that Savage shared a house with Russell. Russell’s partial remains were found in Waldorf, Maryland.

Assistant State’s Attorney Josh Felsen of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

June 10

A 2-year-old and a 3-year-old were shot while they were playing in a wading pool at an apartment complex in West Baltimore. Brent Jones quoted a witness who asked a mighty fine question: "It was a whole lot of shots. I didn't think it would ever stop. There was nobody out here but women and children. Why would you shoot at little kids?"

A 63-year-old BWI cabbie, Aston Beadle, was shot on his Windsor Mill doorstep after finishing a shift last week. Police and Beadle's fellow drivers are hoping a witness will come forward with some useful information. Beadle is in stable condition at Shock Trauma. (Thanks for the correction, ppatin.)

A Fredneck is dead after shooting at(?) a woman and her two kids who were in his house, barricading himself indoors, then threatening police with a knife.

Two shootings: an 18-year-old was shot just after midnight on S. Addison St., and a 28-year-old was shot at 1:00 a.m. while he was sitting with friends on a porch in the 3000 block of Spaulding Ave. "Sitting with friends on a porch" sounds like such a peaceful and positive activity, doesn't it?

Do we have a dropping murder rate because of a national trend, or because Bealefeld kicks ass, or just because we all love each other a little bit more? Regardless, the FBI says we dropped to #3 in 2007. Take that, Memphis!

My God! An armed robbery on an MTA bus! Who'd'a thunk it?

Convicted icky schoolteacher Alan Beier got four years, and said, "I will never, ever again repeat any of those actions." Good to know, Alan, good to know.

More on Judge Plitt's ruling in the Kevin Johns case.

So if these two pharmacists are found guilty for illegal Vicodin sales, will each of their customers have to pay the city a grand?

Paris George spent six years cheating people out of money for medical equipment.

Contest winner!

Jack from NJ is, hands-down, the winner of yesterday's contest. Granted, he was the only contestant, but something tells me he would have easily withstood the challenge of 100 outraged grammarians. Here's his analysis, in all of its snarky glory.

“Another attack on board a city bus.”
This is a sentence fragment. I guess the whole “subject” and “predicate” thing escaped this journalistic genius who has chosen to write in the English language for a living.

“This time, a bus driver is assaulted by a group of kids.”
While glaringly obvious to those of us who actually passed the second grade, this assault “is” not occurring in the present. The correct verb tense is therefore the past tense, thus, “This time, a bus driver was assaulted by a group of kids.” What is a group? Exactly how many is “a group?”
Is it like a flock, a gaggle, a herd, a few, or a few dozen?

“It happened sunday afternoon at 39th and Greenmount in North Baltimore.”
I think we all actually learned to capitalize the days of the week in the first grade. Also, while I recognize that “39th and Greenmount” is a colloquial description of that intersection, if I were editing, I would ask, “39th what? Did you mean, ‘39th green house on the right” or “39th Street?”

“Police tell us the kids were playing around on the bus and threw some kind of liquid on the driver.”
“Kids” is such a funny term. It can mean eight year olds tossing around some water balloons while headed home from the park to watch cartoons. It can also mean twenty-one year old newly minted alcoholics hopped up on some PCP laced green tossing around some of their own Jack Daniel’s inspired vomit. Did we bother to ask what the Po-lice meant while we were speaking to the District? Oh, and while we’re at it, did we bother to ask what kind of liquid? Which Po-lice did this information come from? Was it our brave MTA Transit Police or Baltimore City’s Finest? Inquiring minds want to know. Investigative journalist you’re not.

“The driver called for help.”
Who did the driver call? Did she call her mommy? Did she plead for help from the passengers?
Did she dial 9-1-1? Did she contact her dispatcher by radio and get some indolent, hour delayed response from an apathetic supervisor? Give us the facts, Jimmy Olsen, just the facts.

“She was taken to the hospital as a precaution.”
Who is “she”? Is “she” the driver? This would be known in the more popular grammatical circles as a “misplaced pronoun.” In a different light, who is “she?” Is “she” a sixty year old matriarchal grandma or a twenty-one year old champion kickboxer who drives a bus on the side for the thrill of the danger involved? Paint us a picture, oh Picasso of the printed page. Not to sound repetitive, but did we bother to ask which hospital? Shall we ASS-U-ME that “she” was not injured? How long was she in the hospital? Was she admitted? Was she treated and released? Was she shipped to the burn center? These are the tough questions that come from a tough beat reporter.

“Police arrested all of the kids involved.”
Was it the State Police maybe? The City Sheriff? OK, we’re still pondering that one. Was it Unlawful Possession of a Water Balloon that resulted in the wagon ride? Felonious Mopery with Intent to Gawk, perhaps? Or was it something more run-of-the-mill and recognizable, like, say, assault or weapons possession or disorderly conduct? Or should we all consult our FOX News Home News Crystal Ball? Too bad my subscription has lapsed, or I would have all of these answers!

June 9

A man was found dead this morning in the 4500 block of Bonner Rd.

If the Fox Baltimore web site weren't a useless piece of crap, I could link to their story on a bus beating in the Northern. Since they don't provide a permanent link, I'll just quote the story:

Another attack on board a city bus.
This time, a bus driver is assaulted by a group of kids.
It happened sunday afternoon at 39th and Greenmount in North Baltimore.
Police tell us the kids were playing around on the bus and threw some kind of liquid on the driver.
The driver called for help.
She was taken to the hospital as a precaution.
Police arrested all of the kids involved.

Because it's Monday morning and I'm in no shape to tolerate both unruly teens and incompetent journalists, I'm opening a Baltimore Crime contest. Whoever finds the most grammatical and/or journalistic mistakes in that stupid article and presents them in a suitably snarky manner will win the warm glow of knowing you made me laugh. Plus, if we're ever in the same room, I'll buy you a beer.

In case attacking bus drivers isn't enough fun for you, you can always attack a paramedic.

... or a cab driver. Hardworking Aston Beadle, 63, was shot in the abdomen in the county June 4 after telling his would-be robber that he had no money. Police have no leads.

Circuit Judge Emory A. Plitt Jr. "makes it clear he'll have plenty to say" about both Kevin Johns and the Maryland correctional system.

The Examiner gives more about the wacky antics of the Bolden family.

Former HoCo teacher Alan Beier won't get a new trial, even though he was, like, totally not turned on after taking risque pictures of a teenage boy.

June 8

Herlinda Rodulfo was arrested in Texas and is awaiting extradition to Maryland, where she will be charged with the murder of 18-year-old Valerie Barnes.

Remember my comment from May 27, "Somehow, it's fitting that a Waffle House would appear in a story about a family that's this screwed up?" Well, brother Reginald is in the slammer again, and brother Justin is dead after swallowing some bags of drugs.

Do naughty black BPD officers get punished more harshly than naughty white ones?

Beware of hoochie mamas bearing badges. In HoCo (ha!) "police arrested seven men Thursday on charges of solicitation of prostitution after setting up a sting targeting an area of North Laurel."

I actually like this idea, at least on the surface: implement a surcharge for the druggies from the 'burbs who support the city's drug trade.

Why do we get all the crazies? Uma Thurman's stalker, Jack Jordan, was punished by being sent to live with his parents in our fair state.

Chifonne Frazier Indicted in Light Rail Stabbing

The Baltimore City Grand Jury today indicted Chifonne Frazier,17, of the 2900 block of Ulman Avenue for attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault and related weapons charges. Court documents allege that on May 7, 2008, Chifonne Frazier assaulted and stabbed a young woman with a knife in the 100 block of North Howard Street. An arraignment is scheduled for July 11, 2008 before Judge Sylvester Cox, 203 Mitchell Courthouse. Assistant State's Attorney Michael Leedy will prosecute this case.