Minutes before the start of their trial yesterday, five defendants pleaded guilty in the fatal shooting of a Pigtown barmaid, promising an end to a case that sparked an unusual 13-month ordeal for her family and exposed racial divisions in the Southwest Baltimore neighborhood.
The five, ranging in age from 15 to 26 at the time of the shooting, were friends and runaways who had plotted the robbery of Rainbow's Pigtown Bar just before midnight Feb. 11, 1998. Barmaid Theresa E. Ambrose, a 35-year-old mother of two known for giving Christmas presents to the Washington Boulevard homeless, was the only staffer on duty in her father's tavern.
When Ambrose paused while opening the cash register, Carleana Kirby, 15, shot her in the neck. Ambrose died from the wound the next morning at Maryland Shock Trauma Center.
In exchange for pleading guilty to felony murder and weapons charges, Kirby, now 16, and Carl Brown, the 19-year-old who first suggested robbing Rainbow's, agreed to life in prison, with all but 50 years suspended. Prosecutors recommended lesser sentences for the three others: Brown's twin sister, Carlita; Lamont Anthony Lewis, now 19; and Gregory Palmer, now 27.
Baltimore Circuit Judge John C. Themelis scheduled a hearing for May 5, when the defendants may argue for reduced sentences.
"I hope we're finally getting to the end," said Ambrose's fiancee, Louis Vanevera. "I hope this will heal the family and the neighborhood."
The aftermath of Ambrose's killing has been painful in Pigtown. White and black residents have quarreled about a memorial to Ambrose and four other white Pigtown residents who have been killed by blacks in this decade. In May, a 10-foot-tall crucifix that formed the memorial centerpiece was toppled by a black resident, fueling the feud.
In the fall, Ambrose's father, Raymond "Rainbow" Watkins, protested publicly after his family received repeated summonses demanding that Ambrose herself appear in court -- for the trial of her murder. Court officials apologized, but angry residents held a candlelight vigil outside the bar.
"For some reason, people have never seemed to let Terry rest," Watkins said last month.
Yesterday, Assistant State's Attorney Althea Handy said Rainbow's security videotape was the key to breaking the case. Lewis and Palmer cased Rainbow's at 11: 34 p.m., finding Ambrose, who was cleaning up, and two customers. Three minutes later, Carlita Brown and Kirby, with masks over their faces, burst in.
Ambrose's relatives, who were in the courtroom, smiled only when Themelis read the sentences. Carlita Brown pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and will likely receive two consecutive 20-year sentences. Palmer pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and a weapons charge, and was recommended for 20 years. Lewis pleaded to conspiracy to robbery and weapons charges, and could get up to 10 years.
Relatives of the defendants, on the advice of lawyers, refused to comment.
"There's not much you can say. The prosecution had a strong case," said Anthony Covington, the attorney for Lewis. "There are mistakes you make in this life you'd like to have back."
Yesterday was Watkins' 58th birthday, but he didn't feel like celebrating. "I'm afraid that today ain't going to change nothing." he said.
Pub Date: 3/05/99