Sixty Years (Again) for Alleged Child-Killer Erik Stoddard

From the SA's office (edited for style):

Today Judge Allen L. Schwait sentenced Erik Stoddard, 26, of the 2500 block of Moore Avenue, to 60 years in prison; 30 years for second degree murder and 30 years for child abuse resulting in death with the terms to run consecutively. Judge Schwait sentenced Stoddard after denying a defense motion for a new trial for the March 9, 2007 second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death conviction.

A Baltimore City jury convicted Stoddard March 13, 2003 of second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death for the death of Calen Faith Dirubbo, age three, and Stoddard began serving a 60-year prison term. On December 8, 2005 the Maryland Court of Appeals vacated Stoddard's conviction, citing evidentiary issues regarding hearsay testimony. The mother of an 18-month-old child who witnessed the murder testified how the surviving child now acts and that the child asked, "Is Erik going to get me?" These statements were not used by prosecutors in the second trial.

On June 15, 2002 Dirubbo was pronounced dead at her home, where she lived with her mother and Stoddard. Dirubbo died as a result of multiple beatings over a period of at least a month; the fatal blow occurred June 15, 2002 and severed her bowel. The State proved through detailed medical evidence that Stoddard was the only person who had custody of Dirubbo when the fatal blow occurred.

Defense counsel argued the trial court erred by not asking a requested voir dire question as to whether any member of the jury panel was prejudiced against the defendant based on his race. The defendant, all State's witnesses, all lawyers in the case and the judge were white. The jury consisted of both whites and African-Americans.

After lengthy oral argument, during which the defendant was briefly removed from the courtroom due to his inappropriate behavior, Judge Schwait denied the motion and proceed to sentencing.

The maternal grandmother and aunt of victim Calen Dirubbo gave victim impact statements. The grandmother described to Judge Schwait

"the pain and anguish of ...knowing Calen suffered and died alone...her right to life brutally taken from her... robbing the family of watching her grow....creating a severe strain on family." She spoke of the defendant's violent behavior as "doling out destruction and pain...assaulting numerous women and finally murdering my three-year old granddaughter," and said Erik “has a human deficiency....no compassion, conscience or remorse.”

The maternal aunt of Calen stated,

"the pain and grief is immeasurable...daily I struggle with the pain and destruction left behind.... I am haunted by the 'wonders'...I wonder what she would look like now...wonder what kind of child would she be today?"

A letter submitted to the Judge by the brother of Calen stated

"I remember Erik slamming us against the wall...when he gave us a bath dunking us under the water....I wish Erik would be in jail forever."

While rendering his sentence, Judge Schwait stated, in part, that "he wished he could give the defendant more time." Stoddard concluded his remarks by expressing the belief that his convictions would be overturned (again), and said to the family of the victim "see you in a couple years."

A Baltimore City jury convicted Stoddard March 9, 2007 of second degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, second degree assault and first and second degree child abuse resulting in death. Prosecutors proceeded with a new trial after the Court of Appeals vacated Stoddard's 2003 conviction.

May 16

In the Blotter: a homeless woman was shot on S. Hilton Street.

Zachary James, one of the city's "youngest and most brazen murder suspects," pled guilty and will serve 60 years, 10 without the possibility of parole, for the murders of 34-year-old Richard Smith and 32-year-old Michael Freeman.

Gaumer begged for his life and apologized to Josie Brown's family.
Here's a link posted a long time back about the case on Huff's Crime Blog, which includes comments from more than one woman he dated after he murdered Josie Brown.

Pretrail motions in the Jemini Jones gun-possession case began this morning before Judge John Carroll Byrnes.

Terrell Heath, 31, was killed by a police taser, the "second in [the] city in a month related to stun guns."

Ditkoff: "For the second week in a row Baltimore City has more homicides than days. This is the fourth week this year with eight or more homicides." Todd Little, Antwoine Hawkins, Gerald Wilson, William Curtis, Michael Davis, Thomas Mouzon Jr., and the murder heard by our reader on 25th street was ID'd as Deandre Hatcher, age 17. And updates!

Jezum crow! Ms. Ditkoff lightly grills the city council president on the details of the vaxingly vague noise bill and gets beyond-idiotic answers. Good gravy, if you had a private-sector job and tried to pass answers like this over on your bosses .... ("How significant a problem is noise in the city?" "I don't know the exact number..." "Who would make the decision that someone is being too loud?" "We're still working that out.") If you voted for her ever, please kick yourself in the nuts right now.

And more CP: Tenant "Willing to Fight a Million-Dollar Libel Suit For His Right to Call His Landlord a Crook"

Dog-walker Katie Wainwright reports that eight cops from the Southern spent a half-hour ticketing owners of unleashed dogs in in Riverside Park.

Spotted

Cleared cop Jemini Jones with five cronies in two not-very-unmarked cars clogging the parking lot at Joe's Bike Shop on Falls Road around 5 p.m. Inside Jemini checked out a $1700 model but left without a purchase, followed by a car (#1903) which, rather than waiting to turn out of the shop, swicthed on the siren and the lights to turn South, then swerved across the double-yellow lines on the Falls Road blind hill.

May 15

What the?! Says the Examiner, the city police "logged more than 1.5 million hours of overtime in 2006, spending nearly $37 million in the process, after budgeting $7 million."
Councilman Ken Harris: "Based on the crime statistics, I do not think the return matched the investment."

The victim found shot to death May 2 [#98] in a vacant house in the 2200 block of Barclay St. was ID'd as 18-year-old Derius Harmon, 18, of Randallstown.

John Gaumer's family begged for his life yesterday.

Murder, attempted murder and robbery arrests and stolen Red Bull in the Dick Irwin special.

Homicide detectives are catching flak for playing golf.

New BS PR poll: Baltimore's in 15th place for road rage. (Or 15th in answering BS poll questions from strangers on the phone.)

Dept. of "Why Bother?": A week after a reader passed the story along, WBAL-tv reports that Ridgely's Delight resident Rekha Thomas was shot through her front door during an attempted home invasion.

The UMMC wudhu-lawsuit story just won't go away. Now Dr. Mohammed Hussain has filed criminal charges against the security guard who "allegedly manhandled and humiliated him before his scheduled surgery."

In the Post's MD briefing: two PGC men, Sean A. Simpson, 24, of Suitland, and Norberto Quinones, 24, of Upper Marlboro were sentenced to (federal) life in prison. Simpson was convicted of two carjackings, a murder and a nonfatal shooting; Quinones of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

Univision theorizes that missing mom Deysi M. Benitez left Frederick with a friend.

The Gov. is considering an increase in the state's gasoline tax. Political genius, this guy.

Evening

Dispatches from the East Side....

... tales of sweet dreams and knocked-off brains above, and below, they've got "Cheryl," "Betsy" and "Ready."


Closing arguments are set for tomorrow in the trial of airman Calvin Hill, accused of killing servicewoman Ashley Turner of Frederick, MD in Iceland.

What is the deal with the I-270? Now police are interviewing witnesses after Montgomery County Police Officer Alanna Ward and her son were sent to the hospital as the result of a road rage incident. This comes less than a month after a couple was killed after being menaced by a pickup truck on the same highway to hell.

Two drug-sniffing dogs are missing from a kennel in East Baltimore; they were last seen humping legs for spare change behind the Falls Road Rite Aid.

Letter to the Editor

In which reader "Sherry" tries to be helpful, gets blowoff:

... regarding your post: from May 10: "A man was shot to death this morning in the 300 block of 23 1/2 Street in Barclay"... well, I heard these gunshots - I live on the 300 block of 25th. A light sleeper, I was jolted by the shots that sounded just as if they were outside of my window. I froze - shocked a bit...I've heard shots in the distance before, but none so close. Anyhow, what seemed like only seconds later, I heard a car ignition start and a car take off. This I am pretty sure was right on 25th. It was 4:07 am by my clock and I jumped out of bed to see if anyone was laying on the ground. I saw nothing. Sitting and not sure what to do...I then heard the sirens - cops, ambulance - the normal. Someone else had called - and after tossing and turning I finally fell asleeps again.

Thursday evening I was reading the Sun and that blurb you linked to on the Sun - and said Ah-ha!! - plus, it kept bothering me and I realized - hey - there's a police camera half way up the block...I'll call 311 for non emergency police issues...I made the call...explaining what I heard - disclaiming it might have been a coincidence, but maybe someone should check the camera since I doubt anyone else might have reported that or whatever -in any case, I got the big 311 blowoff. I may as well have been talking to a recording. The response seemed like a scripted: "M'am, I'm sure the police have investigators on the case and are going door to door." And that was it! Done...I was rather irritated. No one had come to my door.

The next day...I still couldn't shake my irritation. I called the actual police precinct - who referred me to homicide. Called them - and got a whole different reception for my tip. They were actually appreciative and actually asked me the location of the camera and it happens to be just about across from that alley. Anyhow, whether they followup is another story...but I just
wanted to vent. What a mess this system is...not that you didn't already know that. This small and limited experience I had really brought that home for me.

"Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) said yesterday that he will probably veto a bill that would make twice-convicted drug dealers eligible for parole, calling drug dealing a 'violent crime' that should be severely punished."

Good guideline for would-be gamblers: "Anyone that runs a game 3 nights a week, promotes it publicly, and has topless dealers is asking to be busted."

Fredneck Chad Abshire harassed police dog, bit cop.

Court of Appeals: Funky monkeys Oogie, Angel, Coco, Squeaky and Zoey can stay in HoCo.

May 14

An unidentified man was shot and killed in the 2500 block of Garrett Ave. in East Baltimore Midway early this morning, the second murder in that neighborhood within 48 hours. The same article reports that Gerald Lamont Wilson was identified as the man who was killed on N. Chester St. on Friday night, and the death of Todd Little has been officially added to the year's murder count.

Five children and two adults were injured in a PG County drive-by on Saturday afternoon. An abandoned car and high-powered rifle that police believe were used in the attack have been found.

A man was asked the time and robbed at knifepoint in the Western.

Convicted murderer Charles Eugene Burns is now facing a trial for assaulting six Harford County prostitutes.

Justin Hannah was indicted for his role in a drive-by shooting that targeted his 17-year-old ex-girlfriend and an 18-year-old man.

Shooting victim and former Blood Darren Williams is trying to help the city with the Precision Youth Power Program.

The Bread Question

We (actually, our Philosophy prof freshman year of college) posed this poll question a long time ago:
Is stealing bread to feed your starving family wrong?
We thought the answer would be obvious: of course it is. All wrongs aren't equal, but a justifiable wrong is still a wrong, right?
Surprisingly not! The majority of readers (60 percent) said no, as did the expert we consulted, Rabbi Alan Yuter of the B'nai Israel Congregation on the West side. (We also put in calls to the Maryland Catholic Conference and the Islamic Center of Maryland, but Rabbi Yuter was the only one to return the call!) Said the rabbi,

"I can’t give a straight answer because every case is different. In Jewish law we distinguish between assaults on person and assaults on property. Stealing is not generally an option, but you’re allowed to commit a minor sin to avoid suicide. We believe that life is more important than property, but you can’t give a formulaic answer in my view."

The best answer, though, has got to be the one (maybe) doled out by Fiorello La Guardia ... the law makes no exceptions, but we should all be fined for living in such a crapulent society.

Three More Murders

Sun's Laura McCandlish: "An officer on patrol found the body of [Antoine Deshawn Hawkins] in the 2200 block of Robb St. about 1 a.m. yesterday ... [he] had been shot several times and was pronounced dead at the scene ... A second male homicide victim was pronounced dead at Johns Hopkins Hospital ... in the 900 block of N. Chester St. in East Baltimore ... The third male victim, who was not identified, was found dead in bed at his home in the 1700 block of S. Dallas St. in East Baltimore about 10 a.m. yesterday." And in another incident, "at least three men opened fire on a woman who was in front of a vacant house in the first block of S. Hilton St. in West Baltimore."

May 12

Within six hours, two bodies were found in cars in Baltimore County. Sabrina Mae Bange disappeared while at at a Howard County bar with a friend on Wednesday night; her body was found on Thursday night in a truck near Woodlawn Cemetery. Richard Theodore Nock Jr. was found dead in a car behind a house in Rosedale early Friday morning; he had been shot to death.

Now our police are being warned that they may be attacked by Bloods. What a great city.

Arsonists near O'Donnell Heights are keeping busy.

Dulaney Valley High School was closed yesterday due to a suspicious liquid being found in the bathroom. Unlike the "suspicious liquid" that was found at Sudbrook Middle last week, this time it wasn't water.

Kirk Fonseca and Lewis Rich were indicted for fatally stabbing Ernest Buchanan at a McDonald's near the Inner Harbor last month.

Steven Carr pleaded guilty to attacking local politician A. Robert Kaufman.

A jury will determine convicted killer John Gaumer's sentence.

May 11

At a hearing today Mark Brooks, 41, of the 2200 block of Clifton Avenue, pled guilty to second degree murder. Under terms of the plea agreement announced in open court, Brooks faces a possible prison term of 25 years suspend no more than 15 years. Judge Wanda K. Heard scheduled sentencing for August 10, 2007. Co-defendant Natasha Sarchiapone, 26, of the 2000 block of Griddle Avenue, pled guilty to second degree assault and first degree breaking and entering today. Judge Heard sentenced her to 20 years in prison, suspending all but seven years and three years probation for the breaking and entering. Details:

On June 24, 2006 at approximately 11:30 p.m. police responded to 4819 Pennington Ave. for a report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, police discovered the victim, Russell Duckworth, 33, suffering from multiple stab wounds to the neck and torso. He was transported to Harbor Hospital, where he died less than an hour later. Investigation revealed that Natasha Sarchiapone was at the Duckworth home using drugs all day. Duckworth then told Sarchiapone to leave. Sarchiapone refused so victim physically removed her. Sarchiapone was upset by this and returned with Mark Brooks. They entered the home of the victim without his permission or knowledge. Sarchiapone then proceeded to assault a woman who was in the home while at the same time Brooks attacked the victim with a sharp object, striking him 12 times. Brooks and Sarchiapone both fled and witnesses later identified them as the individuals who committed the above crimes.

"Baltimore police shot a man near the corner of West North Avenue and Braddish Avenue in West Baltimore ... no word on the man's condition." This follows yesterday's police-involved shooting outside of Club Mate.

In PGC, Choyyah I. Bozeman got 18 months for shaking his baby son to death.

Burglary, robbery etc in the Blotter and the Messenger crime log, which also includes a report of a guy stabbed in the chest "by assailant trying to steal his cell phone."

The Den, a nightclub in the Chillage, will live to annoy neighbors another day.

Residents of the Northern: there are not enough sworn officers to make community-based policing an effective strategy.

Disposition on Case of Walter Lomax

From the SA's office (edited for style):
Today Judge Gale E. Rasin modified the life sentence of Walter Lomax, 59, to include no probation. He pled guilty to first-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison suspend all but time served with unsupervised probation on December 13, 2006 following a sentencing modification hearing for his life sentence imposed in 1968.

Despite previous media reports, Lomax was not "wrongfully convicted" his sentence was not "overturned" and he was NOT exonerated of this crime. His guilty conviction stands. On December 13, 2006 Judge Rasin modified the original lawful sentence of life in prison and re-imposed a life sentence and suspended all but time served. Lomax received a guilty verdict for the 1967 murder of Robert Brewer, 56. Judge Rasin MODIFIED the original sentence to time served.

[Details:]

On December 2, 1967 Lomax entered Giles supermarket in South Baltimore. Lomax shot and killed Robert Brewer, 56, who was the night manager. In the process, Lomax also robbed the store. In 1968 he was found guilty of first degree murder, robbery deadly weapon and attempted robbery deadly weapon. He received a sentence of life for the murder, 20 years for the robbery deadly weapon the attempted robbery deadly weapon both to run concurrently. A post conviction hearing was held in 1986 and was denied.

A motion to re-open the post conviction and a petition for post conviction relief was filed on behalf of Mr. Lomax. Larry Nathans and Booth Ripke represented him. They were contacted by Centurian Ministries.

The family of the victim was contacted prior to the hearing and the proposed modification was explained to them. In attendance at the hearing was the victim’s daughter, two granddaughters and two great grandchildren. One of the victim's granddaughters gave a victim impact statement.

Businessweek: beware Baltimore business BlueHippo.

May 10

A man was shot to death this morning in the 300 block of 23 1/2 Street in Barclay.

"MySpace murderer" and former UMBC student John Gaumer was found guilty by a jury in Towson this afternoon.

Brian Cotter, 19, was arrested for the murder of 18-year-old Dundalkian Raymond Zubrowski.

Cleared officer Jemini Jones will get his back pay.

Thirunavukarasu Varatharasa, the fourth Tamil Tiger defendant, pled guilty today to "conspiracy to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempted exportation of arms and munitions."

In the Blotter, arrests for shootings on Tuesday; one William Salmeron was arrested in NC for the 2006 murder of Jose Mendoza.

Damon Holmes, 15, of the 6600 block of Old Harford Road, pled guilty to Second Degree Murder, Use of Handgun of Crime of Violence, and Robbery with a Deadly Weapon; on May 31, 2006, Damon Holmes shot and killed Oumar Bah, 28, (left) in the 7100 block of McClean Blvd. Bah was a cab operator who had picked up Holmes on Northern Parkway. After shooting Bah, Holmes took money from Bah's cab. Sentencing is set for 9 a.m. on June 29 before the Honorable Lynn Stewart, in Room 215 of the Clarence Mitchell, Jr. Courthouse. Holmes faces a maximum of 40 years in prison.

Indictments from the SA's office:

Jonathan Watkins, 53, of the 3000 block of Belmont Avenue on charges of first-degree murder May 4. Court documents allege on March 9, 2007 Jonathan Watkins was the last person seen walking with Anthony Bryan, 36, in the rear of the 3000 block of Rosedale Court. Mr. Bryan was found with a gunshot wound to the head. He died a short time later at University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

Dajuan Carter, 22, of the 1300 block of Ellwood Avenue on charges of first-degree murder. Court documents allege Dajuan Carter was identified as the suspect in the March 27 shooting of Ronald Harmon, 17. Mr. Harmon was found on the ground suffering from a gunshot wound to the head in the 2500 block of E. Biddle Street. He died a short time later from his injuries.

Korey Harris, 18, of the 300 block of Bridgeview Road on charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder; court documents allege on April 19, 2007 two shootings occurred in the 2400 block of Seabury Road in which Harris was identified as the suspect. The first victim, Christopher Wayman was found with a gunshot wound to the head. The second victim was shot in the back and survived his injuries. Mr. Wayman died a short time later at University of Maryland Shock Trauma.

Orville Earl Cooper, 24, of the 600 block of South Wickham Road on charges of rape, robbery, second, third and fourth -degree sex offense, and kidnapping; court documents allege on January 1, 2006 in the 4200 block of Frederick Road, Orville Cooper approached a mass transit patron, exited his car, threatened the patron into his car with a weapon and committed a first degree sex offense. Court documents also allege on February 15, 2006 Orville Cooper robbed, assaulted and raped a passenger of his sedan transportation service. AND Court documents ALSO allege that on April 2, 2006, Orville Cooper, parked his vehicle several feet ahead of a pedestrian, exited his vehicle, approached the pedestrian with a weapon, and then forced the pedestrian into his car, and robbed, assaulted and raped the pedestrian. AND Court documents ALSO allege that on July 8, 2006, Orville Cooper, approached the window of a parked car, pretended to be a police officer, robbed and assaulted the occupants seated in the car. Crikey!

Ravens quarterback Steve McNair was arrested for DUI in Tennessee after he refused to take a breathalyzer test ... even though he wasn't driving.

Nichole Franklin of Baltimore, Wade Johnson of Annapolis, and James Jones of Annapolis were arrested for forging prescriptions.

... speaking of, somebody sploshed paint on certain looming, flabby jowls on an 83 billboard. Robert Murrow, a spokesman for the city's Department of Public Works: "it looks great!" They Say it'll be fixed by tomorrow, so enjoy the view tonight!

Driver Warning?

From a community listerv.

"At Tuesday's community meeting at the SW District Police Station, we received this warning:

Don't flash headlights at any car with no lights on!

Police officers working with the DARE program tell us that if you are driving after dark and see an on! -coming car with no headlights on, do not flash your lights at them! This is a common "Bloods" member "initiation game." The new gang member under initiation drives along with no headlights; the first car to flash their headlights at him is now his target." He is required to turn around, chase that car and than shoot to kill every individual in the vehicle in order to complete his initiation requirements. Their intent is to have all the new bloods nationwide drive around on Friday and Saturday nights with their headlights off. In order to be accepted into the gang, they have to shoot and kill individuals in the first auto that does a courtesy flash to warm them that their lights are off.

Make sure you share this information with all the drivers in your family!"

I know it's a legend, but the "Tuesday's community meeting at the SW District Police Station" made me wonder if the Bloods had heard the legend and decided it was a good idea... but yes, it is NOT TRUE.... when I called the Southwestern as soon as I said the word "headlights" (didn't even have to finish) the officer who answered the phone was like "no, it's not true, it's an urban legend, the Bloods don't do that and no one in the Southwestern ever said that."
So there you go.

May 9

Four men were murdered "within a 10-hour period between Monday evening and early yesterday in apparently unrelated incidents": Thomas Mouzon, 23, on North Caroline Street, William Don Curtis, 23, shot on Raymonn Avenue, John Lee Graves, 26, killed on Cliftview Avenue near Clifton Park, and Michael Eugene Davis, 25 on Woodbine Avenue in Forest Park.

That. Is. So. Fucked! Juanita Robinson, 27, was arrested for the murder of Andre McBride, 21. She had been charged with first-degree murder of a 16-year-old and convicted, but served only six months of a 10-year suspended sentence.

The Ink: "The death of Abdul Rahim Azzie was added to the [2007] homicide rolls this week despite the fact that police have never found his body."

The U.S. Attorney's office will seek the death penalty against MS-13 members and co-defendants Jorge Rigoberto Amador, 32, Antonio Roberto Argueta, 25, and Juan Carlos Moriera, 27.

Six shootings in the Blotter, including the attempted home-invasion from yesterday. And a helluvalotta robberies.

Joe Guadagnoli, a father of three, was arrested for growing marijuana, and "police say they're proud."
As MD has a five-year mandatory minimum sentence for more than 50 pounds (how it's weighed, I don't know... do dirt or plant pots count? Stems? Seeds?), chances are quite good he'll serve more time than any other perp on this page.
(note: if you're trying to map it, it's one word-- Glenoak Avenue-- in Hamilton)

In this week's CP cover feature, an interview with the "imposing" and "impassive" Hamm.

Truck Stop Games of Chester, Va., which operated slot machines at (where else?) truck stops in Maryland and other states has agreed to pay a $2.5 million criminal settlement for money laundering and gambling.

May 8

Post: "Gov. Martin O'Malley said he is considering whether to sign a bill that would put Maryland among the states seeking to reverse a long trend toward more severe punishment for some drug crimes."

"Detectives may walk beat in Baltimore" sounds like an encouraging headline, but ... "detectives" includes the city's mere 42 (?!?!?!) homicide detectives, who, in addition to the corpses du jour spend one week a month working on some of the 1,065 unsolved murder cases (according to Janis) that remain unsolved from the past nine years.
Meanwhile, in case you missed it, the homicide closure rate for 2007 is 23.4 percent so far.

The aptly named, Robert Looney, wanted by authorities on an attempted-murder charge, was arrested at about 8 a.m. today after he barricaded himself inside a house on the 2800 block of Gatehouse Drive in West Baltimore.

A reader at the U of MD downtown wrote to ask, "Have you heard anything about a group of teens knocking on doors in Ridgley’s Delight on Monday morning around 10 a.m.? Supposedly, someone in the group shot at the front door of one home, hitting the occupant." Later today she forwarded this warning from the police:

This morning (Monday), there was an attempted home invasion on Fremont Street near South Paca Street. The suspects were seen earlier knocking on doors in the area. It is also believed that they were involved in a shooting on Scott Street in Barre Circle last week.

What can you do?
If somebody knocks on your door, do not open it before checking to see who is there [gee, rilly?!]. If you see people matching the following descriptions knocking on doors, please call 911 immediately and tell the operator that you see suspects matching the description of the shooting in Ridgely's Delight.

Suspect #1
Age: 16 - 19
Race: African American
Skin Tone: Brown/Medium
Sex: Male.
Build: Medium
Height: 5'6"
Hair: Dread locks (shoulder length)
Clothing: Blue and red polo shirt with grey sweatpants

Suspect #2
Age: 16 - 19
Race: African American
Skin tone: Dark
Sex: Male
Build: Medium
Height: 5"6"
Hair: Short curly hair
Clothing: Dark colored hooded sweat shirt
Suspect(s) are known to be armed with a long barreled handgun, possibly a [.]22 caliber. Suspect fled on foot across MLK toward Pigtown. The University of Maryland police are also assisting with the investigation.

Attorney for Roland Park's local perv, Kenneth Barnes (left): let my pervert go!

WJZ: illegal dirt bikes and ATVs are wild on the streets and police won't chase them down, creating a "real stew of trouble."

In the County, John Gaumer's trial for the murder of Hampden's Josie Brown began. The Sun's Jennifer McMenamin has details about the process of the investigation, but Broadwater at the Examiner lets loose with the horrific details that will have you groping for a puke bucket. As reports of horrific murders should, right?

Jamaal K. Abeokuto's death sentence was reduced today to life without parole for the 2002 kidnapping and death of eight-year-old Marciana Ringo.

Better late than never dept: the Gov. signed a bill apologizing for slavery in Maryland. On that note, quote of the day from former slave about mealtime at Hampton Mansion up in Towson:

There was a trough out in the yard where the poured in mush and milk, and us children and the dogs would all crowd 'round and eat it together. We children had homemade wooden paddles to eat with, and we sure had to be in a hurry about it, because the dogs would get it all if we didn't.

And a recollection by a man who'd seen his sister beaten for accidentally breaking a clock:

My old marster took her and tied a rope around her neck-- just long enough to keep it from choking her-- and tied her up in the back yard and whipped her I don't know how long. There stood mother, there stood father, and there stood all the children and none could come to her rescue."

(from James Loewen's excellent Lies Across America, quoting slave narratives collected in the 1930s). Overseers, including the Ridgelys of Hampton, were also known to rub salt into whip wounds, castrate males who ran away, and sell parents of young children to farway plantations, never to be seen again. Gone With the Wind it wasn't!

May 7

Wow! This weekend's murder rate is down 66% from the same period last week. Perhaps the mayor and police commissioner should schedule a meeting to celebrate their success. Yesterday morning at about 1:30, an unidentified man was repeatedly shot in the 200 block of S. Spring Ct. in the Southeastern. He died at Hopkins about an hour later. Early Saturday morning, an unidentified man was fatally shot in the head in the 1300 block of Herkimer St.

Two more of last week's murder victims have been identified. 23-year-old Matthew Davis was the man found in an Acura in the 100 block of S. Mount St. on Thursday evening. 16-year-old Jamal Knox was the boy found in a car in the 500 block of Half Mile Ct. last Monday.

In addition to the newly-identified homicide victims, today's Blotter (linked above) also lists a shooting, two stabbings, a whole bunch of burglaries in the county, and the arrest of Gregory Davenport for the murder of Dewitt Smith.

Soman Thamby was arrested and charged with killing his wife, Lesa.

A PG man was stabbed to death at an International House of Pancakes in Bladensburg early this morning.

Ten teenagers escaped from the Charles Hickey School on Sunday night, and five of them are still at large.

Not only had Brandon Grimes, the man accused of killing Det. Troy Chesley, been arrested 17 times, but the gun that Grimes used in the murder had come to the police's attention twice before.

Pharoah Carr, a witness in the murder trial against LeShawn Green, is refusing to testify in court, so city prosecutors have been granted the right to use a taped interview with police.

Shawn Anthony Jones' trial begins today in Carroll County Circuit Court. Jones is accused of first-degree murder in the death of Donnie Bowman, and attempted first-degree murder in the shooting of Lamont Dew.

Opening arguments are scheduled to begin today in the trial of John Gaumer, accused of murdering and raping Josie Brown on their first date. The Examiner article really reflects what a spineless piece of crap Gaumer is.

Someone set a fire in the elevator of a Towson University dorm.

May 6

Lesa Lynn Thamby was stabbed to death on Friday night in Brooklyn Park (AAC). A neighbor described her as "a very beautiful, very sweet young lady who would do anything for anyone."

9-year-old Gabriel Hudgins of Essex has been missing since Friday afternoon, except social services seems to have taken him out of school and into their custody.

Anthony Green wants to use his tragedy to help kids and parents in truant court.