crime law and justice

• News

Man gets life sentence in shooting of Maryland ice cream truck driver

A Frederick man has been sentenced to life without parole for fatally shooting an ice cream truck driver as children waited in line.

• Opinion

Roughly Speaking podcast: Is the death penalty on death row? (episode 147)

A landmark dissent could prompt an historic challenge to the death penalty.

By Dan Rodricks

Sep 8, 2016

• Baltimore City Paper

As comment deadline nears, DOJ holds town hall on BPD consent decree

"I am begging you to work with this process, this is the only one we have," Rep. Elijah E. Cummings told a crowd of 200 at a town hall meeting on Wednesday.

• Baltimore City

Rep. Elijah Cummings hosts town hall on Baltimore DOJ report

Congressman Elijah Cummings will co-host a town hall meeting on police reforms in Baltimore.

By Jessica Anderson

Sep 7, 2016

• Baltimore City Paper

Mayor-to-Be's campaign treasurer's law license to be suspended

Attorney Keith Timmons, who handles the campaign finances of Democratic mayoral nominee Catherine Pugh and a number of other local politicians, will see his

• Baltimore City Paper

Murder Ink: 6 murders this week; 206 murders this year

This week’s count extends a day and is published late because of the holiday. Baltimore went five days without a murder last week, while police made four murder

• Baltimore County

Woman accused of stealing from Baltimore Co. recreation council arrested in separate case

A woman accused of stealing from a Baltimore County recreation council was arrested last week in connection with another theft case, authorities say.

By Alison Knezevich

Sep 6, 2016

• Opinion

Privacy and the police

Think only those who break the law need to fear police surveillance? Think again.

• Opinion

More gun carnage

Baltimore, Chicago and other cities are a case study on the limits of local gun control, not its perceived failure

• Opinion

Colin Kaepernick: the ultimate patriot

Dissent and protest, my fellow Americans, is in the very DNA of this country. Colin Kaepernick is therefore the ultimate patriot, caring enough about his very flawed nation to call it out for its failings and shaming the rest of us into engaging with the issues he raises.

By E.R. Shipp

Sep 6, 2016

• Opinion

What today's presidential nominees can learn from Bobby Kennedy

The more distraught we get about the name-calling, wall-building tone of this year's presidential campaign, the more it helps to revisit a national campaign of half a century ago, which started out mired in a similar meanness, but then demonstrated how to rise above it.

• Politics

State lawmakers, ACLU consider legislation to regulate police surveillance

State lawmakers and civil liberties advocates are considering legislation that would regulate police surveillance programs — and require public disclosure — after the Baltimore Police Department ran a secret aerial surveillance program over the city for months.

• Opinion

Trump's loyalty oath

There is nothing wrong and much right with Donald Trump's proposed loyalty oath, Cal Thomas writes.

• Opinion

Redefining public health

Redefining public health

• News

East Baltimore man charged in shooting two weeks ago

A 36-year-old East Baltimore man was arrested Tuesday and charged with attempted murder in a shooting two weeks ago, police said.

By Tim Prudente

Aug 31, 2016

• Politics

Hogan, black caucus discuss cannabis industry diversity

Gov. Larry Hogan promised Thursday to work with black lawmakers on the issue of diversity in Maryland's new medical cannabis industry, but he stopped short of committing to any specific solution.

By Pamela Wood

Aug 25, 2016

• Baltimore City

Advocates, council members demand affordable housing requirement at Port Covington

The debate over the massive Port Covington project turned even more heated Tuesday as advocates and Baltimore City Council members demanded that the developer be required to provide a certain amount of affordable housing, saying they would not support a project that leads to increased racial and economic segregation.

By Luke Broadwater

Aug 23, 2016

• News

Groups question Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on why Korryn Gaines' account was shut down

Dozens of organizations wrote to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Monday to ask him to explain why his company shut down Korryn Gaines' account at the request of police during a standoff between the Randallstown woman and Baltimore County officers.

By Alison Knezevich

Aug 22, 2016

• News

Baltimore police union VP suspended for email calling protesters 'thugs'

A high-ranking official in the Baltimore police union with a history of making controversial statements — and getting disciplined for it — has once again landed in hot water, after suggesting protesters of a Maryland Fraternal Order of Police conference at the Inner Harber on Sunday were "thugs" involved in violence.

By Kevin Rector

Aug 15, 2016

• Maryland

Maryland FOP conference opens to protests in Baltimore

A four-day conference of Maryland's Fraternal Order of Police officially opens with a reception Sunday night. But those convening at the Hyatt in Baltimore were greeted first by protesters Sunday afternoon.

By Colin Campbell

Aug 15, 2016

• News

Korryn Gaines was passionate about beliefs, anticipated violent confrontation with police

Korryn Gaines lived and died on social media. The many photos and videos that the Randallstown woman posted on Instagram and Facebook show a confident, happy young woman bursting with pride in her young children, her family and her sense of fashion.

• Business

Maryland to receive $2.9 million in Cephalon settlement

The multi-state lawsuit alleged that Cephalon blocked cheaper generic versions of its wakeness drug, forcing consumers to pay higher prices.

By Sarah Gantz

Aug 4, 2016

• Health

Maryland health chief says it was mistake not to seek more money for mental health beds

Maryland's top health official told a Baltimore judge Tuesday that he erred in not seeking more money in this year's state budget to relieve a bed shortage that has prompted his department to turn away patients from his department's mental hospitals.

By Michael Dresser

Aug 2, 2016

• Maryland

Suspect in fatal Aberdeen stabbing ordered to have psychiatric test

A 21-year-old Aberdeen man accused in Friday's early-morning fatal stabbing of a Baltimore woman has been ordered to have a psychological competency test. Andrew Sun Lee is being held without bail, charged with the death of Ericka Satterfield, 27, of Aberdeen.

• News

Key evidence in city murder case tossed due to stingray use

In the latest fallout from years of concealing the use of a powerful cell phone tracking device, a city judge threw out crucial evidence in the 2014 murder of a woman in Northwest Baltimore.

• Harford

Harford legislators wrap productive 2016 session in Annapolis

The Harford County legislative delegation ended the 2016 General Assembly session Monday with the passage of a flurry of bills that will show the county and state's continued support for two slain Harford County Sheriff's Office deputies, allow alcohol to be served in local movie theaters and allow Harford Community College to obtain a license for alcohol sales during community events on campus.

By David Anderson

Apr 14, 2016

• Politics

Maryland General Assembly session ends with criminal justice reforms, no income tax breaks

The General Assembly agreed Monday to sweeping changes in Maryland's criminal justice policies, but failed to reach a deal that would have given residents their first major income tax break in nearly two decades.

• Politics

Senate panel approves $37.5 million tax credit for Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Corp would receive millions over the next five years in an incentive pushed by the Hogan administration, on top of $20 million lawmakers already intend to award the defense contractor for staying in Maryland.

By Erin Cox

Apr 6, 2016

• Harford

Some Harford bills move, others stall as 2016 General Assembly session winds down

A heroin bill has been withdrawn; the newest movie theater being built in Harford County is slated to have beer, wine and liquor sales, provided the legislation that would allow them passes the Maryland State Senate, and a bill designed to resolve municipal election ties such as the one affecting Aberdeen's City Council has passed the House of Delegates and moved to the Senate.

By David Anderson

Mar 31, 2016

• Maryland

State's Attorney's Office hosts vigil to remember overdose victims, speak about prevention

The Carroll County State's Attorney's Office held its second annual Drug Overdose and Prevention Vigil at the church on Thursday at 7 p.m. to honor those who lost their lives to their battles with addiction and to spread a message about prevention in hopes there would be less people to remember next year.

• News

For Renaissance Academy, another loss to violence

A West Baltimore teenager died Monday after being shot multiple times on a street corner less than two miles from his old high school, where counselors again prepared to provide grief counseling to students.

• Maryland

Man linked to six armed robberies sentenced to 20 years

A man arrested in connection with six armed robberies throughout Carroll County plead guilty to armed robbery and attempted armed robbery on Wednesday.

• Harford

Harford County state's attorney defends sheriff's heroin 'checkpoint'

Harford County State's Attorney Joseph Cassilly says a Nov. 24 heroin saturation patrol initiated by Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler was "public outreach" not a series of full-blown checkpoints used to arrest people suspected of possession heroin or other illegal drugs.

• Harford

Harford liquor board, lawyers discuss licensing rules, more business friendly relationships

Six lawyers who make regular appearances before the Harford County Liquor Control Board say changes are needed in the board's resident licensee rules, paperwork and personal appearance requirements and in the current setback laws regarding licensed alcoholic beverage establishments and schools.

By David Anderson

Oct 8, 2015

• Maryland

Liquor license again sought for second-story space in Wegmans building

Three years after Howard County's Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board denied a liquor license application for a proposed business on the second story of the Wegmans store in Columbia, a new entrepreneur is hoping to win the board's approval for a venture in the same spot.

By Amanda Yeager

Sep 10, 2015

• Laws and Legislation

ACLU files suit against NSA 'Upstream' surveillance

The American Civil Liberties Union announced a lawsuit against the National Security Agency on Tuesday, alleging what it calls "mass Internet spying" on Americans international emails, communications and other online activity.

• Crime

Marylanders' data exposed in scores of hacks

It was a typical winter morning on the Twitter feed of Eastern Shore television station WBOC: a stream of messages about snowfall and a reminder to download the station's weather app for the latest updates.

By Ian Duncan

Jan 17, 2015

• News

Balto. Co. jury convicts "Public Enemy No.1" of murder

A Baltimore County jury on Friday convicted the man known as Baltimore's "Public Enemy No. 1" in a fatal 2012 shooting outside a Parkville bar.

By Alison Knezevich

Dec 19, 2014

• Baltimore City

Police, privacy advocates clash over cellphone tracking

A rare disclosure that the FBI used a stingray in a federal prosecution in Maryland highlights "tremendous" secrecy over police use of cellphone tracking without warrants.

• Harford

Harford, state settle suit with man involved in 2013 altercation with deputy

Harford County and the State of Maryland have agreed to pay $35,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a Jarrettsville man who was injured during a 2013 high speed chase involving Harford County Sheriff's Office deputies.

• Politics

Council passes 'Ban the Box' legislation

Controversial legislation intended to help ex-convicts find jobs is headed to Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake for her expected signature after the City Council gave the measure final approval Monday.

• Anne Arundel

Dundalk woman sentenced to 30 years for Glen Burnie murder

A Dundalk woman was sentenced Monday to 30 years in prison for her role in the 2013 shooting and stabbing death of her friend in Glen Burnie.

• News

Man charged in Baltimore killing, but victim's identity unknown

Police and prosecutors are confident that Michael Bernard Small killed a woman over the weekend — they say he told them as much, and was arrested and charged.

• Opinion

Tow the line [Editorial]

Business owners have the right to prevent unauthorized parking in their lots, but motorists need to be protected, too.

• Crime

(North Baltimore Crime Log)

North Baltimore Crime Log

• Baltimore County

Dumbarton student, 12, recovering after being struck

Saphal Bhandari spent five days in the hospital but is now home, according to his father Navendra Bhandari of the 6300 block of Holly Lane. The 12-year-old was crossing York Road at Overbrook Road when he was hit, suffering suffered injuries to his hand, leg and clavicle bone. No charges have been filed as yet against the driver.

• Opinion

Background checks of coaches are overdue [Letter]

Newspaper should be pushing Baltimore County's leaders to better protect young athletes

• Opinion

Ban on wind farm is an outrage [Letter]

Legislation to prevent development of Somerset County wind farm is 'special interests at work'

• News

Man fatally stabbed, woman strangled in Baltimore early Sunday

A man was fatally stabbed, a woman was found dead and three people were shot early Sunday morning in separate incidents in Baltimore, police said.

• Opinion

Uber is not a taxi service [Letter]

Maryland should not regulate Uber right out of the state