Baltimore's troubled jail facilities

October 5, 2006

Charges against 1 officer in jail killing dismissed

Pointing to contradictory statements by some of the prosecution's strongest witnesses, a Baltimore Circuit Court judge dismissed yesterday a murder charge filed against one of the three former corrections officers accused in last year's fatal beating of a detainee at Central Booking and Intake Center.

December 14, 2005

City sues state over jail report

Taking up the cause of public access to government information, Baltimore officials filed a lawsuit yesterday against the state prison system, demanding an uncensored version of a consultant's report about problems at the Central Booking and Intake Center.

December 14, 2005

Family awaits news in death of detainee

Family members of a detainee who fell ill and died at the state-run Central Booking and Intake Center on Monday said yesterday that they were stunned by the death and are awaiting further information from state prison officials.

December 9, 2005

Intake center report is out

State prison officials have given a judge and the city solicitor a heavily redacted consultant's report on problems at the state-run Central Booking and Intake Center in Baltimore, making it impossible to determine what, if any, remedies were recommended.

December 8, 2005

Justice officials revisit city jail

The U.S. Justice Department has returned to the Baltimore city jail and booking center to determine whether progress has been made since its investigators issued a scathing report three years ago decrying problems with medical care, sanitation and other troubling conditions for inmates.

August 24, 2005

2 charged in death of inmate make bail

Two former correctional officers charged in the stomping death of a Baltimore jail detainee each posted $100,000 bond yesterday.

August 23, 2005

Judge sets bails for 2 in inmate-beating case

A Howard County District Court judge ordered two former correctional officers indicted in a Baltimore jail detainee's death each held on $100,000 bail yesterday, while a third suspect is expected to have a bail review today in Harford County.

August 20, 2005

Officers indicted in death of inmate

Three former state correctional officers were arrested yesterday after a Baltimore grand jury indicted them on second-degree murder charges in the stomping death of a 51-year-old man jailed at the Central Booking and Intake Center.

July 15, 2005

Baltimore

Public defender's office opposes city joining suit

The Baltimore public defender's office has joined the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services in opposing the city's attempt to join a lawsuit over delays at the state-run Central Booking and Intake Center.

July 6, 2005

Special Report

Contraband floods Md. prisons

A black market bazaar of heroin, marijuana, pornographic videos, tobacco, cell phones and top-shelf liquor is routinely being smuggled past security checkpoints and into Maryland's troubled prisons, an investigation by The Sun has found.

July 1, 2005

Judge orders improvement plan from Central Booking in 30 days

With excessive delays at Baltimore's Central Booking and Intake Center triggering the release of more than 80 criminal suspects in recent months, a city Circuit Court judge demanded yesterday that state corrections officials provide a written report in 30 days of their plans to improve efficiency at the state-run facility.

June 30, 2005

City seeks to join suit vs. Central Booking

The city sought to join a lawsuit yesterday against Baltimore's booking center, accusing the state of mismanaging the crowded facility and hampering police efforts to reduce crime.

June 30, 2005

Judge dismisses inmate complaint of beating

A federal judge dismissed yesterday a complaint by a prison inmate who had claimed that he was harassed and beaten by correctional officers at the Eastern Correctional Institution.

June 29, 2005

Deaths of 2 inmates bring calls for change

Lightning and thunder roiled the skies and rain threatened to extinguish their candles, but relatives and friends of two inmates recently killed in Baltimore's jail facilities did not budge from their vigil last night in front of the Central Booking and Intake Center.

June 25, 2005

Central Booking troubles prompt council hearing

Sparked by an inmate's beating death and other problems at the Central Booking and Intake Center, the Baltimore City Council has scheduled a July 6 public hearing to learn about efforts to remedy the jail's troubles.

June 24, 2005

State names temporary warden at city jail

A top official in the state agency that runs Baltimore's jail facilities is taking over the daily management of the Central Booking and Intake Center, whose warden chose to retire this week despite being offered another position, according to state corrections officials.

June 17, 2005

State reassigns 2 prison investigators

Two internal prison investigators who had been involved in separate high-profile inquiries, including the beating death of an inmate in Baltimore last month, were reassigned to correctional officer jobs by state officials this week, with no explanation, according to a union representing the officers.

June 15, 2005

2 fired correctional officers to appeal

In the midst of a melee at Baltimore's Central Booking and Intake Center last month, Kandis Harlee said she shouted orders to angry, agitated inmates to move away from a cell where officers were trying to subdue Raymond K. Smoot.

June 11, 2005

Officer, 21, is charged in stabbing of inmate

A 21-year-old state correctional officer was charged with conspiracy to commit first-degree attempted murder in connection with a recent inmate stabbing at the Baltimore City Detention Center, court records and state officials revealed yesterday.

June 10, 2005

Sun Special Report

Ailing system struggles with inmate care

In mid-March 2002, Marcella N. Leski, 39, was jailed for failing to appear in court on a drug-possession charge. Twelve days later, she was so ill that her legs were amputated below the knees.

May 22, 2005

Smoot's struggle with his 'demon' ended in tragedy at Baltimore jail

In life, Raymond K. Smoot was typical of the drug addicts on Baltimore's streets - he tried heroin at age 12, was arrested 20 times and used nearly as many aliases.

May 22, 2005

At funeral, mourners stunned by violent death

Raymond K. Smoot was mourned yesterday as an old friend and family member whose life should have been lived better than it was, but who did not deserve to die violently, at 51, in an altercation with state correctional officers.

May 20, 2005

City inmate's death draws federal probe

The FBI is investigating the death of a 51-year-old inmate who was allegedly stomped, kicked and punched by correctional officers at Baltimore's Central Booking and Intake Center, the federal agency announced yesterday.

May 19, 2005

Two officers detail fatal beating of inmate

Two corrections officers who witnessed a weekend brawl that killed an inmate at Baltimore's Central Booking and Intake Center allege that the man refused repeated commands to return to his cell and then attacked an officer, prompting considerable retaliation, according to accounts the officers provided their union.

May 18, 2005

City jail homicide draws FBI's attention

The FBI is monitoring the state probe into last weekend's homicide of a man detained at Baltimore's Central Booking and Intake Center, but the federal government has not decided whether to launch its own investigation.

May 17, 2005

Central Booking prisoner's death ruled a homicide

The weekend death of a 51-year-old man who struggled with officers at Baltimore's Central Booking and Intake Center was ruled a homicide yesterday, as family members, a lawmaker and an advocacy group expressed outrage over his killing.

May 16, 2005

Prisoner dies after altercation with guards

A 51-year-old Randallstown man jailed at Central Booking and Intake Center in Baltimore on charges of theft and failure to appear in court died yesterday after an altercation with guards that began after he refused to go to his cell, state prison officials said.

May 10, 2005

Deal extends city jail order

Suspects in Baltimore who don't receive a court hearing within 24 hours of being arrested will continue to be released from the Central Booking and Intake Center, according to an agreement reached yesterday by public defenders and state officials.