Opinion: Asked about the Maryland medical examiner's conclusion that Freddie Gray's death from injuries sustained in police custody was a homicide, Dr. Vincent DiMaio, one of the nation's leading forensic pathologists, said: "I'd have to respectfully disagree, and I know a number of other medical examiners do. It would be more appropriate to have classified this case as either an accident or 'undetermined,' because the way it's being called a homicide is, in a way, something that a jury has to decide. A medical examiner is not a lawyer, is not a jury. … They're saying [Gray's death] was not an unforeseen event. That's something for a jury to decide, not the doctor to decide."
Fact: DiMaio has been a forensic pathologist for more than 40 years, most of them in Texas. He has testified in high-profile cases, including the Florida trial of George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin. He did some of his training in the Maryland medical examiner's office.
Opinion: Nobody asked me, but taking Robert E. Lee's name off the city-owned park that contains Lake Roland is way overdue. The Confederate general, commander of the army that fought to preserve slavery in the South, deserves no such honor in Baltimore, and most people refer to the place as Lake Roland anyway. There was lengthy debate about this issue on my Facebook page, split between those who find the park's name offensive and those who either dismiss the matter as trivial or find the push for change disrespectful to Lee. Among the comments, here's a good one from David W. Wooddell of Arbutus: "Times change. Names of parks, buildings, etc. can and should be kept current to reflect the mainstream. ... They change as we recognize people who are important today. That is not changing history. It is changing the emphasis we place on history."
Update: James Timpson, who runs the Safe Streets violence intervention and prevention program in Park Heights, covering a section of Northwest Baltimore from Park Circle to West Cold Spring Lane, says: "We are up to 377 days without a homicide in our area so we are just trying to keep it going." The Safe Streets sector in Cherry Hill, on the south side of the city, also recently passed a year without a homicide. So when are we going to hear an announcement about an expansion of Safe Streets?
Fact: The number of Baltimore police officers taking advantage of the city's incentive program to buy homes in the city doubled in the past fiscal year, according to the Department of Housing and Community Development. Since last July, at least 14 officers have been granted $5,000 toward down payments and closing costs through the Baltimore City Employee Homeownership Program. That's twice the number of officers who received help in the previous fiscal year, according to Ken Strong, deputy housing commissioner. "We have plans to visit roll calls at police districts and carry the homeownership incentive information directly into police stations," Strong says. "We want that number to grow and to help more homebuying police personnel choose the city as their home."
Opinion: Nobody asked me, but Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake ought to practice what she preaches. Taking over as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, she called for a bipartisan effort to address poverty and other problems that surfaced in Baltimore with April's unrest. She wants Democrats and Republicans to form a compact, but she makes no effort to create one here with Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. "It has to be a national conversation," says the mayor, who seems to have made little effort to have a local one with Hogan.
One more thing: Rawlings-Blake would have better served the city — and her political career — had she turned down the conference presidency, saying she had to focus on getting Baltimore through one of the most challenging times in its history. I'm sure the other members of the conference would have understood, and my fellow Baltimoreans would have appreciated the gesture.
Fact: Hostas make the laziest people look like master gardeners.
Discovered: Fine rubs for barbecued beef, pork, chicken and vegetables produced by Galvinell Meat Co., a family-run butcher shop in Conowingo, Cecil County. These products — Barnyard Blend, Cow Crust and Beef Signature Seasoning — appear to be designed for barbecue competitors, but they are for general sale (at $6.95 for a 6.5-ounce bottle). "They work very well in the backyard," says Dan McGrath, co-owner of Galvinell. I found the rubs to be mild and interesting, not too salty. Cow Crust was even good on homemade popcorn.
Suggestion: If you have a sudden need for a musical tonic — something that energizes while relaxing tensions — I suggest a good recording of one of Luigi Boccherini's string quartets in C major, specifically, "La Musica Notturna Delle Strade Di Madrid." There's a sleepy movement (good for inducing an afternoon power nap) followed by a sweet, strutting tune that will help you finish the day with renewed vigor and a desire to wear silk pants.
Dan Rodricks' column runs Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. He is also host of "Midday" on WYPR-FM.