Free Republic

Lauren Bernett, a former standout at South Fayette High School and a current star for the James Madison softball team, has passed away the school said Tuesday. She was 20. No cause of death has been given. The sophomore was the starting catch for James Madison each of the past two seasons, and was a key player for the Dukes in their run to the 2021 College World Series. The news comes just one day after Bernett was named Colonial Athletic Association Player of the Week. “Our hearts are aching, hearing the news of the loss of one of our...

Baltimore County police defended an officer who fatally shot an unarmed suspect in a Reisterstown alley, saying Friday that the officer believed the man was pulling a gun.

An off-duty Baltimore police officer was shot and killed early yesterday as he stepped outside a bar in apparent retaliation for testifying against two men convicted of wounding him during an ambush last year. .... After yesterday's shooting, the two men jumped into a waiting car and sped away, police said. A man working as a security guard near the bar watched the shooting, grabbed the officer's gun, jumped into a car and followed the three men, police said. The security guard fired at the men during the chase but did not hit anyone, police said.

Updated Notice: May 2, 2002: Schools will be dismissed 1 hour early today due to the threat of severe storms and heavy rain this afternoon. All afternoon and evening activities INCLUDING tonight's board meeting ARE CANCELLED.

Kilic's ex-husband charged in stabbing; Suspect had been jailed for making phone threats after couple's divorce The Harborplace merchant fatally stabbed last night outside her upper-level accessories shop in the Light Street Pavilion was identified by police today as Ana Kilic of the 800 block of S. Charles St. City police spokeswoman Ragina C. Averella said the woman's former husband, Imamali Kilic, 36, of the 1300 block of Hull St. has been charged with first-degree murder in the 28-year-old's death. He is being held at the Central Booking and Intake Center. Horrified witnesses tried to stop yesterday's attack, capturing the ...

Witnesses capture suspect in struggle as shoppers run; Apparent domestic row; Fatal stabbing is third homicide of day A Harborplace merchant was fatally stabbed Thursday night outside her upper-level accessories shop in the Light Street Pavilion as horrified witnesses tried to stop the attack -- capturing the assailant in a violent struggle as shoppers ran screaming for safety. The homicide was only the second in the history of the twin waterfront shopping pavilions, which opened in 1980 as the centerpiece of an Inner Harbor renaissance. It was the third homicide of the day, continuing a surge in city slayings that ...

Cal Ripken: Playing his last game tonight after 21 seasons, the legend has touched teammates, the community and anyone for whom he signed an autograph. October 6, 2001, 7:35 PM EDT Tom Pendleton knew he could make a nice profit by selling his tickets to tonight’s game, but for the lifelong Maryland resident and Orioles fan, E-Bay was never an option. "There was no chance of that," said Pendleton, who was born and raised in Baltimore and now lives in Bowie. Pendleton attended Brooks Robinson's last game as an Oriole, Earl Weaver's last game as manager and the final game ...

Clinton speaks at Cal Ripken's retirement ceremony. Talked about what a good role model Ripken is.

Calif. Democrat says U.S. has alternatives for preventing terrorism WASHINGTON -- Rep. Barbara Lee did not come easily to the decision that made her the lone member of either the House or Senate to oppose President Bush's plan to use military force in retaliation for last week's terrorist attacks. The California Democrat tearfully told her colleagues Friday night that she shared their anger at the calculated murder of thousands of innocent civilians. Like them, she said, she was filled with sorrow for the victims and their loved ones. "Only the most foolish and the most callous would not understand the ...

MSNBC just mentioned pending Freerepublic protest outside Condit's office. Said they will be covering the protest as it proceeds.

Chandra Levy story on now. Fox is using X42's favorite private detective Terry Lenzer.

An assistant Pack leader with the Boy Scouts of America has been charged with sex offenses, assault and child abuse in Anne Arundel County. Police say that a Scout claims that 24-year-old Matthew Showalter of Glen Burnie led the boy away from a Scout meeting in late March or early April and had him undress. The boy says that he was fondled and spanked.

Two young men die from injuries suffered in dirt bike accident Authorities frustrated by number of illegal motorcycles in city By Tim Craig Sun Staff Two men were killed yesterday when the unregistered dirt bike they were operating slammed into the back of a 10,000-pound delivery truck, the latest in a string of fatal accidents involving what police say are hordes of off-road vehicles that navigate city streets. Corey Mason, 20, of the 600 block of Oakland Ave. in Northeast Baltimore died at Maryland Shock Trauma Center shortly after the 1 p.m. accident. His passenger, Dominic Hughes, 19, of the ...

Homicides 1999: What went wrong Getting away with murder Even as city leaders fought to reduce the number of homicides in Baltimore, long-standing weaknesses in the Police Department helped fuel a resurgence of violence. In the end, the 308 people listed here died in the city's killing fields.   The dead Iran Abdullah, 45 William Acheanpong, 14 Nicole Addison, 26 Edurado Aguas, 18 Ronald Akinsehinwa, 19 Justin Alban, 23 Elward Alexander, 19 Ronald Alexander, 26 Shaborn Allah, 30 Jermaine Allen, 26 Trennel Alston, 26 Shawn Anderson, 28 William Anthony Jr., 33 Brian Artson, 16 Arie Aruhami, 46 Sean Atkins, ...

Tough gun law, timid enforcement Courts: Nearly three decades after Maryland set strict penalties for gun crimes, the law has had little impact in Baltimore. Three out of four people charged with handgun violence serve less than the mandatory five years. By Caitlin Francke Sun Staff The case against Donnell Harris seemed rock-solid: When Baltimore prosecutors charged Harris with carjacking two men and shooting one of them, they were armed with a confession from his accomplice, testimony from the two victims and a cache of .38-caliber bullets found at Harris' house. But when Harris pleaded guilty, he was sentenced only ...

Serio sues to regain his guns Felon says police over-stepped limits By Dennis O'Brien Sun Staff Robert L. Serio just wants his guns back. Serio, the heir apparent to a local baking company fortune, had 14 guns confiscated last June, the day he was sentenced to six months for auto manslaughter and drunken driving in a 1998 accident that killed a 27-year-old woman. Using a law that prohibits felons from having firearms, Baltimore County police confiscated Serio's $10,000 gun collection from his Hunt Valley home on June 2. But in an unusual move, Serio, 44, has sued in Baltimore County ...

Troops to back up Baltimore's police on New Year's Eve; Soldiers on standby only; State Police, military prepare a cross Md. for computer failure Baltimore police will be joined by a contingent of National Guard troops on New Year's Eve as a backup force in case of major disturbances stemming from everything from drunken parties to a loss of basic services because of a large-scale computer breakdown. Meanwhile, State Police will have one of their largest mobilizations ever as 1,600 sworn officers fan out across the roadways that weekend. State and local officials say they expect few problems, but they ...

House is razed without permit County trust opposed owners' plan to level historic home, sell land The 145-year-old centerpiece in a heated battle over historic preservation in Cockeysville is now a pile of rubble. Since early this year, Mary and Bill Kraft have been fighting to demolish the stone house they've owned for 36 years, and sell the property to Towson Ford. But Baltimore County preservationists have struggled to save the historic house, which was built by a famous stonemason and was the last of a cluster of elegant Greek Revival-style stone houses at the end of Old Padonia Road. ...

Roman Catholics are asked to back `smart gun' plan In Baltimore City Maryland's Roman Catholics will be asked to support Gov. Parris N. Glendening's proposed "smart gun" legislation, the auxiliary bishop of Baltimore said yesterday. The governor wants Maryland to be the first state to require gun manufacturers to make weapons that only the owner or a registered user can fire. Bishop Gordon D. Bennett, S.J., the urban vicar of the Archdiocese of Baltimore, which has more than 484,000 congregants, said Catholic doctrine, which urges respect for all human life, supports the idea of safer guns. Originally published on ...