Multimedia: Hear a reformed gang member’s story
June 30, 2008
Below, listen to a reformed gang member share how he turned his life around and now works to combat gangs’ influence in his Baltimore neighborhood.
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Surprising fact: Half of gun deaths are suicides
June 30, 2008
Laurence Tansel, right, discusses the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on gun ownership as he shops for his first handgun at Deb’s Gun Range Thursday, June 26, 2008 in Hammond, Ind.The Supreme Court’s landmark ruling on gun ownership... More
A closer look at recent Maryland gang activity
June 30, 2008
Brazen gangs crash Harford trial Joseph I. Cassilly recalls the day two years ago when gang members walked into a Harford County courtroom to attend a murder trial. When the judge entered, the gang members took off leather jackets to reveal matching T-shirts that showed the outline of a dead body. “I don’t think you can get more in your face than that,” said Cassilly, Harford County’s state’s attorney. “We knew they were brash and brazen in the neighborhood, but that was the first shot... More
Baltimore man steers kids in the right direction
June 30, 2008
Multimedia Reporter Richard Simon had a chance to talk with a reformed gang member who now is a director of a faith-based outreach program to redevelop the Sandtown area. Part of his mission is to curb the influence of gangs on neighborhood kids. Read More →
Gang facts
June 30, 2008
Baltimore-area Gang Activity (current estimates) Baltimore City: 170 criminal street gangs More than 1,300 members 50 gangs in high schools 50 gangs in middle schools 250 members in the City Detention Center 150 motorcycle gang members Baltimore County: 35 gangs 527 members Known gangs located in and around Baltimore*721 Eastside Blood Bangers Crips Edmondson Avenue Bloods Hillside Boys Insane Red Devils Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) North and Braddish Zone Purple City Dip Set Bloods Treetop Piru Bloods Veronica... More
Are gangs a serious problem in the Baltimore area?
June 30, 2008
1. “There’s a problem with them everywhere. I definitely see a rise in crime because of them.”
— Tom McAllister, Baltimore
2. “Yes. If you watch the news, you can see it—especially people getting shot every day. It’s not like it was when I was a kid growing up in the city. Everybody wants to be a gangster.”
— Sonny Brown, Baltimore
3. “I think the crime and the attacks... More
Baltimore’s gangs battle for turf and power
June 30, 2008
Even by Baltimore standards, this shooting was outrageous.
On June 9, during a heat wave that sent temperatures soaring toward 100 degrees for four days, two toddlers were shot on the city’s west side as they played in a small inflatable pool at the Warwick Apartments. Police linked the incident to ongoing warfare... More
Baltimore-based entertainment lawyer has guided OutKast and other stars
June 30, 2008
PAUL W. GARDNER Age: 34 Profession: Attorney and managing partner, Gardner Law Group, Baltimore Achievements: Represents national and local talent including Grouchy Greg (co-founder of Allhiphop.com); Mya; Dawn Robinson (En Vogue); Bizzy Bone (Bone Thugs-n-Harmony); K.D. (Prophet Jones); DJ P-Cutta; Ryan Banks; Los of Bad Boy Records; Bibi McGill (lead guitarist for Beyonce Knowles); Darkroom Productions (of the HBO shows “The Wire” and “Rob & Big”) and Bryant McGill. One of the... More
Lifestyles of the rich and famous can mean fraud
June 30, 2008
The case of Harriette Walters is a monument to fraud and lifestyle issues. Walters was an $80,000-a-year former manager of the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue who was arrested Nov. 7, 2007, on charges involving the embezzlement of nearly $50 million. Five people have pleaded guilty in the case and Walters is awaiting trial. Walters is accused of issuing fraudulent refund checks for overpaid property taxes. The refund checks were generally made payable to two payees, a legitimate... More
How to get your FBI file
June 30, 2008
The FBI Web site has a link under its Freedom of Information Act section to help people request a file, but the instructions make applying for your own appear deceptively simple. When you submit a standard request, the FBI only does a cursory search of its main files. That search doesn’t include files at field offices or files where you might be cross-referenced to someone else’s investigation. You must submit more letters to have these files searched. Get My FBI File has instructions for requesting... More
