$872 million

... an estimate of the value of Baltimore's "informal economy". Also plenty of other enlightening info in this week's CP cover story.
Fascinating fact: "federal prosecutors here have doled out sentence reductions for 'substantial assistance'--that is, snitching--at almost double the national rate."

City's 19th Murder

Jasmine Harris, 23, was shot to death in Walbrook.
UPDATE: Kenneth Warren, 24, was arrested after police followed his footprints in the snow

18-year-old Ronald Gamble was charged in the murder of Tian Zin Wang.

A man shot in the hand and back in CHuM.

The city will be taking its predatory lending case against Wells Fargo to federal court today.

Victim was Father of Three

The cab driver murdered in the city was named as 47-year-old of Stephen Mauk, husband and father of three.

Really? Says some guy on JZ, "Maryland is one of four states where child porn is not a felony."

Four correctional officers have reportedly been suspended for not noticing Kandelario Garcia-Ramos' fence-scaling & absence during head count

A(n alleged) attempted rapist was arrested in Owings Mills

Let's Go Smoke Some Crack

"Crack Babies - The Epidemic that Wasn't"

559 shootings in 2008

Mapped and placed on a timeline by Spotcrime.

Cub Scouts Disillusioned

The man shot by police after stabbing a pregnant woman was ID'd as Brendan J. Singleton, 19. He's dead, mom and baby are alive.

Visiting Cub Scouts got a lesson in Baltimore smash-n-grabbery. Hermann: "in the first 10 days of January, 182 cars were broken into."
(... anyone else surprised that the police said they'd come at all? The last time my car was broken into I just got a report number over the phone.)

Community Service, Anger Management for Threats

From the SA's Office:

Michael Moore, 19, of the 1900 block of Edmondson Avenue and Lamont Davis, 19, of the 1300 block of West North Avenue pleaded guilty to two counts of witness intimidation and two counts of conspiracy to commit witness intimidation on Friday, January 23, 2009.

The two men pled to the following facts of the case. On May 29, 2008 Michael Moore and Lamont Davis Johnson went to the Juvenile Justice Center located at 300 N. Gay Street in Baltimore City with the intent of threatening for the purpose of retaliating against a witness in a second-degree sex offense case. While in the building the two engaged in menacing behavior directed at the victim and her father who is a police officer and had come to Court in his law enforcement uniform. The intimidation occurred prior to the victim’s testimony. The abusive verbal language and body posturing was witnessed by several employees of the Juvenile Justice Center. Sheriffs observed their criminal behavior and escorted them from the building before pressing charges. As they were being escorted from the building the defendants became confrontational and threatened the Sheriffs. Following the hearing, as the victim and her father returned to their vehicle, Moore and Davis reignited their hostile and aggressive threats terrifying the father and child.

Judge Timothy J. Doory sentenced Michael Moore to a five-year suspended sentence and ordered that he serve 80 hours of community service. Davis received a seven-year suspended sentence and was also ordered to serve 80 hours of community service. As a condition of their probation, both men were also ordered to enroll in an anger management course.

...?

The Sun reports that Sean A. Cox, charged with the attempted murder of Officer Dante Arthur, had been arrested by Arthur in December 2007.

Two Murders

A cab driver from Frederick was found shot to death in the 200 block of N. Bond St. shortly after midnight

Juan Johnson, age 14, was shot and died yesterday.

A man was shot in the upper body in the 2000 block of Clifton Ave. yesterday

City lawyer: taxpayers won't foot the bill for Mayor's defen$e. That reimbursement business was all just a silly misunderstanding!

Controversy over a rabbi's failure to notify members of his shul about a sex offender among them.

Did you know? The 4th circuit has four vacancies. Kind of a lot!

Weekend

Officer Dante Arthur was shot twice in the face and survived; three men have been arrested.

Police shot and killed a man who was stabbing a pregnant woman in the 200 block of N. Luzerne Avenue.

A shooting and stabbing reported Friday night at Edmondson Ave. & Pulaski Highway

Did you know? Hermann says boots over power lines mark drug turf

Michael Phillip Hein Sr., 62, was sentenced to five years in jail for kissing and touching a 6-year-old. Ew, ew, ew. And WTF?! The girl's babysitter saw the Old Dirty Bastard molesting her *twice*, but didn't tell her mom. Huh?!

Methadone Mom Back in Jail

From the SAO:
At a violation of probation [hearing] today for Vernice Harris, 31, formerly of the 4800 block of Old Court Road, Judge Timothy J. Doory found Harris guilty of violating the terms of her probation for violating rules imposed by a drug treatment provider [the Sun reports she was writing love notes]. He sentenced her to the balance of the 10-year suspended sentence imposed in August.

On April 22, 2008 Harris pled guilty to manslaughter for the June 5, 2007 death of her daughter, Bryanna Ashley Harris, 2, who died after ingesting a lethal dose of methadone. Judge Doory sentenced Harris on August 15, 2008 to 10 years in prison and 5 years probation but suspended all but time served and then ordered that she attend and successfully complete alcohol and drug screening and treatment and complete a treatment program at Second Genesis. Judge Doory ruled today that Harris failed to comply with the rules of the Second Genesis program as required by the terms of her probation. He then imposed the balance of her sentence.

Assistant State’s Attorney Julie Drake, Chief of the Felony Family Violence Division, and Assistant State’s Attorney Ernie Reitz prosecuted the case.

Oh, dear

"Oh, dear." Clerk of the court arrested for forging Percocet prescriptions

More scams targeting old people

56 years for robbery, from the SAO:

At a hearing yesterday, Judge Timothy J. Doory sentenced Jermaine Southern AKA Jermaine Swilling, 36, of the 400 block of E. Eager Street to 56 years in prison. A Baltimore City jury convicted Southern November 20, 2008 of two counts of armed robbery and two counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence.

Judge Doory sentenced Southern to two consecutive 18 year prison terms for the two armed robbery counts and two consecutive 10 year prison terms for the handgun counts for a total of 56 years in prison. The first 10 years are to be served without the possibility of parole.

On March 20, 2007 at approximately 9:50PM in the 500 block of Centre St. both victims were walking home from a play at the Baltimore School for the Arts when Southern approached and pointed black revolver at both, ordering them to “give me your bags.” The first victim handed over her bag, which contained her wallet, credit cards, US currency, paperwork, and keys. The second victim threw her bag, which contained her wallet, credit cards, $30-$40 US currency, paycheck, cell phone and keys to the ground and Southern grabbed it. On April 30, 2007, both victims positively identified Jermaine Southern in photo arrays. Further investigation revealed that Southern used the phone within an hour of the robbery to call his sister. No gun was recovered. None of the victims’ effects were ever recovered.

Four Life Sentences

two consecutive, two concurrent, for Nicholas Browning

Conspiracy Conviction in Death of Ricardo Paige

A city jury on Wednesday convicted Trendon Washington, 21, of the 500 block of E 43rd Street, of conspiracy to commit the first-degree murder of Ricardo Paige, 54. Says the SAO:

The jury heard approximately five days of testimony and deliberated two days before reaching its verdict. Judge John A. Howard scheduled sentencing for April 6, 2009 at which time Washington faces a possible life sentence.

The jury hung on the first-degree murder and handgun counts. The State has the option of trying Washington on these charges again and will make that decision at a later date.

On March 20, 2007 at approximately 6:11PM officers were called to the 500 block of E. 43rd street for a shooting. Upon arrival it was learned that Mr. Paige had been fatally shot six times, including a shot into Paige’s mouth. The motive for the murder was that Washington believed that Paige called the police who in turn raided a stash house where Washington kept his drugs. Upon further investigation it was learned that the defendant along with two other persons committed the crime.

Trials are pending against other co-defendants in this case: Jamal Fulton and Kevin Armstead. Assistant State’s Attorney Kevin Wiggins of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

The Walbrook Homeland Security Academy is apparently so crappy, schools chief urges students to transfer midyear (P. hermann visited there last October, later noted that "the students heard back from officials that what they said and what I wrote was not appreciated")

A lot of theft in the Blotter, including the thwarted robbery of the York Rd. Dunkin Donuts

Councilman Robert Curran is battling aggressive tow trucks and wants an audit of city parking lots

In the county, Nicholas Browning is to be sentenced today

McDonogh student to plead Guilty

Police say there's a new head of the crime lab in town, one Francis Chiafari

"Lewin C. Powell III, the 16-year-old McDonogh School student who was charged last year with killing his mother with a baseball bat and trying to do the same to his father, intends to plead guilty to a single count of first-degree murder"

Also, 19 guns, Rx pills and cash seized on McHenry st.

Escaped prisoner Kandelario Garcia-Ramos was found, arrested, 6 miles from prison

Six months for Timothy Rhodes, alleged 3rd degree babysitter-sodomizer

35 Years for Murder of Ofc. Perry Brooks

From the SAO:

Judge John Howard sentenced Brandon Wall, 22, of the 2000 block of Hillenwood Road to life in prison suspending all but 35 years today for the first-degree murder of Correctional Officer Perry Brooks. Wall pled guilty November 14, 2008 to felony first-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and robbery deadly weapon. Under terms of the plea agreement, Wall faced a maximum of life suspend all but 35 years.

The State requested life in prison suspend all but 35 years. Assistant State’s Attorney Cynthia Banks advised the court that on May 25, 2007 at approximately 2:30AM Officer Brooks was parking his car in the rear of the 1900 block of Hillenwood Road. Brandon Wall approached Officer Brooks while in his car with the intention to rob. Wall produced a handgun and fatally shot Officer Brooks. Investigators recovered 9mm shell casings from the scene. Those shell casings matched casings found at the robbery scene of a Morgan State University professor a few weeks earlier at Hillen and Hartsdale Roads. The professor reported on May 10, 2007 at approximately 9:30PM while walking to his car a male matching the description of Brandon Wall approached him and announced a robbery. The professor attempted to get to his car and was shot in the right side of his abdomen. He later identified Wall in a photographic array. After his arrest, Wall confessed to the robbery and murder and attempted to minimize his involvement and implicate other unknown persons. No other suspects were arrested.

The family of Lieut. Brooks was present for the sentencing and his daughter gave a victim impact statement. She described her father as the backbone of the family saying life without him has been a struggle. A childhood friend also submitted a written impact statement outlining the heavy heart and empty feeling he has since his friend’s death.

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

Your Tax $ at Work

Guess who's probably going to get to pay for the Mayor's defense?

We may also get to foot the bill should there be an award in "An attorney’s own wrongful termination case against the Baltimore City Law Department ... Howard B. Hoffman, now 38 and an employment attorney in Rockville, claims he was the victim of racially motivated abuse for nearly two years"

So, do those blinking blue cameras do anything (besides irk residents, stigmatize blocks and make large swaths of the city look festooned for Hannukah)? The mayor's & state's attorney's offices say they believe the cameras may be helpful in certain situations, a report from UC Berkeley casts doubt on cameras' effectiveness at deterring violent crime.

So the city's broke, how is it going to pay for these lawsuits and blue lights?
Time for some "'A' game" "creative" and "newly aggressive pursuit of miscreants"!

Down in Annapolis, the Baltimore delegation has asked for the mayor to have the power to fire the police commissioner at will.

County police are looking for a guy who may have robbed eight(!) banks

Sun: Third Suspect in Ken Harris Killing is 16

A 16-year-old boy is apparently the third suspect in the Ken Harris killing. The Sun's Fenton names him as Jerome "Lil Country" Williams, and reports he appeared in (adult?) court with mysterious, hand-scrawled verbiage on his shirt.

Good news/bad news dept.: car thefts are down, but armed carjackings are up.

Two teens were indicted for murder for killing of 21-year-old Paris Richardson last May 5 at the Jimmy's Chinese Food Carry out on Hoffman and Milton Sts.

Examiner: Killer of Essex grandma Shirley Worcester turned himself in

County police are ISO Sultan Imru Stoute, 31 (also known as “Soo” or “Soo-Tan”) for the attempted murder of a 24-year-old man on January 19 on Barnacle Ct. in Essex.

Murder Conviction in Morgan Case;Arrest for Essex Homicide

Says the SAO: A city jury late Friday afternoon, January 16, 2009 convicted Jason Allen, 25, of the 3200 block of Juneau Avenue of first-degree murder following a four-day trial and approximately one and a half hours of deliberation. Judge John Carroll Byrnes scheduled sentencing for April 21, 2009. Details:

On February 15, 2008 Allen fatally shot Jeff Payne, 20, in the Morgan View Apartment Complex at 1520 Pentridge Road. Mr. Payne was shot while attending a going away gathering for a Morgan State University student. An earlier altercation had carried over to this gathering, resulting in the defendant bringing sawed off rifle in a bag and shooting at Mr. Payne. He died later that day at Good Samaritan Hospital. A co-defendant in this case, Powerful Aguilar, 23, of the 1600 block of Northwick Road, pled guilty November 12, 2008 to accessory after the fact to murder and is scheduled to be sentenced March 20, 2008. Assistant State’s Attorney Charles Blomquist of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

"Baltimore County Police have arrested and charged Warren Jerome Yates, 26, ... with the murder of Shirley Worcester ... Detectives determined that Warren Yates fired the shots that killed Shirley Worcester after it was learned that a witness was involved in the drug transaction with Yates. During the transaction, the witness began running away from scene, and Warren Yates fired several shots at the witness as he was running. One of those shots struck Shirley Worcester."
Here's a picture of the suspect

Obit for Mark P. Cohen, who "as Baltimore's top homicide prosecutor helped take many hundreds of killers off the city's streets"