Trial of Baltimore City Police Officer William Porter Starts Today

The trial of Baltimore City Police Officer William Porter is set to begin Monday, with jury selection scheduled for 9:30 a.m.

Porter is one of six officers charged in the April death of Freddie Gray, who died one week after he was arrested in West Baltimore.

Prosecutors say Gray had suffered a spinal cord injury as he was being driven in a police van to the Western District precinct.

Gray's death led to two days of rioting and a week long state of emergency in Baltimore City in late April.

Porter  is charged with manslaughter, second degree assault, misconduct in office, and reckless endangerment. 

Porter could face up to 25 years in prison if convicted.  He has been free on bail since his arrest.

The 26-year-old Porter was one of three officers who police say checked on Gray while he was in the van.

Prosecutors wanted Porter tried first, because they view him as a material witness in the trials of two other officers, Officer William Goodson, who was the van driver, and Sgt. Alicia White.  Both are scheduled to go on trial in January.

Prosecutors believe Porter, Goodson and White ignored Gray's injuries and contributed to his death.

At a motions hearing last week, Judge Barry Williams rejected a defense request to sequester the jury. However, the jurors' identity will remain anonymous, with their identities known only to the judge, prosecution and defense attorneys, the defendant and courthouse staff.  

A court spokeswoman would not speculate as to how long either jury selection or the entire trial would take.  She also refused to say how many potential jurors are being questioned.

Porter's attorneys, Joe Murtha and Gary Proctor, along with the attorneys for the other officers have asked the judge repeatedly to move the trial out of Baltimore City, but the judge has rejected that request.

Judge Williams has said he would revisit that issue if a jury cannot be picked.

The Court has not released the questionnaire potential jurors will likely fill out.

However, according to a voir dire list submitted to the Maryland State Bar Association and posted on its website, Judge Williams is expected to ask potential jurors if they would, "give either more or less weight to the testimony of a police officer simply because the person is a police officer?"

Those questions are  not specific to this case. It also asks jurors if they or members of their immediate  family have ever been arrested, or have been a victim of the crime.  

According to documents submitted by the defense, Porter's attorneys say their client, "anticipates testifying in this matter."

Porter's defense team is expected to present as many as 25 character witnesses, after Judge Williams last week rejected a prosecution motion to limit the number of character witnesses.

The jury will get to see videos shot by a number of people of Gray's arrest.  Porter doesn't appear in the videos, but the prosecution believes they are relevant to the case showing Gray's initial injuries. Judge Williams rejected a defense motion last week to bar the videos from being introduced as evidence.

Last month, Judge Williams imposed a gag order, barring any attorneys or the defendant from talking to reporters about the case.

In September, before the gag order was imposed, Porter granted an interview with the Washington Post, in which he described growing up in the same neighborhood as Gray.

“If I had made different choices, I would have been Freddie Gray,”  Porter told the Washington Post.

“If he had made different choices, he could have been an Officer Porter.”

Porter and the other five officers have remained suspended from their jobs without pay while awaiting trial.

Source WBAL

Saturday Morning Shooting Brings Homicide Count To 310 For The Year

A man shot early Saturday morning in southwest Baltimore has died.

Police say they responded to the 600 block of South Monroe Street just after 4:00 a.m. Saturday for a reported shooting.

Once at the location , police observed a 29 year-old male victim. Medics transported the victim to University of Maryland Shock Trauma for treatment.

The victim was pronounced dead shortly after arriving to the hospital. Homicide detectives responded to the scene and assumed control of the investigation.

Anyone with information about this crime is urged to contact Homicide detectives, at 410-396-2100.

Those who wish to remain anonymous can utilize the Metro Crime Stoppers tip line, at 1-866-7LOCKUP

Source WBAL

Two Shootings In Annapolis Friday Afternoon Tied To One Suspect

Two people were shot Friday afternoon in Annapolis, and a suspect is in custody, city police said.

Annapolis police said officers were called shortly before 2:30 p.m. Friday to the 1800 block of Copeland Street, where they found a man who was shot in the face. The man, Traymont Wiley, was flown to Shock Trauma. His condition was not immediately reported.

About 20 minutes later, Annapolis police received several calls for shots fired about 2 miles away in the 1300 block of Tyler Avenue. Police said callers provided a description of a man, who was running in the Robinwood community.

A police sergeant and an Annapolis fire marshal encountered the suspect and took him into custody. Police did not immediately release the name of the suspect. Criminal charges are pending.

A second shooting victim who lives on Tyler Avenue, identified as Corey Holland, was taken to a hospital by a relative. Police said he was shot in the abdomen. His condition was not immediately reported.

Police said the two shootings are connected to the same suspect.

Anyone with information about the investigation is asked to call Detective Charles Bealefeld at 410-268-900 ext. 7268 or email him at cebealefeld@annapolis.gov.

Student Critically Injured After Being Stabbed Inside Baltimore High School

Baltimore police say a student has been stabbed inside a west side school.

The department wrote on its official Twitter page that a student was stabbed inside Renaissance Academy High School. Baltimore police and city school police were on the scene.

According to Baltimore City Director of Media Relations, T.J. Smith, at around noon, Baltimore City Police with Baltimore School Police responded to a call of a stabbing inside the Renaissance Academy on the third floor inside of a classroom.

A tenth grade student, who is a suspect, apparently stabbed an eleventh grade student. That victim was stabbed multiple times and is now in critical condition. 

The suspect fled the scene and has since been taken in to custody, without incident.

Source WBAL

Freddie Gray Jury Will Be Anonymous, Not Sequestered

A Baltimore judge has ruled that jurors in the first trial of a police officer in the death of Freddie Gray can remain anonymous, but they won't be sequestered.

Judge Barry Williams ruled Tuesday on more than a dozen motions ahead of Officer William Porter's trial, which starts next week. Porter is charged with assault, manslaughter, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment. He is the first of six Baltimore officers to stand trial.

Williams ruled that he will not preemptively limit the number of character witnesses and won't bar the introduction of certain evidence, including policies and procedures related to belting prisoners. Gray was not wearing a seat belt when he was injured in the back of a police van.

Source WBAL

Police Involved Shooting On Wise Avenue Drawbridge

Baltimore County Police shot a man on the Wise Avenue drawbridge in Dundalk this morning.

The incident was first reported as a suicidal subject just after 5:00 A.M. this morning.

The man at the bridge apparently swung a knife toward officers and was then shot once in the wrist.

The man was taken to an area hospital. 

Source WBAL

Towson Diving Coach Indicted In Connection With Cellphone In Women's Locker Room

Officials at Towson University say the school's head diving coach has been indicted on charges in connection with a cellphone found in a women's locker room.

Forty-three-year-old Maureen Mead was indicted by a grand jury on Monday. According to the university, she faces charges of interception of communication, a "peeping tom" violation and altering physical evidence.

Last month, school officials said team members found the phone containing videos of the student-athletes changing inside the locker room.

Mead was placed on administrative leave in October, pending the investigation. It isn't clear whether she has an attorney.

The university said in a statement Monday that it was cooperating with the investigation and takes the safety of its student-athletes very seriously.

The university also announced that it has suspended competition until January.

Source WBAL

Ravens Beat Rams 16-13, Lose Flacco For Season

It's been this kind of season for the Baltimore Ravens: Even when they win, they lose.

A dramatic 16-13 victory over the St. Louis Rams on Sunday was marred by season-ending injuries to quarterback Joe Flacco and running back Justin Forsett.

Flacco tore ligaments in his left knee in the closing seconds, but stayed with the offense until the finish despite the pain.

''I wanted to win a game,'' said Flacco, who's never missed a game over his eight-year career.

It was a rare but costly victory for the Ravens (3-7). After losing seven games by a total of 32 points, this would have been a victory to savor if it didn't cost them their quarterback.

''I think it's the ACL and MCL,'' Flacco said. ''We haven't had anything pictured.''

Forsett, meanwhile, broke both bones in his right forearm in the first quarter. He is Baltimore's leading rusher.

Justin Tucker kicked a 47-yard field goal as time expired to end a mistake-filled game in which the Ravens rallied from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

One final miscue decided the issue: Rams quarterback Case Keenum fumbled when hit by Courtney Upshaw, and teammate Lawrence Guy recovered at the St. Louis 41 with 54 seconds to go.

Flacco moved the Ravens to the 29 - injuring his knee along the way - before Tucker delivered the game-winning kick.

''It was a courageous performance by him at the end,'' coach John Harbaugh said.

Source WBAL

Poll: Dixon Top Choice For Mayor, Three Quarters Say They Would Not Support Rawlings Blake

A new poll of nearly 400 likely Democratic voters finds former Mayor Sheila Dixon, who resigned from office five years ago after a plea agreement on theft and perjury charges, is the front runner among 11 candidates running for mayor next year.

In the Baltimore Sun/University of Baltimore poll, Dixon gets 24-percent of the vote. Senate Majority  leader Catherine Pugh gets 13-percent.

City Councilman Carl Stokes gets 11-percent. Councilman Nick Mosby gets 10-percent.

Attorney Elizabeth Embry, who only entered the race ten days ago, gets 7-percent.  Businessman David Warnock gets 5-percent.

Two-percent chose other candidates, and 26-percent were undecided.

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake annoucned in September that she would not run for re-election.

The poll found that if she had stayed in the race, 77-percent said that they would vote for someone else, 22-percent said they would voter for her, and 7-percent were not sure.

As for Dixon, 44-percent said that her 2010 plea agreement would have no effect on whether they would support her, 47-percent said they would be less likely to vote for her, 5-percent would be more likely to vote for her, and 4-percent were not sure.

Councilman Mosby is the husband of Baltimore City State's Attorney Marilyn Mosby, whose office is prosecuting the six officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray, whose death led to the April riots.  

The poll found 58-percent of voters said that relationship would have no effect on whether they would support Mosby.  33-percent are less likely to vote for him, 5-percent are more likely, while 3-percent were not sure.

The poll of 398 likely Democratic voters in Baltimore City was conducted in a five day period ending on Tuesday.

The margin of error was plus-or-minus 4.9-percent.

The poll was conducted by OpinionWorks of Annapolis.

Source WBAL

Two Hurt In City House Fire in Baltimore

Baltimore City fire officials say two people were seriously injured in an early morning house fire. 

It happened just after 2 a.m. In the 32-hundred block of East Northern Parkway. 

Firefighters had to rescue two of the three people who lived in the house from the second floor of the burning home. 

A third person escaped unhurt. 

No firefighters were hurt. 

The blaze was brought under control in about a half-an-hour. 

The cause is under investigation.

Source WBAL

Two Teens Injured, One Man Dead In Quadruple Daytime West Baltimore Shooting Saturday

City Police spokesman TJ Smith says the motive of this shooting is "foolishness".  Smith spoke with the media a block away from where the quadruple shooting took place at 10:15 Saturday morning in the 1500 block of N. Sticker St. in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood of west Baltimore. That's the same neighborhood where Freddie Gray lived and was arrested in April prompting the riots which rocked the city a few weeks later following Gray's death in police custody.  

Smith said that two adults and two juveniles were shot.  One adult, a 28-year-old man is deceased.  A 14-year-old and a 15-year-old and a 26-year-old man were also shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

Also speaking with the media was Pastor Alfred Vaughn of the Sharon Baptist Church.  He and other church members were spending their morning preparing to hand out 500 Thanksgiving meals to the community when the shooting happened right across the street from the church.  

Police are making an appeal to family members to share information to help them find the suspect. 

Source WBAL

Judge Schedules Motions Hearing In Porter Trial

Prosecutors and defense attorneys will be in court on Tuesday of next week to discuss pre-trial motions in the case of Baltimore City Police  Officer William Porter, who is scheduled to go on trial November 30.

Porter is one of six officers charged in the April death of Freddie Gray, who died one week after he was arrested in West Baltimore.

He is charged with manslaughter, second degree assault, misconduct in office, and reckless endangerment. 

Judge Barry Williams has a number of issues to decide, including a defense request to sequester the jury.

There are also several prosecution motions to limit the number of defense character witnesses, and to bar the defense attorneys from calling prosecutors as witnesses.

Porter's attorney, along with the attorneys for the other five accused officers argue a prosecutors have conducted themselves in a manner that would deny their clients a fair trial.

As with past motions hearings, Judge Williams is expected to hear arguments and likely make a decision on the individual motion.

The judge could decide whether or not to delay the start of the trial, though so far, neither side has requested a delay.

The other five accused officers have trials scheduled early in 2016. 

Each officer is being tried separately.

In court documents, Porter's attorneys noted that they "anticipate" Porter would take the stand in his own defense.  

Source WBAL

Sit In Held At Towson University President's Office

About a dozen black Towson University students held a protest in the office of Towson's Interim President Timothy Chandler. 

According to the Towson University Towerlight:

Towson University Interim President Timothy Chandler has signed a document affirming his intention to actively address or advocate for a list of demands, brought to him by a group of black students, after over eight hours of negotiation and deliberation today.

“I want to thank you all for your terrific work on this,” Chandler said after he signed the document around 12:40 a.m. “As I said at the start, I admire your courage hugely, I admire your stick-to-itness. Now please don’t let this be the end of the conversation, please let this be the beginning of the conversation.”

The students came to the protest with a list of demands which they hoped to increase the number of tenured faculty members of color, adding cultural competency courses and more.

Washington College To Remain Closed Through Thanksgiving

Washington College in Maryland announced Wednesday it will be closed through the Thanksgiving holiday while authorities continue searching for a troubled missing student who could be armed. 

Sheila Bair, president of the private school of about 1,450 students, said on the college's website that the decision was based on continuing consultations with law enforcement. The college anticipates resuming classes on Monday, Nov. 30, and the college will reopen the day before. 

"Following the difficult events of the past few days, Washington College will be canceling classes this week and the week of Thanksgiving Break," Bair said. 

Local and federal authorities including the FBI are still searching for 19-year-old sophomore Jacob Marberger. 

The school on Maryland's Eastern Shore first canceled classes Monday, after Marberger's parents called the college to say he had returned home to Pennsylvania outside of Philadelphia and may have taken a firearm. College officials initially planned to reopen Tuesday but decided to close until further notice and evacuate students after receiving new information from law enforcement. 

"All residential students have either returned home or been taken in by members of the campus and Chestertown community," Bair said in her statement Wednesday. 

Marberger is wanted on four charges related to him showing an antique gun at his fraternity house last month while intoxicated. Kent County State's Attorney Harris Murphy said the charges include possessing a dangerous weapon on school property, handgun on a person, possession of a firearm by a minor and illegal possession of ammunition. 

Marberger's disappearance follows difficulties he had been experiencing at the college, police said. He was kicked out of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity last week, and on Sunday he resigned his position as speaker of the senate in the college's student government. Marberger had been scheduled to have a hearing based on the school's honor code this week, Chestertown Police Chief Adrian Baker said, adding that Marberger had not made any known threats to the college or students. 

"He never made any threats to the students, so there's not any overt or tacit threat that we're aware of," Baker said in a telephone interview Wednesday, before the college announced it would be closed through the holiday break. "The college acted proactively and took the actions that they did." 

Baker said police are maintaining a presence at the college, though there is much less concern now, because the students are not there anymore. 

Marberger was last seen Monday driving a dark green Range Rover with Pennsylvania tags beginning with "JWY," the college announced on its website Monday. 

The liberal arts college in Chestertown, Maryland, was founded in 1782.

Source WBAL

Washington College Campus Closed Until Further Notice

Washington College has announced that the school will continue to keep the campus closed on Wednesday.

A note on the school's website says "we have not had any direct threats against campus or any members of our community, but in the interest in caution we feel closing campus until the situation changes is the best course of action."

School officials said state and federal law enforcement officials are still searching for sophomore Jacob Marberger. The Pennsylvania man was believed to have returned home over the weekend and retrieved a gun before going missing.

Official notice from Washington College website:

November 17th 3:00 p.m. Update

Classes for Wednesday, November 18 are cancelled. Faculty and staff should await notice from the administration regarding returning to campus.

A small number of students remain on campus at this time and arrangements will be made by the end of today for them to seek shelter in the Washington College community. To the many local residents, parents and alumni who have offered to take in students, you have Washington College’s thanks.

Again, we have not had any direct threats against campus or any members of our community, but in the interest in caution we feel closing campus until the situation changes is the best course of action. Anyone who has contact with Jacob should contact law enforcement immediately by reaching out to Public Safety at 410-778-7810.

We will continue to provide updates as they become available.

1:45 p.m. Update

As of 1:00PM we have 59 students on campus who have not been able to leave for home. We continue to work toward finding housing options for these students. All other students have been able to leave campus.

We want to thank the community for the outreach of support and offers of housing for students who are unable to return home. You have Washington College’s thanks.

We will continue to provide updates as they become available.

10:30 a.m. Update

Dear Campus Community:

In the interest of safety and in light of the ongoing law enforcement investigation, Washington College will be closed until further notice. Anyone who is currently off-campus should remain off-campus.

There will be a Washington College staff member shortly in the residence hall to check you out before you leave. All students who can leave campus and return home should do so after they check in with the WC staff member. Students who live off-campus should stay in their off-campus housing or return home. Students who are unable to return home should attempt to travel with a friend if possible, or should stay in their residence hall room until further arrangements can be made.

Faculty and nonessential staff who are on campus should leave campus and return to their homes; anyone who is off campus should stay off campus until further notice. They should continue to monitor their email, the website, and WACAlerts for updates in the coming days as this situation unfolds.

Any afternoon or evening events are cancelled until further notice.

Once again, we have not had any direct threats against campus or any members of our community, but in the interest in caution we feel closing campus until the situation changes is the best course of action. Anyone who has contact with Jacob should contact law enforcement immediately.

We will continue to update the community throughout the day as the situation evolves.

9:45 a.m. Update

Dear Campus Community:

In the interest of caution and due to new information received from law enforcement at 9:15 this morning, we have decided to cancel classes. We did not have this information yesterday evening when the decision to reopen campus was made.

There is a warrant out for Jacob Marberger’s arrest, and a high-intensity search is being conducted by state and federal law enforcement.

All students should return to their residence halls immediately. Students who live off campus should return to their off-campus residences. More details will follow.

Faculty and staff should return to their offices or remain in their offices until further notice.

We would like to reiterate that we have not had any direct threats against campus or any members of our community, but in the interest in caution we feel closing campus until the situation changes is the best course of action. Anyone who has contact with Jacob should contact law enforcement immediately.

We will continue to update the community throughout the day as the situation evolves.

Source WBAL

Hogan Wants Assurances Syrian Refugees Pose No Threat

Governor Larry Hogan is asking the federal government to stop allowing any Syrian refugees into Maryland until he can get an assurance that the refugees pose no threat to public safety.

Hogan's office issued a brief statement from the governor.

"As governor of Maryland, the safety and security of Marylanders remains my first priority," the statement read.

"Following the terrorist attacks on Paris just four days ago, and after careful consideration, I am now requesting that federal authorities cease any additional settlements of refugees from Syria in Maryland until the U.S. government can provide appropriate assurances that refugees from Syria pose no threat to public safety."

On Monday, Hogan told reporters that he promised "a very reasoned and careful decision."

A number of Republican governors have announced plans to try to keep out Syrian refugees, but their authority to do so may be limited.

According to the Maryland Department of Human Resources, a total of 40 Syrian refugees have been settled in Maryland, including three in October.  

The Department says a total of 7,384 refugees have been settled in Maryland in a four year period ending June 30.

Source WBAL

BWI Flight Investigation Removes Passengers From Plane; Flight Now Cleared For Takeoff

Maryland Transportation Authority Police 1st Sgt. Jonathan Green said the Spirit flight No. 969, which was headed for Chicago, returned to the gate around 6:30 a.m. due to concerns from the flight crew. The flight was scheduled to depart BWI at 6 a.m. 

Green said four people were removed from the plane for questioning.

There is no word on what concerns led to the plane returning to the gate or why the passengers were removed.

Spirit Airlines spokesman Stephen Schuler  told WBAL NewsRadio 1090, that , "while the aircraft was taxiing to the runway, a passenger alerted a flight attendant of a passenger engaged in suspicious activity on board. The flight attendant notified the captain, and out of an abundance of caution, the plane returned to the gate. Law enforcement officers removed four passengers from the plane for questioning."

Schuler said the remaining passengers were let off the plane for a brief time, while the aircraft and luggage was searched.

The plane was later cleared for takeoff, and left for Chicago just after 9 a.m.

WBAL-TV reports as of noon today, one of the three men detained by police has been questioned and released.  

UPDATE: All passengers aboard the Spirit Airlines flight have been escorted off the plane.https://t.co/IgghldvPmg pic.twitter.com/KsYaYQLQLm

— ABC7News (@ABC7News) November 17, 2015

UPDATE: 8:49am: Spirit Flight 969 has been cleared for takeoff.

Source WBAL

Three Year Old Struck & Killed By Car In Baltimore

Baltimore City Police say a three-year-old girl was killed and a her mother was injured after both were hit by a car as they were crossing a street in West Baltimore today.

Police said it happened at 3:15 p.m. Monday near the intersection of West North and Pennsylvania avenues where officers found a 26-year-old woman and her child.

The child was taken to an area hospital where she later died from her injuries. The mother is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators believe the woman and her child were crossing the street when they were struck by a Mitsubishi Lancer turning from North Avenue onto Pennsylvania Avenue. The driver of the car remained at the scene after the accident and did not sustain any injuries.

City police requested the accident investigation unit to respond to the scene. SkyTeam 11 Capt. Roy Taylor reported a large police presence on the scene. 

Source WBAL

Report: Shortcomings In Baltimore Police Response To Riot

A new report says Baltimore police was underprepared and disorganized during the protests and rioting that followed the death of Freddie Gray.

The report, "Lessons Learned from the 2015 Civil Unrest in Baltimore," was conducted by the Police Executive Research Forum at the request of the city's former police commissioner, Anthony Batts. The report focuses on the police response from April 25 to May 3.

The report says the department's command center was overcrowded, officers had inadequate training and equipment, arrest policies were murky, and officers were unsure of who was in command positions.

Commissioner Kevin Davis says the department has already made changes and addressed many problems identified in the report, and continues to do so.

Gray died April 19, a week after he was injured in police custody.

Source WBAL

Heartbreaker:Jaguars Top Ravens 22-20 On 53-Yard FG

The clock was at 0:00, and Blake Bortles was on the ground.

At that point, if the Jacksonville Jaguars were going to break their horrid road losing streak, it was going to take a miracle.

''Call it what you want,'' Bortles would say later. ''Whatever. It happens.''

Not often, that's for sure. Bortles rose to his feet and was promptly grabbed by Baltimore linebacker Elvis Dumervil, who snagged the quarterback's facemask while dragging him to the ground.

That gave Jacksonville 15 yards and one more play, and Jason Myers kicked a 53-yard field goal for a 22-20 victory on Sunday.

''I've never seen anything like that before,'' Jaguars linebacker Paul Posluszny said. ''That was wild, but I'm glad it ended the way it did.''

Long after the final whistle, the players were whooping and laughing in their locker room. It was a celebration nearly two years in the making, because Jacksonville had lost 13 in a row on the road since winning at Cleveland on Dec. 1, 2013.

''Unbelievable game,'' coach Gus Bradley said.

Down 20-19 with no timeouts, the Jaguars got the ball at their 20 with 1:06 left. After moving to the Baltimore 49, Bortles got collared by Dumervil after time expired.

Because a game can't end on a penalty by the defense, the Jaguars got the ball at the 35.

''I take full responsibility for that one,'' Dumvervil said. ''It can't happen.''

Dumervil's penalty was merely one of many by the bumbling Ravens (2-7), who committed four turnovers and were penalized nine times for 121 yards.

Baltimore was on the brink of surviving those miscues - until Myers' decisive kick.

Source WBAL

City School Teacher Charged With Sexual Abuse Of A Minor

A Baltimore City School teacher has been charged with having sex with a 15-year-old girl in his Parkville home.

Just after 3 p.m. on November 10, police responded to an area hospital for a sex offense report. After an examination at the hospital, the victim was taken to a secure location to be interviewed.

The initial investigation indicates that the 15-year-old female victim visited the suspect’s home on November 9. The suspect is a family friend who happens to be a Baltimore City School teacher. The girl's mother sent her to the suspect's home for help with a school assignment. While at the suspect’s home, the victim and the suspect drank alcoholic beverages supplied by the suspect. He later took the victim into the living room and had intercourse with her. Later that night, the suspect had intercourse or sexual contact with the victim multiple times. 

The investigation indicates that the victim (whose age makes her unable to consent under any circumstances to sex with this suspect) was incapacitated and unable to fend off the suspect.
 
The suspect does not teach at the school the victim attends. At this time, the investigation has not identified any other victims.

The suspect is 39-year-old Taki Kentae Lewis of the 9500 block of Orbitan Court 21234. He has been charged with second-degree rape, sexual abuse of a minor, and related charges. Lewis is held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on $400,000 bail.

This incident remains under investigation by the Baltimore County Police Crimes Against Children Unit.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 410-307-2020.

Source WBAL

UPDATE: Report Notes Flaws, Successes In Vacants To Value Program

A city program designed to refurbish abandoned properties is under scrutiny. 

The Abell Foundation says the city should not scrap the Vacants to Value program, but in her research Joan Jacobson of the Abell Foundation says city officials have overstated its success, when they claimed the program has refurbished nearly 1,600 homes in its first four years.

Jacobson said her research found the city had not issued building permits for 200 of the properties to allow the renovations to take place, and another 300 properties were bought by investors not involved with the program.

The report found the city did not offer enough financial assistance to homeowners looking to purchase and renovate properties, and the the program was not producing enough affordable housing.

Jacobson told WBAL NewsRadio 1090, the program has ignored whole sections of the city  that has abandoned houses, but she notes the program has had a very positive impact in Oliver, McElderry Park, and Greenmount West.

Jacobson says the city's next mayor should continue the program, but make improvements to it.

This morning, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake told WBAL's Bryan Nehman that the program while "not perfect,"  the program has helped remove blight in the city.

Source WBAL

Cop Shot; Suspect Killed In Baltimore Shootout

A Baltimore police officer was shot in the leg Wednesday night while confronting a man with a gun.

The officer, a five-year veteran of the force, was rushed to Shock Trauma in stable condition.  

Police shot and killed the 32-year-old suspect during the exchange of gunfire in the 3700 block of Oakmont Avenue.

Police say officers were working in the neighborhood near Reisterstown Rd. when the shooting happened just before eight Wednesday night.  

Police are still piecing together all the events leading up to the shooting.

Source WBAL