Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Suspicious indeed


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A man's body found in burning house in the 1800 block of St. Paul

This just in: NeighborhoodScout.com deems Broadway East America's 5th most dangerous neighborhood

More on the case against Dennis Testo

A county jury has acquitted Torin Sydney Baskerville, who police said drove the getaway car to and from a 2007 Brooklyn Park double homicide.

Alexis Ochoa, wanted for a Raleigh homicide and a robbery, was arrested here

City to settle a claim of race discrimination against a white lawyer by paying his legal costs and donating to the homeless

Judge: The county has to pay contractors for its detention center

Sgt. Hopson

The lead plaintiff in the recently settled $2.5 discrimination lawsuit against the Baltimore Police Department speaks out.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Domestic blitz

Will Poppin' Fresh incriminate his former flame?

More on the Glen Arm murder of Ron Koontz, killed by his crazy wife

Social services hasn't been filing court-ordered reports, but if the agency can manage to file three in a row, federal oversight of Baltimore's foster care system could end.
... still no answer to the question, why are there so many families who want kids and don't have them, and so many kids without families?

Dennis TestoDennis Testo's mullet is out on bail

75 years

for man who fired on two officers, hitting one in the femoral artery. Details from the SAO:
Atkins was convicted based on the following facts of the case. On April 15, 2008 Detectives Mark Spila and Robert Himes observed Charles Atkins walk from 2858 W. Lanvale Street to a 1999 Gold Lexus. Atkins was displaying characteristics of an armed person. As Atkins entered the front passenger seat of the Lexus which was being driven by Robert Campbell, detectives approached the Lexus and Campbell put the car in reverse and drove approximately 30-40 feet to Poplar Grove before the vehicle stalled in the street. Detective Spila approached the passenger side and Detective Himes approached the driver’s side. Atkins then exited the front passenger seat of the car and began fighting with Detective Spila and attempted to flee on foot. Atkins then turned and produced a gun and fired the gun at Detective Spila striking him and barely missing Spila’s femoral artery. As Atkins ran away, he also fired shots at Detective Himes. Both detectives returned fire. Atkins then fled into 2858 W. Lanvale Street. Backup units responded to the area. When Atkins exited the home he began to run at officers with an object in his hand. Atkins was ordered to stop but failed to do so. He was then shot and taken into custody. Both Atkins and Det. Spila were taken to Shock Trauma for treatment. Atkins handgun was recovered and found to be a .40 caliber Glock. DNA testing showed Atkins’ DNA was on the grip of the handgun.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Settled

A federal discrimination lawsuit filed by Sergeant Louis Hopson against the BPD has been settled for $2.5. million. As part of the settlement police will have to hire a special civil rights consultant.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

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Baltimore PoliceDept SHOOTING: reported @ 1800 Chapel St, adult male shot. Fatal injuries

incidents

Last Thursday's stabbing may have been gang-related

An officer from the Western was arrested and suspended after a "domestic incident" sent his wife to the hospital

What the?! "The Baltimore mayor's chief of staff and two other government officials sued an Ocean City Domino's pizza and related businesses for $30 million after employees at the beachfront pizzeria refused to serve them and allegedly imprisoned them in the restaurant"

"A long-running lawsuit involving a shady life insurance settlement company, a bevy of questionable insurance policies and a murdered porn shop owner has finally settled."

The BPD says FHB III's "minor medical issue" was dehydration, not exploding roids or anything horribly embarrassing like that

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Hextuple at Shirley's Honey Hole


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... not a word anywhere (beyond Twitter and SpotCrime) on the hextuple shooting last night. This is the most Baltimoreans shot in one incident since the blog began.
There have been some quintuple shootings:
December 28 2008 on the West side and May 2007 on Mt. Royal

UPDATE: story by Annie Linskey ID's the deceased as Edward Patterson, 39.

FHB III in hospital!

Police tweet that the commissioner "experienced a minor medical issue during the Baltimore 10-miler. He is responsive. & coherent, being evaluated"

Must be something really embarrassing if they won't say what it is!

Adds another tweet, "Commissioner Bealefeld will remain in hosp for standard 24 hour observation. He is responsive & coherent & talking w/ family & staff"

Feel better Big B!

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SIX people shot at N. Patterson Park Ave and E. Oliver Street, one person has died, says BPD tweet

Friday, June 19, 2009

IG under fire

City Inspecor General Hilton Green is under fire for lack of productivity, or for investigating the suicide of Robert Clay, depending on who you ask.

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A teenage boy stabbed in the chest last night in the 600 block of Tunbridge Rd.

also on FB
Baltimore PoliceDept SHOOTING: Reported @ Fayette / Belnord, adult male shot. Life threatening injuries, police investigating

Baltimore PoliceDept SHOOTING: Reported @ North/Greenmount, adult male shot multiple times

An ex-wife killed her 66-year-old former husband in Glen Arm

Thursday, June 18, 2009

She drove her Trans Am to the Crüe show

... then seemingly disappeared. But County police, family and the band never gave up hope of finding Tracey Testo. Now her husband is charged with her murder and being held with no bail; her body has not yet been found.

Also, from the SAO:
At a hearing today, Lawrence Gee, 35, of the unit block of S. Monastery Road pled guilty to second-degree murder. Judge John C. Themelis sentenced Gee to life suspend all but 30 years in prison.

On August 19, 2006, police responded to 227 N. Culver Street, the home of Mary Page, 63, the victim in this case. Page’s employer, The Walter Art Gallery {sic}, called because Ms. Page did not show up for work on August 18 or 19, very unusual for her. Police found the house locked residence and forced entry into the home. Once inside police found Ms. Page’s body in the basement. There were obvious signs of violence, her pants and underpants had been removed, and Ms. Page’s face was bruised. An autopsy concluded that the cause of death was a homicide and that the manner of death resulted from strangulation, sharp force injuries to the neck consistent with being stabbed with a sharp object and blunt force injuries consistent with being beaten about the face and head.

Witnesses informed police that Gee dated the victim’s daughter and used to live in Ms. Page’s residence prior to her evicting both of them for theft and drug use. On August 26, 2006 police located Gee and pursuant to a search warrant DNA swabs were taken for comparison with evidence recovered from the victim’s body. On February 13, 2007 DNA analysis was completed on swabs from the victim and samples submitted by Gee and results indicated a match.

Housing squabbles

Unruly tennants, too many kids on the streets, broken windows and lots of police calls have lead to tensions between renters and owners at the city's Albermarle Square, a mixed-income development that replaced the notoriously drug ridden Flag House Courts housing projects.

Q

Can you sue for custody/ child support before a baby is actually born?

Thursday morning torture

Johnnie Butler and Calvin Wright have been charged with the 2007 torture and murder of Sintia Mesa. Both were already in jail on unrelated drug charges.

Shooting early this morning on the West side

Mistrial after a jury deadlock
in prison brutality case

Supreme Court says cons have no right to DNA testing

Residents rage at the manager of Suite Ultralounge.

Animal abuse in Pimlico