Doug Donovan

Baltimore police officers broke widely accepted safety limits for Tasers more than any other force in Maryland, and in nearly all cases fired the weapon at suspects who were not complying with police orders but did not pose a threat.

With the latest federal court ruling on police use of Tasers, a South Carolina police officer must face civil trial for shocking a decorated soldier three times while arresting him for playing loud music from his car.

A federal court recently put police on notice: They could lose on-the-job immunity from civil lawsuits if they use a Taser to shock suspects in the face of nonviolent resistance. It was one of several rulings in recent years in which judges deemed it excessive force to use a stun gun on suspects who are resisting arrest but pose no immediate danger.

Baltimore mayor's election Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Sheila Dixon, Elizabeth Embry

The Montgomery County Council's public safety committee announced Thursday that it has scheduled a hearing next month to review the county police department's

Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett announced Wednesday that he has ordered the police department to examine its use of Tasers and review investigations into four deaths of people shocked by the stun guns fired by officers.

As the General Assembly moves to create an independent police commission, key lawmakers say one of its first priorities should be to develop a statewide policy on how officers use stun guns across Maryland.

The first-ever data analysis of all Taser incidents in Maryland over a three-year period reveals that police agencies across the state have predominantly used the devices against suspects who posed no immediate threat. In hundreds of cases, police didn't follow widely accepted safety recommendations, The Baltimore Sun found.

Baltimore County officials announced plans Tuesday to begin dismantling decades of discriminatory housing policies and the segregation they have wrought by expanding the number of affordable rental homes in prosperous communities from Cockeysville to Catonsville and from Towson to White Marsh.

Baltimore police announced Sunday morning that a 9-year-old West Baltimore boy had been found safe after he was reported missing.

Baltimore County police announced Saturday night that a 12-year-old boy was reported missing from his Glyndon home.

A 22-year-old man was shot and killed Saturday night in East Baltimore shortly after another man was shot multiple times in a separate incident across town, police said.

Baltimore County police are looking for a SUV or pickup truck that struck a 5-year-old boy and fled scene, leaving him seriously injured.

Sharese Acheampong, a Baltimore County high school senior, wins first place in Maryland for the Poetry Out Loud national poetry reading contest.

Maryland lawmakers are considering whether to ban landlords from discriminating against tenants who pay their rent with government housing vouchers.

State prosecutors have been asked to examine the campaign finance reports of Sheila Dixon — six years after Dixon was forced to resign as Baltimore mayor, a position she is seeking to reclaim in this year's election.

Former Lt. Gov. Kathleen Kennedy Townsend said she could have warned the state's current No. 2 about last week's political dust-up over preferential snow plowing. Lt. Gov. Boyd Rutherford came under fire for asking Howard County Executive Allan Kittleman, a fellow Republican, to clear his Columbia residential street last Sunday night.

Few issues are able to rile an electorate or strike fear in elected leaders like snow plowing. Elections have been lost after failed snow removal efforts, accusations are routinely hurled about rich neighborhoods getting cleared first, and elected officials sometimes sound alarms over perceived political slights.

In early 2013, after two women died following abortions and the state began enforcing new rules regulating providers, activist Andrew Glenn sought to inspect applications to operate abortion clinics in Maryland.

Carroll County Del. Haven Shoemaker, a Hampstead Republican, has proposed legislation that he says will eliminate any appearance of political favoritism if a governor wants to purchase furniture from the governor's mansion in Annapolis.

The Anne Arundel County state's attorney is investigating former Gov. Martin O'Malley's discounted, tax-free purchase last year of taxpayer-owned furniture from the governor's mansion in Annapolis.

A Maryland lawmaker from the Eastern Shore is looking to reopen debate in Annapolis over a state law requiring fire-suppression sprinklers in new homes.

A 41-year-old woman and two dogs died in an early morning fire in Southwest Baltimore on Thursday.

A man turned himself in to Baltimore County police Monday night, about a day after a fatal hit-and-run accident in Middle River, police said.

Five people, including an 11-year-old girl, were shot and one person was killed Sunday in four incidents across Baltimore, police said.

A 26-year-old pedestrian was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Middle River Sunday, police said.

Nearly 1,200 people attended Kwanzaa festivities Sunday at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of Maryland African American History & Culture.

To help correct historic patterns of housing segregation in the Baltimore region, the federal government has created new financial incentives for developers to make room for low-income families in apartment buildings constructed in prosperous, integrated neighborhoods

After years of legal wrangling, officials from Baltimore County and state housing agencies appear to be close to resolving federal discrimination complaints

Officer William Porter's supporters called him an honest man and a peacemaker and expressed a mix of relief and disappointment that his trial ended with a hung jury.

Baltimore policeman William G. Porter had little to say when reached by cellphone Wednesday night after his case was declared a mistrial.

Several Baltimore County officials called Tuesday for legislation requiring advance notice when Baltimore public housing residents are going to move to suburban houses financed with government subsidies.

Dozens of families live in Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford and Howard counties, in houses purchased by the Housing Authority of Baltimore City — part of a court-ordered relocation program designed to combat the intense inner-city segregation and poverty forged by decades of discrimination. That program — one of the nation's largest — has been discreetly rolled out to avoid the political and community opposition that routinely arises to defeat proposals for building subsidized

Some Baltimore County officials expressed irritation Monday that the Housing Authority of Baltimore City didn't tell them when it purchased suburban homes as city public housing.

Black Friday shopping at Best Buy, Target, Toys R Us and Walmart snag Thanksgiving holiday sales.

Embattled Baltimore Housing Commissioner Paul T. Graziano says he feels misunderstood. As leading mayoral candidates and activists call for him to resign, the longest-serving agency head in Baltimore thinks his accomplishments are being overlooked. He says he has consistently pushed for fixes for those living in deplorable conditions in Baltimore's public housing, taken swift action to address allegations of sexual abuse by maintenance men and generally improved the troubled, underfunded agency

Beds, desks, chairs and other items from the governor's mansion were not the only furnishings to occupy Martin O'Malley's time as he prepared to leave office in January. A table was the focus of a spirited email exchange between O'Malley and Alvin Collins, his secretary for the Department of General Services.

The Maryland Department of General Services did not charge sales tax to former Gov. Martin O'Malley when he purchased furniture from the governor's mansion while leaving office in January—another divergence from state rules governing such transactions, state officials said Friday.

The Maryland Office of Attorney General says the state's ethics commission will not review former Gov. Martin O'Malley's purchase of state-owned furniture from the governor's mansion, according to a statement.

By withdrawing from the 2016 race, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said Friday, she could avoid the distractions of a campaign and focus on governing a city on edge over the trials of six police officers charged in Freddie Gray's arrest and death. Supporters championed the move as a sign of the mayor's selflessness. Detractors say she simply saw no path to victory with lagging approval ratings and a campaign loaded with credible contenders

Two veteran Baltimore lawmakers — state Sen. Catherine E. Pugh and City Councilman Carl Stokes — both say they will challenge Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake in next year's Democratic primary.

Pre-Labor Day start to public schools in Maryland hampers Ocean City tourism.

President Barack Obama may have secured Congressional support for his Iran deal — thanks to Sen. Barbara Mikulski — but Baltimore-area Jewish organizations opposed to the agreement are still fighting to convince other Maryland lawmakers to follow Sen. Ben Cardin's lead and vote "no."

Gov. Larry Hogan has outlined the specifics in his cost-savings plan to cut 2 percent from state agencies across the board, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press on Friday outlining the specifics.

State ethics commission examining whether Martin O'Malley's purchase of mansion furniture followed rules

Martin O'Malley says his purchase of junk mansion furniture followed state policy

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Monday criticized former Gov. Martin O'Malley for buying most of the furniture from the governor's mansion at a discount after it had been declared "junk" by the Democrat's outgoing administration.

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Monday criticized former Gov. Martin O'Malley for buying most of the furniture from the governor's mansion at a discount after it had been declared "junk" by the Democrat's outgoing administration.

Maryland sold governor's mansion furniture declared 'junk' to Martin O'Malley without seeking competitive offers

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake has removed embattled CitiStat Director Mark H. Grimes, who for the past 20 months has led the agency charged with monitoring and analyzing the local government's work.