Saturday, March 7, 2009

Homicide victim #39 was Id'd as Herbert Carsten Jr., age 17, a life apparently not worth more comment than the insomnia its end inflicted.

40-- oh shiz!!

A fight on the dance floor led to murder in the street after closing at Coconuts, and the gunwoman is at large!

39

A quadruple shooting has one fatality so far in the Southeast

Another police-involved shooting, and the third in four years for the unnamed 28-year-old officer. What's his/her deal? A training issue? An itchy trigger finger? Bad luck?
And why would the police department under FBIII divulge this officer's brow-raising track record?

A personal e-mail plea from Delegate Craig Rice set the tone for the preservation of MD's death penalty

What the?! The vice president of Baltimore's NAACP chapter arrested for heroin, bupe & mj possession

Friday, March 6, 2009

Jury Convicts Man for Murder of Byron Dickey

The SA's office reports that a Baltimore City jury today convicted Donnell Johnson, 35, of the 700 block of E. 21st St. of first-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. The jury deliberated approximately three hours after hearing three days of testimony before rendering its verdict. Johnson faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison without possibility of parole. Judge John C. Themelis scheduled sentencing for May 7, 2009. Details:
On August 12, 2007 at or around the 2100 block of Barclay Street Johnson became involved in a fight with the victim, Byron Dickey. During the fight Johnson brandished a .32 caliber handgun at which time Dickey began to run. Johnson chased Dickey, firing the handgun repeatedly at him as they ran. Dickey was struck three times and eventually collapsed due to his injuries. Police arrived on scene and secured the area and medics transported Johnson to John Hopkins Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Lead detective Donald Bradshaw pulled footage from police pole cameras on both Barclay and Greenmount Streets and video footage did capture a portion of the incident where an individual generally matching the description of the defendant was running down Barclay Street with their right hand extended in a manner consistent with possessing a handgun. Further investigation revealed witnesses who were able to positively identify Johnson as the individual who shot and killed Dickey.
A most unusual trial for MD: an anonymous jury and the feds seeking the death penalty in the case of Patrick Byers Jr., accused of ordering the murder of Carl Lackl from jail.

Only in Baltimore: the twisted tale of attorney Kim Y. Johnson's apparent conflicts of interest between the police department and her own clients.

Should police still be investigating-- and should Hermann still be writing-- about the death of Annie McCann?

3rd time's a charm

Gunman charged in third murder

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Your daily badness

Ink: two murders last week, both stabbings
Meanwhile, two alleged stabbers apprehended.
Alleged murderer Lewis Brock, alias Keshawn Brown, Luis Brown and Lamar Smith, has been arrested about 20-something times for guns and drugs, and in 2002 for attempted first-degree murder with a handgun, a case that was noll pros'd.
The other accused deadly shanker, Eddy M. Castillo-Diaz, is an illegal immigrant from Honduras.

330 pounds? That's a lot of coca!

So let me get this straight, if you have less than an ounce of marijuana and a case of insomnia, your biggest worry is being fined $100?

On the left coast, gay rights, Chris Brown go to court.
how about them earmarks?
A million buck$ for the Cal Ripken foundation of mentors as 'crime prevention' -- is Cal Sr. running the PAL centers now?
vs.
1/4 of that for the ferkakata crime lab
and 34.7 times that much for a Metrorail. Because the metro has been such a success.

... Just how selected is this list?
... is that the sum total of 'criminal justice' earmarks?
Nothing was requested for juvenile justice, the courthouse, etc.?
Where was Cummings, aka the one who was supposed to have his snout in the trough for us?

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Welcome, tourists

A body was found near Broadway pier in Fells Pint. "Initially, they thought the person may have been unconscious, but the person had died."

50 Years for Murder of Edward Jeter

From the SA's office:
"A Baltimore City jury today convicted Troy Levi Dukes, 39, of the 3600 block of Echodale Avenue of second-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Judge Charles G. Bernstein sentenced Dukes to 30 years for second-degree murder and 20 years for use of a handgun in a crime of violence consecutively for a total of 50 years in prison. The jury deliberated two days before returning with a guilty verdict.

Dukes shot and killed Edward Jeter, 28, on March 31, 2006 at a residence in the 900 block of Luzerne Ave. Police responded to the scene and discovered Jeter lying face down on the floor suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Witnesses identified Dukes as being in the residence arguing with Jeter immediately before hearing a gunshot."

Sounds like...

... we're keeping the death penalty but making it harder to apply.
Hassan Giordano: Dems dropped the ball

Tats for Tots

"TATS FOR TOTS - Illegal tattoos show juvenile gang membership growing"

"CRACKING THE SHIELD - The inside story of how Baltimore Police Officers William King and Antonio Murray were sentenced to a combined 454 years in prison on corruption charges."

County police are ISO a couple of chunky-looking white guys believed responsible for a series of burglaries in Cockeysville.

How sweet! UHF celeb/Personal injury lawyer Stephen L. Miles gave up ambulance-chasing to be a dad.

Is the Chandra Levy mystery finally going to be solved?

What the?! In PGC, a woman found her missing, murdered daughter's body in home they shared

Morning Media Blabber

Hearst media to begin to charge for digital news.

... meanwhile, Reader's Digest may file for bankruptcy!

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Only 1 in 27?

Study: 1 in 27 Md. adults in correction system ... in 2008, it cost $86 to confine an offender in Maryland per day
(incredibly, the percentage of city residents is not much higher-- about 1 in 22, if this article's estimate of 28,000 is accurate)

A man shot during an attempted robbery/carjacking, a stickup in the ToonTown Center garage.

More on the Bounty Hunters, a citywide subset of the Bloods "ruthless enough to burn one of their own alive"

Senate to "employ a rarely used legislative maneuver" to bring death penalty bill to a vote

Last year's bogus-parking-ticket scandal may have been the result of MVA employees stealing license plates

Paige Croyder: maybe expungement isn't such a great idea

Hermann ranks the state's biggest drug busts
("reefer"? "grass"? Is that what the kids of today are calling it?)

Monday, March 2, 2009

#38

A stabbing incident in Hampden left 29 year old Nelson Gause dead (#38) and one injured on Sunday morning.

Saturday, February 28, 2009

The End of Transparency

David Simon: "If those who are authorized and trained to carry a badge... are now too frightened to have their identities known to the public in conjunction with the use of force, then how can anyone in Baltimore law enforcement justify asking an unarmed, unsworn citizen to testify in court as a witness?

and
"In Baltimore, No One Left to Press the Police"

Friday, February 27, 2009

#37, shootings, and why O'Malley said "O'Dear..." today

Frederick Jeffrey Archer of North Arlington Avenue was found fatally stabbed in his apartment yesterday.

Last night in East Baltimore
four men on the 400 block of East Lanvale Street were shot. All four are expected to survive.

In a time where thousands of customers are impacted by astronomical energy rates, Governor O'Malley decided to fight the powers that be... on the Death Penalty. A staunch supporter of repealing it, the governor was hoping that this would be the year that it was finally repealed.
unfortunately for him, the Maryland Senate preferred not to. However, this is not it since it may still go before the Full Senate. Martin, you'd best get your guitar and tightest black t-shirt - you'll need it.

Police continue to arrest people for beating, stabbing and igniting a man in Leakin Park in December.
Check out the Investigative Voice: "Cops charge 3rd teen in grisly 'Bounty Hunter' murder"-- MJB

The youngest of those accused of killing former Councilman Kenneth Harris is pleading not guilty.
PS. I've heard from more than one inside source that the mystery woman in the car was the wife of a police officer, and that a lot of information on this case has been suppressed. Hope it goes to trial -- MJB

The Maryland Court of Appeals has defended the anonymity of online posters for those who wish to slander the blog if certain conditions are met. Fire away.

Talk about doing hard time: Fifteen former correctional officers at two different Correctional Institutions are being charged with giving stick time to inmates.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

No Mas

I don't want to read the news any more. The Griffin story has upset me too much.

Why read the news, anyway? What's the point?

For a list of quality Baltimore blogs, sites & news sources, check the sidebar at right.

Parents Guilty, Gym Bag Goes Free

A 15-year-old boy was shot in the leg in the SW

A deadbeat dad who owed more than $94k in child support was arrested

"An arresting officer was not justified in opening an automobile passenger’s gym bag during a traffic stop without first squeezing it to determine if it contained a weapon, the Court of Appeals has held"

Black-market parking passes lead to a bust outside the ESPN Zone

In the county, John and Susan Griffin were found guilty of second-degree murder and child abuse. More from the Sun

Griffin trial = postponement for court admin's drug trial
The Ink has names and details for some of last week's five murder victims

Federal charges for Trenell David Murphy, target of the city's third or fourth-largest bust ever