Thursday, November 13, 2008

Live and Let Live

Fenton: Sterling Clifford "defended yesterday the department's decision to delay notifying Mount Vernon residents of a string of rapes"

"A 19-year-old man will spend four years in prison after pleading guilty to killing a friend in jail last year during a fight over a Monopoly game, authorities said."

"The Maryland Commission on Capital Punishment voted 13-7 Wednesday to recommend abolishing executions in its Dec. 15 report to the governor."

Genius: "The Supreme Court heard argument Monday in a case that could restore gun-ownership rights to some domestic abusers."

"A unanimous Court of Appeals has overturned a first-degree murder conviction, saying the prosecutor violated the defendant’s attorney-client privilege"

Dear readers, is it against the law to threaten a citizen who's not (yet) a criminal witness? In spite of her crap attitude, does this court commissioner woman have a point?

From the SAO:
Today Judge John Prevas sentenced Wayne Morris to the statutory maximum of five years for obstruction of justice and 10 years for conspiracy to commit second-degree assault for attempting to obstruct justice in his murder trial. The sentences will run consecutively and consecutive to the 50-year sentence imposed by Judge John Howard on October 28, 2008 for the second-degree murder of Robert Atkinson, five counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and other related charges stemming from his participation in an armed home invasion that occurred in April 2006. Details:
A Baltimore city jury found Wayne Morris, 22 of the 300 block of S. Calhoun Street guilty of obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit second-degree assault on September 25, 2008. The jury deliberated for approximately one day following testimony. Morris was found not guilty of witness intimidation and second-degree assault. The maximum penalty on all charges under Maryland law is 20 years in prison. Maryland enacted a new law in 2005 that changed the maximum penalty for witness intimidation to 20 years in prison.

Two co-defendants, Thelma Watkins and Audrey Tucker were also charged in the above witness intimidation case. Pursuant to Thelma Watkin’s plea agreement negotiated on October 24, 2008, Watkins received a sentence of 10- years suspend all but 1-year. Audrey Tucker’s case was nolle prossed after she cooperated at both the murder trial and at the witness intimidation trial of Morris.

Following his April 2006 arrest for a home invasion and murder, Morris was charged with witness intimidation, obstruction of justice and conspiracy to commit assault after investigators reviewed more than 36 phone calls Morris made from the Baltimore City Detention Center. In those phone calls, Morris commanded and directed persons to take action against the witnesses in the murder case in an attempt to prevent their testimony in his trial, including a pregnant witness. Morris can be heard in many calls, played in open court, describing how he wanted to get out of jail and come home, and needed help to eliminate witness testimony to thwart his murder case.

The State’s Attorney’s Office has charged over 25 cases of witness intimidation since March of this year, and the problem of witness threats and intimidation continues to affect the prosecution of non-fatal shootings and almost every homicide case according to prosecutors.

Although prosecutors successfully prosecuted 119 gun cases in the FIVE Division (Firearms Investigative Violence Enforcement) between January – June 2008, and secured 70 five year no parole sentences, dozens of cases were dismissed due to legal insufficiency because witnesses did not want to come to court to testify or witnesses changed their statements when called to testify. The difficulty of missing witnesses or witnesses who go “underground” continues to thwart prosecutors.

On August 27, 2008 Morris was convicted of second-degree murder, five counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, two counts of robbery deadly weapon, two counts of attempted robbery deadly weapon, four counts of assault and four counts of conspiracy to rob in the home invasion.

On April 20, 2006 Morris kicked down the door at 1404 Kuper Street, announced a robbery, and shot and killed an occupant of the home, Robert Atkinson, 47. One victim was pistol-whipped and two victims, including a pregnant woman, were assaulted. All were robbed of various items on their person including cash and cell phones.

A co-defendant, David Marshall, was acquitted of murder, robbery and assault charges in April. Marshall faces first-degree burglary charges in connection to this incident.

Assistant State’s Attorney Theresa Shaffer of the Homicide Division prosecuted these cases.
Ppatin, here's that article about moonlighting cops, in case you missed it
also
buzoncrime: No more police in uniform working for bars/nightclubs!

Still Questions in Robert Clay "Suicide"

Baltimore City’s Inspector General Hilton Green questioned employees of the ME's office about the fishy-from-day-one alleged 2005 suicide of local businessman Robert Clay.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Mt. Vernon's Greatest Hits

some Mt. Vernon and Lower Charles Village incidents that Spotcrime says didn't make the news

#189

A murder in the 200 block of Linden Avenue
block of Blogtimorean Adam Meister!(Happy 32nd birthday Adam! Hey, it's this guy's birthday too!)

Sixty years for serial rapist Alphonso Hill.

Parole agents investigating threats against Pigtown community activists

"The fatal downtown stabbing of an exotic dancer last week began as a fight among employees inside a strip club on The Block and could place the club's liquor and adult entertainment licenses in jeopardy." Galt?

Safe sex on Craigslist?

The Supreme Court takes on whales, religious monuments, Roman numerals

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Friday, November 7, 2008

187 188

Adam Meister reports the fatal stabbing of a stripper on the block this morning.

187: unidentified man on Wednesday, shot to death in the Poppleton neighborhood.

Nine shootings in the city this week, mapped by spotcrime

An arrest for the murder of Nicole Sesker-- Joseph Antonio Bonds, who lived next door to where her body was found.

One man arrested, two suspects still at large for the murder of Cletus Ronnie Gittens in Woodlawn.

More on the story of the 85-year-old pastor carjacked by a 14-year-old.

A man beaten with a pipe and robbed in Mt. Washington.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

4 haiku

Annie from Fairfax
happy, Volvo, Cheerio
death undetermined

A young fellow, tall
Ralph, 83, at her side
wouldn't let him in

Sarah Ellison
expected to surrender

and the boy, who knows

Nearly unconscious
For his cell phone and money
Beaten while walking
Superdelegate
Chin first into the sandbar
Is how you ride waves

Bitchin Widget!

Check it out at right!! In your face, Tribune!

and Hermann presents the new UCR stats.

A 76-year-old woman was shot last night in her car outside a Parkville senior apartment complex during an attempted carjacking ... if you have a granny in the county, encourage her to get a debit card. Or at least a checkbook.

The Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing two of his 6-year-old test-tube triplets denied the allegations to an Examiner reporter.

MD students had a summit on school violence somewhere Monday before last. (Noted one, "To follow a pack, it's not going to get you nowhere in life.")

Alleged coketified pyro Frederick Mackler pleaded guilty to explosives charges in the county.

And 10 years for the drogas blancas, from the SAO:
At a hearing today Judge Timothy J. Doory sentenced Dana Harris, 31, of the 300 block of S. Monroe St. to 10 years in prison. Harris pled guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine.

At about 8 PM on November 1, 2007, police surveillance at 418 S. Smallwood St. observed Harris enter the residence. Harris then left the house, got into a vehicle, and drove away. Police observed Harris driving to the 200 block of Payson St. where he exited the vehicle. Harris then noticed police and fled on foot. Police apprehended Harris and executed a search warrant on the vehicle and 418 S. Smallwood St. Police found nothing illegal from the vehicle, but did recover two vials of cocaine and 17 gel caps of heroin from the house. Harris confessed that the illegal drugs were his.

Police also executed a separate search warrant at 4724 Wakefield, using a key they recovered from Harris’ key ring. Police recovered a total of 51 vials of cocaine, 122 gel caps of heroin, one bag cocaine, one jug of marijuana, a scale with heroin and cocaine residue, a large bag of Mannitol (cutting agent) and empty vials, gel caps and a sifter. Police also recovered mail in Harris’ name from the bedroom closet at 4724 Wakefield with the address of 418 S. Smallwood St. Harris was the target of all three warrants and was in possession of keys to both locations when he was arrested.

Assistant State’s Attorney Keri Borzilleri of the Narcotics Division Prosecuted this case.

###

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

DNA evidence in Harris murder

"Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III said detectives have recovered key DNA evidence in the killing of former City Councilman Kenneth N. Harris Sr. but need help from the public in determining the suspects' identity." ... does that mean the FBI database is so backlogged as to be worthless?

A guilty plea in the Jan 28 "thrill kill" of 16-year-old Joshua Gibson; up to 60 years for William R. "Billy" Ferandes.

Bye Bye Blinky Grandpa!!

Now, on to the news...

A man was shot in the head in Barclay

Stephen Todd Nelson, compelled by demons to throw his three-year-old son Turner Jordan off the Bay Bridge, pleaded not criminally responsible this morning.

The Ink catalogues four murders this past week: Mark Vines, Harley Johnson, Mark Henson and Anthony Rainer. Plus case updates.

Have you seen these two suspects sought in connection with the shooting behind the Manhattan Grill
 Tashaka Kittrell Palmer
Keep an eye out for endangered runaway Tashaka Kittrell Palmer, age 17, right

Crazy robberies in the Blotter, including an 84-year-old minister robbed by a 14-year-old, and a guy mugged for beer.

Maj. Melvin Russell of the Eastern re. election night: "in one hour, 'We didn't hear a single gunshot.'"
... though in Charles Village, revelers were arrested and a Hopkins student was Tazed

Julio Cabrera-Mena, a Dominican who supplied Bmore harewin dealers, got 10 Rod years

Vocab word of the day: hawala
As in, Saifullah Anjum Ranjha of Pakistan got 110 years for a money-laundering scheme that used a hawala network to conceal terrorist financing.

Investigation of Internet gambling site Bodog leads to money-laundering charges in MD

Over at the John Watch, a monger has set a cruise-loop record.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Coke-Dealer Lookout to Serve <30 years

From the SAO:
– November 3, 2008 – At a hearing today, Judge David W. Young found Gary Moss, 25, of the 2200 block of Orleans Street, guilty of violation of probation on felony drug case number 105181054 in Baltimore Circuit Court. In 2006 Moss was convicted of possession with intent to distribute CDS and was sentenced to 20-years with 19-years, 8-months, and 30-days suspended and 3-years probation.

On October 16, 2008 a jury found Moss guilty of a new charge of conspiracy to distribute CDS and other drug counts. He was sentenced by Judge Kaye Allison to
14-years incarceration and 5-years probation. This new conviction led to a violation of probation hearing on case number 105181054 today before Judge Young. For violating his probation, Judge Young sentenced Moss to serve out the balance of his 2006 conviction consecutive to the 14-year sentence imposed by Judge Allison. Moss also admitted guilt to his violation of probation for not reporting to his agent.

Moss’ new case charging him with conspiracy to distribute was based on the following facts: On January 26, 2008 at approximately 10:00 PM in the 2100 block of Kirk Avenue, police officers observed Moss and two other men engaged in drug related activity. The trio were meeting unknown persons in front of a carry-out, and after brief conversations, they would run into a nearby yard for seconds. Moss would walk through the intersection as a look-out, giving the men the “go ahead” when it was clear. Once Moss yelled “go ahead”, the two men would come out of the yard, accept money from unknown persons and hand them suspected CDS. They would then meet up with Moss and give him money. Officers stopped all 3, who were standing together at the corner of Homewood and Kirk Avenue. Officers recovered $320 cash from Moss, and over 30 vials of cocaine.

184

"Mark Henson of the 1500 block of N. Carey St. was shot in the head and upper body about 9 p.m. Saturday, police spokesman Troy Harris said yesterday."

185

Annie McCann, 16, of Fairfax, VA., "found in an alley in the 200 block of S. Spring Court, in the Perkins Homes area, about 3 a.m. Sunday"

Our judges: Take em or leave em

I'm working on your ? about the judges PP-- it took forever to find a sample ballot!
... if you look up your eligibility here, it gives you the option to download one.

... so Deborah Eyler and Robert Zarnoch.
Zarnoch: O'M appointed him, and he was working with the General Assembly prior. He argued against marriage equality.

Deborah Eyler: she lives in Annapolis, was appointed by PG, sports a Tipper Gore hairdo & gave $500 to Obama. Here's some of her ops from the MD courts blog.