Last Update: 1/08 5:17 pm
"The homicide recently, we're experiencing a spike. 11 murders over the past seven full days of the year," said Baltimore Police Commissioner Fred Bealefeld.
They are alarming numbers but the department says they've already made one arrest from a 2009 killing and have very promising leads or warrants on several others including the shooting death of 20 year old Lougene Williams.
"We need people, religious leaders, community leaders talking to people in the city saying you got to knock it off, you just have to knock this off. It can't just be the mayor and police commissioner." - source
Jan. 9, 2009
BALTIMORE – Mayor Sheila Dixon was indicted Friday on charges that she accepted illegal gifts during her time as mayor and City Council president, including travel, fur coats and gift cards intended for the poor that she allegedly used instead for a holiday shopping spree.
A grand jury indicted Dixon on 12 counts, including four counts of perjury and two counts of theft over $500. She was also charged with theft under $500, fraudulent misappropriation by a fiduciary and misconduct in office.
The State Prosecutor's Office, which has been investigating corruption at City Hall for nearly three years, said Dixon received holiday gift cards for four years from several people. Prosecutors said the gift cards were to be distributed to needy families, but were instead used by Dixon to buy electronics — including an Xbox, a PlayStation 2 and a camcorder — clothes and other merchandise and also handed out to members of her staff. - http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090109/ap_on_re_us/baltimore_mayor_probe
