July 21

Was the killing of Rosedale resident Carl Lackl really because he was planning to testify in a murder case? "Or was his death a drive-by shooting for no other reason than the shooter’s desire to do something 'crazy?'"

The city police pension board may have let Marcus Brown's million-something retirement payoff stand, but Chairman of the Police Pension Board, Steven Fugate, is still fuming, calling Marcus Brown a "crooked cop."

Former Senator Thomas "I don't use the N-word, but he was an N" Bromwell pled guilty to federal racketeering and tax crimes, "ending one of the state's largest corruption investigations in many years."
Will he soon resign from the board of First Mariner Bank?

In MoCo, a Liberian immigrant raped and molested a 7-year-old relative, but because of the difficulties finding an interpreter, after three years the case was dismissed.

July 20 evening edition

Monday the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Tracy* Asbury, 37, of the 4800 block of Pennington Avenue for first-degree murder and other charges. Police arrested Asbury in Talbot County today. Court documents allege Tracy Asbury and two other co-defendants were responsible for an incident on June 20, 2007 in which the body of Phillip Calvin Airey Jr. was found in a burning car on Route 295 in Linthicum. Airey had been beaten and stabbed before the car was set on fire. Robert Speake and Michael Martin were indicted on the same charges. An arraignment is scheduled for August 17, 2007 before Judge John M. Glynn, Room 236, Mitchell Courthouse. Homicide Division Chief and Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Cohen will prosecute this case.
* A male name in the South and a girl's name to Yankees, so could be male or female.

Two dead baby stories in one day! Sarah Wolf, 20, of Baltimore, was charged in VA with with improper disposal of a dead body after putting her newborn in a Dumpster after giving birth in a public restroom.

Sherman Kemp, featured in "Stop Fucking Snitching," was indicted on cocaine-related charges.

Two non-fatal shootings this afternoon in Northeast Baltimore: a man was shot in the back in the 1600 block of Ramblewood St., and a man was shot in the side in the 3500 block of East Northern Parkway.

July 20

A man was shot to the death in the 3100 block of Belair Road, and a man was shot in the Northwest.

An acquaintence of the comatose Zach Sowers recounts how the teenaged suspects smirked and laughed during the arraignment.

Another prolicide case goes to court: Megan Patria, 17, who presumably sucessfully hid her pregnancy from the world, gave birth on a toilet and threw the baby away in a plastic bag. The next day, says the SA, "she showed off her slimmed figure, watched a movie at home with a friend and went out to dinner with family and friends."

"Mr. Hamm could be excused for feeling a bit of whiplash; an absurd moment came this summer when 85 homicide detectives in this homicide-burdened city were taken off the job and dispatched, temporarily, to augment street patrols."
Whose decision were the foot patrols? Boo, passive voice!

How many times do we have to tell you people, if you're driving with 30 pounds of drugs in the car, watch the road!!

AAC caught itself an airport hooker.
(A most popular & lucrative profession)

A woman died after falling off the 65-foot roof of the Museum of Industry as she tried to climb onto a neon sign.

Evening

Meet the new commissioner (for now), Frederick H. Bealefeld III, who will likely keep the job until at least after the election. Will he have a plan of his own, or be expected to work his way through Dixon's PowerPoint? (Or was it his PowerPoint all along?)
Her Honor said nothing about the Brown pension scandal, the missing documents or the murder rate, but instead attributes the resignation she says that she asked for was because she "wasn't feeling the results" and "wasn't feeling that drive like I wanted to" and that the decision was difficult, but not because of Keiffer telling me to do this."
Yeah, well, I for one don't buy it... I don't think she had a clue!
She was just talking a month ago about what a bad idea a change of leadership would be!

Madison Smartt Bell has a piece about his Baltimore jury duty experience (MD vs. Crudup) in the Oxford American (a regional-interest magazine that slants itself as "the Southern New Yorker")

Jessamy: Dixon Wants my Opinion!

Jessamy's office released a statement on the Hamm resignation:

“It appears that the failed policing strategies of the O’Malley years have finally come to an end. For the first time, after a succession of eight police commissioners serving the Mayor O’Malley administration, Mayor Dixon has sought my opinion and counsel on how we can work together in the best interest of our citizens. I believe that this type of partnership will make a difference and end this deadly grip of violence on our city.

In a period of almost eight years, the former mayor never sought my input on any crime strategy or plan, technology or legislation that would help reduce crime in Baltimore. It is a refreshing and welcome change that Mayor Dixon sees the importance of such a collaboration. I am energized by the Mayor’s vision and optimistic that this commitment will yield results for our citizens and I pledge my support to her efforts. I believe in Baltimore. I want what is best for our citizens.

I am delighted that Mayor Dixon has asked for my participation in the Mayor’s national search efforts. I am happy to serve in this capacity.

Finally, I applaud the many hard working police officers who put their lives on the line every day and I stand by their efforts to make our citizens safe. They deserve our full appreciation and support.”

Patricia C. Jessamy, Baltimore City State’s Attorney
July 19, 2007

July 19

On Tuesday, a 29-year-old man was shot in the neck died in the 6100 block of Fortview Way.
Wednesday, Steven Brandon Sr., 41, was shot in the head about 5 p.m. in the 2800 block of Round Road in Cherry Hill and died a short time later at Harbor Hospital.

More on the Hamm story. The Sun reports that Dixon asked him to resign Tuesday night.

"Bupe" works okay, but not as well as methodone.

Why didst God smite the Baptist Church? Probably for buying a $150k Bentley Arnage with church funds rather than by paying their hefty debts!
(Then again, maybe the insurance check is God's way of repaying them for their abundant faith!)

Speaking of abundant faith, nervy candidate Jill Carter will be spending the night tonight at the crime-ridden intersection of Milton and East Biddle Streets, and tomorrow she'll be at Fayette and Monroe. Says Carter, "It is sending a message that we will not accept that our corners will be taken over."

This just in...

Hamm = out!
...but is it at Dixon's request? Sounds like she didn't even know he was planning to resign until JZ leaked the news!

At a hearing today James Summerville, 18, of the 800 block of N. Arlington Ave. pled guilty to second-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon (knife). Judge Lynn K. Stewart sentenced Summerville to 30 years in prison suspending all but 20 and four years probation. On March 3, 2007 in a house on the 700 block of N. Carey Street, Summerville assaulted Artesha Moses, 19, his girlfriend and the mother of his two-year old son. On March 27, 2007 Summerville fatally stabbed Moses at the same location, seven days after she sought a restraining order. Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Phelps prosecuted this case.

As expected, the four alleged assailants of Zach Sowers pled not guilty today.

July 18

An unidentified 29-year-old man was killed shortly after 11 p.m. in the 6100 block of Fortview Way in O'Donnell Heights.

The City Paper covers this week's murders and has updates:

• Christine Richardson, 15


• Clayborn Johnson, 59


• Ashley Bellosi, 23


• an unidentified man in an alley in the 200 block of Herring Court near Fells Point


• Jerry Crosby, 24


• Yemel McMillian, 20


• an unidentified man shot several times in the 1800 block of North Gay Street


• Wayne White, 24


• Maurice White, 22


• Earl Williams, 26

Blotter: Two teenage boys and a girl were shot in the chest, a man was slashed in the chest, plenty of break-ins.
(The Sun has a new look, but the Blotter is still in progress!)

A convicted cat stomper has been freed after being sexually abused in jail.

“It reminded me to buy Mace again,” said Katherine Kunkel of Burtonsville of the Columbia mall stalking/fondling incident.

More on the Cummings/PJ request for $90 million for U.S. Marshals to protect witnesses (the current Baltimore City witness assistence program consists of two people, I believe).
Like the new "comments"!

O'Malley is endorsing Stephanie for City Council President.

O'Malley's endorsement of Stephanie Rawlings-Blake...	... makes me more likely to vote for her ... makes me less likely to vote for her ... doesn't matter because I would never vote for that bitch reminds me of why I fell in love with her in the first place
	Current Results

Today a city jury convicted Myron Merrill Gladney, 20, of the 1600 block of Shady Side Road, of attempted first-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and witness intimidation. The jury deliberated approximately 1:40 following one day of testimony. Judge John C. Themelis scheduled sentencing for September 5, 2007 and Gladney faces a possible maximum prison term of life plus 25 years. Details...

Evidence introduced at trial proved that Gladney approached Stephen Arrington as he waited for a bus in the 3400 block of The Alameda on April 6, 2005 and told him not to come to court. Arrington was scheduled to testify against Gladney’s brother in a homicide trial the next day. Myron Gladney left the area then returned a few minutes later with a handgun and chased Arrington across The Alameda where he eventually shot him in the back.

Arrington eventually did testify in Anthony Gladney’s murder trial and Anthony Gladney was acquitted of murder by a city jury July 20, 2005. Arrington also testified this week and positively identified Myron Gladney as the man who shot him.

Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Phelps said calling this case “witness intimidation does not adequately describe the horrific and brazen nature of what Gladney did to the victim in this case.”

Congressman Elijah Cummings plans to ask Congress for $90 million to help the city fight witness intimidation, he recently met with Alberto Gonzales to talk about the issue.

July 17

A man was shot to death last night in the 3400 block of St. Ambrose Ave. in the NW (#181).

More witness intimidation: Myron Gladney, brother of murder suspect Anthony Gladney, is accused of shooting a witness while he waited for a bus on The Alameda.

With four suspects expected to plead not guilty to attempted murder tomorrow, Zach Sowers remains in a coma. Family and friends have organized a "Neighbors Night Out Against Crime" in various bars for August 5 to help raise money for Sowers' medical bills.

Kevin "Chopper" Barnes, former star of the MTV reality show "Making the Band 2" pleaded guilty to robbing a couple with a BB gun six years ago when he was 16. Now a judge has issued a bench warrant for his arrest for failing to meet with his probation officer.

Clothing confiscated from a police officer accused of sexually assaulting a teenager at a precinct house has gone missing from the police department's evidence control unit.

History corner: Baltimore's most murderous year was 1993during the Schmoke Years, when, with a population of about 724,000, 353 people were killed. As the body count piles up for 2007, Dixon blames the judiciary, and Judge Glynn blames The People: "If the citizens want to know what the problem is, I suggest they look at themselves. And, of course, the politicians are no better than citizens. But the heart of this problem lies with the citizens of Baltimore. They commit the crimes. They don't testify against the criminals. And they don't vote to convict the guilty."

The City Council race is "neck-and-neck" between the two 'legacy' candidates.

Tune in...

.... I'll be on the Marc Steiner show on 88.1 FM at noon tomorrow.

July 16

It was, they say, one of the deadliest weekends of the year, with five murders:

• Earl Thomas Williams, 26, lying in the middle of the street in the 2100 block of Koko Lane, in West Baltimore's Panway/Braddish Avenue neighborhood;


• Maurice G. White, 22, and Wayne G. White, 24, who were not related, killed in the 5700 block of Radecke Ave. in the NE;


• An UnID'd 24-year-old man, shot in the 1800 block of N. Gay St.;


• and Yemel McMillian, 20, was shot several times in the 2800 block of Boarman Ave. in Northwest Baltimore

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Michael Martin, 28, of the 200 block of Allwood Road and Robert Speake, 19, of the 4900 block of Brookwood Road for first-degree murder and other charges. Court documents allege Michael Martin and Robert Speake are the suspects responsible for an incident on June 20, 2007. The body of Phillip Calvin Airey Jr. was found in a burning car on Route 295 in Linthicum. Airey had been beaten and stabbed before the car was set on fire. An arraignment is scheduled for August 17, 2007 before Judge John M. Glynn.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Maurice Crosby, 19, of the 5200 block of Ready Avenue and Erica Ammenhauser, 21, of the 200 block of Durham Street for first-degree murder and other charges. Court document allege that Maurice Crosby and Erica Ammenhauser was responsible for a stabbing incident on June 10, 2007 in the unit block of S. Chapel Street. Michael Simms, 19, was involved in an altercation with the two individuals when he was stabbed. He died later at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

A relative of a female witness to the Christine Richardson murder tells the Examiner that neighbors have driven her out of the city with violent threats.

PG County had their second-deadliest weekend this year, with three murders in six hours.

Montgomery County also had a violent weekend, with a man shot in Rockville and another guy stabbed in his Silver Spring condo.

City Solicitor George A. Nilson said Marcus Brown's sweetheart pension deal was "within both the letter and the spirit" of the law.

What the?!! "Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon holds a formidable lead over her rivals in this year's Democratic primary campaign, even though nearly half the voters surveyed believe the city is on the wrong track."

Near Elkton, Maryland's second patricide in a week: Eugene Pritchard Junior, 30, was arrested after his van crashed into a tree, with Eugene senior, 69, murdered inside (?).

In the county, a man was stabbed in the stomach at Delli's Bar in the Golden Ring area.

WBAL and Fox alarmed early-morning viewers with a "loud beep" and fake Amber alert.

July 15

Pollsters: Baltimoreans are "obsessed" with crime.

Bastille Day

Baltimore police said yesterday they had obtained an arrest warrant for a man accused of fatally beating Ashley Marie Bellosi, 23, in her apartment in the 800 block of St. Paul St. in Mt. Vernon on July 7. Bellosi died Wednesday the 11th.

DNA testing and the Cold Case Squad solved the 18-year-old murder of Lisa Barselou, found dead in her Bolton Hill bathtub.

Suburbs
In the county, creepy Timothy Gounaris, left, got 18 months for sexually abusing a student.

WashCo.: former Klavern head Gordon C. Young was acquitted of charges that he sexually assaulted his 15-year-old adopted sister.

Anne Arundel County police have charged 42-year-old John Bealefeld in the death of his father, 78-year-old Maurice Bealefeld.

In honor of the Wig ladies, the Post compiles a list of other nicknamed bandits.

In Cecil Co., Bonnie dumped douche Charles Azain, who then sought revenge by writing the 54-page "Bonnie Chronicles" and sending it to everyone she knew.

July 13

Two murders on the East side last night: a man was stabbed to death near the Perkins Homes, a man was shot in the 400 block of North Bouldin Street at about 7:30 p.m. Also on the East side, Clayborn Johnson, 59, died Tuesday after being beaten on Sunday in the 2000 block of North Bentalou Street. And in the Western, a man on his stoop was shot in the arm.

Wanted:
City police are seeking Black "Gorilla"* Kevin Armstead, 24, of the 700 block of E. 43rd St., in the fatal shooting of Ricardo Paige, 54, whose body was found in a vacant house in Pen Lucy. (Thanks for the picture Durham)
*Er, shouldn't that be "black guerrilla family" ?

A robber is following elderly people home from the bank.

Like a beached fish with ADD, "Just a week after she indicated that police retention is a more pressing problem than recruitment, Mayor Sheila Dixon yesterday announced a series of steps to enhance police recruitment while mentioning no concrete plans for improving retention rates," which the spokescop of the police union says depend on "working conditions, leadership, equipment and, at the very end, wages."
Meanwhile, Mitchell's campaigning on a 15% across-the-board pay raise for the police.

A boy was shot in the leg near Milford Mill Academy, an 18-year-old woman hit a 25-year-old with a plank in the SE, and plenty of robbing and burgling in the Blotter.

Yesterday Judge John C. Themelis sentenced Leshawn Calvin Greene, 24, of the 2500 block of North Edgecomb Court to Life plus 95 consecutive years in prison for the murder and attempted murders of four juveniles in a shoot-out in a pizza shop on July, 16, 2005 in the 1300 block of Poplar Grove. Details:

A city jury convicted Greene on May 10, 2007 of entering the pizza shop and shooting at the victims as they were waiting for their food order. Mr. Javon Lee, 16, died from his injuries; the other three victims suffered non-life threatening injuries: Renard Hunt, 16, of 3100 Westmont Court, James King, 17, of 1400 Poplar Grove and Marvin Williams, 17, of 1200 Ashburton Street.

During the course of the trial, an identifying witness, Pharoah Carr, and a close friend of Greene, left Maryland to avoid testifying at trial. Prosecutor Diana Smith successfully used a provision in the new witness intimidation passed by the legislature in 2005 that allowed her to offer Carr’s photo identification and taped statement despite Carr’s absence. After the Court granted the State’s motion to allow the photo array and taped statements into evidence, Carr appeared for trial.

In a most unusual move (for a non-election year), the SA's office and the Mayor's office issued a joint press release on the Greene conviction.

First "Little" Al Gore, now the son of the civil rights director for the Maryland attorney general's office, Kojo Snowden, is having drug problems: he and 11 others were charged with selling the doobage. Little S and friends face a broad gamut of potential penalties: something between a year in jail and $1,000, to five years and a $15,000 fine.

You Might be a Redneck If ... you're a 41-year-old former KKK leader on trial for sexually assaulting your 15-year-old sister.

We'll soon be bidding a sad adieu to the Magnet Bar, best known as the quintessential dive near North Avenue where local service workers can grab an after-work quaff at 4 a.m. But the shell of the Chesapeake on Charles and E. Lanvale, an eyesore for 30+ years, gets to stay an eyesore.

July 12

The tragic tale of stabbed teen Christine Richardson is becoming clearer: the suspect, Calvin Puryear, 19, was not her current 22-year-old boyfriend, but rather her ex-boyfriend who was upset about the breakup. Puryear had perviously threatened Richardson with violence, telling her mom "If I can't have her, I'm gonna hurt her." However, police say, Puryear claims it was family friend Lloyd Chase (as seen interviewed on television and himself Richardson's "brother" to a Sun reporter) who fatally stabbed her (but mom believes Chase is innocent.)
And why isn't Puryear being charged with rape?

WYPR: "Optimist" Jessamy "Unfazed by Baltimore's Ranking as Nation's Most-Violent City"
Remarks the top prosecutor, "crime is really kind of cyclical. It goes up. And some years, it goes down," but goes on to say,

About 10 years ago, if you had asked a group of children, if you had 30 young people, and you had asked them if anyone had witnessed a violent act, if anyone ever had a loved one become the victim of a violent act, or who had been killed as the result of a homicide, you might have had five or 10 of those kids to raise their hands. Now, you have 20.

Jessamy goes on to blame the City's parents, saying Baltimore's grownups "need to shoulder their responsibilities as adults to help prevent crime before it starts."

A 16-year-old and a 23-year-old survived after they were shot while stooping in the SW.

The Ink provides some names for the unknown and notes that one Mario Mauro, a 53-year-old white man, has been added to the homicide tally.

A "Wig Lady" grifter, 47-year-old Jacqueline Elaine Belim (the younger friend of Carol Silva), got 61 months in federal prison.

July 11

UPDATE: Calvin Puryear, 19, and 17-year-old Lloyd Chase have been arrested for 15-year-old Christine Richardson's murder. Puryear claims Lloyd Chase actually stabbed Richardson after they both had consentual sex with her, and Puryear held her down.
More details.
Her mother's theory as of yesterday: it was not the boyfriend whom the victim met "four years ago" (she was 11?), but rather local junkies who were demanding to do drugs in the house.
(What the Sun story above hints at but doesn't say: Richardson was multiracial with a white mom and a "#1" dad... wonder how the city will classify her?)

A 16-year-old was shot on Dulaney Street last night.

The first-degree murder trial of Patrick Byers was postponed yesterday as police investigate a possible link between that city case and the shooting death of its main witness, Carl Stanley Lackl.

Blotterata: A woman was stabbed in the neck on the 6100 block of Eastern Avenue; a 14-year-old-boy selling water on the side of the road was robbed by an older man with a knife.
A 24-year-old woman is wanted for stabbing a 20-year-old in the stomach; murder and rape arrests; Shantel, Sharon and Tnesha were arrested on Lexington and Greene for illegal gun possession.

Yesterday the Baltimore Grand Jury indicted Charles Brockington for second-degree murder. Brockington shot a man who he believed had stolen rims from his Mercedes.

Dixon: we need a weekend court session.
Jessamy's office: don't hold your breath.

Thieves: Harford County pawn shops are your best bet!

Camp counselor Dion Harvey Montgomery, 18, was arrested over the weekend in Gaithersburg in a string of robberies and sex assaults that targeted Latino women.

Rodricks = being his usual fucking annoying self.

God Smites Baptist Church

July 10

A 14- or possibly 15-year-old girl named Christine was found dead in a house in the 300 block of S. Fulton Ave. in "hardscrabble" Southwest Baltimore, shortly after 2 a.m. this morning.

A Randallstown male counselor at a home for troubled boys was shot in the stomach and isn't doing too well. More details

Death penalty supporters are annoyed by the governor's "de facto moratorium" ass-draggage.

How flaccid is Team Dixon? She tried to have a felon released for his son's funeral, but wasn't able to use her Mayorial pull to get him out of the state-run Central Booking. Now she says she never should have tried in the first place, because the guy's got a scary criminal record (well he is in jail!). Someone teach that woman to use the "JIS"!

Olesker reports on that great Baltimore pastime, stoopin and watching the shit go down.

"Heroin County" is turning to coke.

Christopher Gary, accused of fatally shooting his mother in Prince George's County, committed suicide by cop in PGC.

I wonder how much the Annapolis Mast Thieves would charge to get rid of the blight in front of the train station?

Afternoon

Herve Massaba must take great comfort in the political posturing about how the only people affected by crime in Baltimore are the people who are involved in crime in Baltimore. Of course, this happened in Baltimore County, so maybe things are different out there. Interestingly, the article in the Sun did not mention the woman who was paralyzed after being shot in the neck in Fells Point a few days before Massaba was shot.

The reckless endangerment trial against Shanda Harris has been postponed until September 5. Harris is the mother of 11-year-old Irvin Harris, who was allegedly murdered by babysitter / convicted sex offender Melvin Jones.

The first-degree murder trial against Melvin "Tight Rope" Faulkner is scheduled to begin tomorrow. Faulkner is accused of murdering Pierre Alston at 3620 Edmondson Ave. on May 5, 2006.

Kevin Warren was arrested during a traffic stop on July 6, shortly after being featured on America's Most Wanted. Warren was charged with first- and second-degree murder for killing 13-year-old Briona Porter during a robbery of her family's new ice cream truck.

July 9

The man who was fatally shot in a triple shooting on Friday night was identified as 25-year-old George Thomas Johnson. The shooting was originally reported as being in the 1900 block of E. Lafayette Ave., but is now listed around the corner in the 800 block of N. Payson St.

A 27-year-old man is suspected in a fatal domestic shooting in Bowie that left the man's mother dead.

There was a shooting this morning in the 3700 block of Offutt Rd. in Randallstown. Last night, two men were injured in two separate shootings, one in the 700 block of N. Rose St., and one in the 2000 block of Westwood Ave.

Two bottle bombs blew up in a Harford County parking lot on Sunday morning, and two undetonated bombs required bomb squad intervention.

HoCo PD's school resource officers have kept busy this year, with everything from stolen gift cards to kids carrying assault weapons (to protect themselves from gangs, of course).

Don't mess with the Girl Scouts.