The Battle Of Baltimore - How To Win It! (originally published 2007)

Summer's here and another election grows near.  

While politicians talk, criminals continue to walk.  

The streets of Baltimore are dangerous and deadly

 as the battle wages on.  

Gone is the hope of growth and mobility.  

Gone is the the hope of peace and prosperity.  

Mamma's crying and she just won't stop.  

She looks around and it's only getting worse.  

She pleads with heaven as baby boy lies in a hearse.  

Another one bites the dust.  

In the police there is no trust.  

Leadership is corrupt and the system is broken.  

On the news lies continue to be spoken,

 but on the street it's reality we meet. 

Thousands have died, many more will follow.  

The empty promises ring hollow as I watch another young man who tried and tried to flee the hood, get taken down buy the gunman's bullet.  

The system in place, it ain't no good.  

It continues to fail the neighborhood.  

Keifer will you crack down on the reefer man bringing down my block?

Ms. Dixon you've gotten your licks in, 

you were temporary, but were you exemplary?

Will you make a difference?  

To me it makes no sense how the bloodshed continues.

In this city there's an all out emergency,

but a sense of urgency I do not see.  

The powers that be, continue to fail you and me.  

Our pleas they ignore as they show us the door.  

Do they really care?  If so, where does it show?  

Not in my neighborhood, not on my street. 

Stand up people, now move your feet!  

Take action, only we can save ourselves.  

Cuz truly it shows, they don't really care about us.  

Fuss if you must, but take action! 

Stand up and fight, rise up with all your might.  

Our community can no longer be a haven for the criminal mavens.  

Without fail they should be in jail, but really it starts with you.  

What you do is make the call.  

Be relentless and report them all.  

If you don't who will?

Do you want to see them continue to kill, kill, kill?

The time for us to work together has begun, 

one by one we can reclaim these streets. 

Block by block, we need to take stock.  

Be proud of your place, stand up to the criminal disgrace.  

For only we can save us.

There ain't no harm in trying to reclaim the charm.

Is The Inner Harbor Safe For 4th Of July?

Officials Claim Crime Perception Larger Than Reality

By A.F. James MacArthur Ph.A.L.

Where will you watch the fireworks?

Baltimore's Inner Harbor has long been a traditional spot for one the largest gatherings to see fireworks and celebrate the Fourth Of July on the east coast. With recent high profile crimes dominating headlines, officials worry about the potential economic impact if people decide to avoid the Inner Harbor for the holiday.

Head spokesman of the Baltimore Police Department, Anthony Guglielmi said “we are trying to reassure the public that downtown is safe – and right now, they do not believe that.” “It is all about perception, and people have to feel safe. Perception is a very tough thing to deal with.” The Baltimore Spectator notes that Mr. Guglielmi lives far away from Baltimore in the bucolic suburb of Alexandria, VA just outside Washington, DC. Apparently his perception of Baltimore isn't very high either.

With all the focus lately on downtown, including an increase of 50 police officers flooding the area under direct orders of Police Commissioner Bealefeld, many city residents feel all the attention is going downtown, while their neighborhoods are becoming more dangerous. The shooting of a five year old girl named Raven yesterday has raised the issue to new relevance. Raven was shot in the head while walking home and today remains in the hospital clinging to life in critical condition and on life support. Even Mayor Sheila Dixon came on scene stating something has to be done about this.

As the senseless violence, including a continued barrage of shootings; many harming innocent people, stabbings, and general mayhem continue to plague Baltimore neighborhoods; officials are doing all they can to ensure us downtown is safe. The duplicity is astounding. According to Kirby Fowler, president of Baltimore's Downtown Partnership; “Every day, there are on average 160,000 people downtown, and the normal experience is a safe experience downtown.”

Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick Bealefeld III added “this gang situation in Baltimore is very real and we stand on the cusp of going one way or the other. We have an opportunity in Baltimore that few other cities have. L.A. is now generations into their gang problem. You have grandparents [there] who were Bloods and Crips. And entire families whose lives are sewn into gangs and gang violence. We don’t have that in Baltimore, so we have to firewall off the next generation from this as creatively as we can.”

Of course no one is talking about the age old Baltimore tradition of firing live rounds up in the air. Perhaps in city where the majority who begin high school will never graduate, a simple science lesson was never learned; what goes up, must come down.

Guglielmi added; “People have to feel safe and we’re open to working with everybody to do this,” he said. “This is a community issue that Baltimore needs to rally around.”

Where will you be watching the fireworks tomorrow?

This spring, downton Baltimore/Inner Harbor crimes included:

• Five attacks reported in Federal Hill.

• A knife attack at the Inner Harbor in April.

• An assault on an off-duty police officer from New Jersey and his girlfriend.

• A nanny walking a child was attacked in mid-afternoon June 1; thugs rifled through the stroller, with the baby inside, to take an iPod.

• A venture capital firm, New Enterprises Associates, announced in early June that it’s moving its midtown headquarters to Timonium, mainly because of concerns about crime.

Source: Exhibit A

SYSTEMIC FAILURE -- Part 1 -- Prosecutorial Misconduct

The Destruction Of Innocence
By A.F. James MacArthur Ph.A.L.

Baltimore has a really big problem. Violent crime is out of control, and everyone is seeking a solution. Sadly, the police make numerous arrests, yet many result in no prosecution. Margaret Burns, spokeswoman for Baltimore's State's Attorney's office tell us, over 1000 cases per month are tossed out. Worse still, of cases prosecuted, may fail to address the root causes of violence in the city. The result is no appreciable difference in the reduction of crime.


Despite what any top cop, or city elected official may tell you, ask the man on the street, or the boys in the hood, they'll all say, this is still, BodyMore, Murderland. With hundreds of deaths classified as "cause undetermined," or "pending," who knows for sure just what the truth is. Greedy corporations cook the books, and fudge numbers just to look good, what makes you think self serving, self important, self aggrandizing officials and politicians wouldn't do the same?

IN THE COURT ROOM

When a prosecutor has little evidence, or no witnesses, by all established standards, his case is considered weak. A defendant with strong testimony, credible witnesses, and solid evidence is usually thought as having a good shot at justice. Sometimes, a prosecutor goes forward with a case, knowing full well, he probably doesn't have one. For him, the only objective is to win, no matter what; this is not justice, it's a miscarriage of justice.

No longer is it about right or wrong or the search for truth. Justice comes down to who can argue better, who has better strategy, and who is willing to spend more money. The state has endless resources to prosecute. Most of us have limited resources to spend on our own defense. Similar to a game or sporting event, a running score is kept. Victory at all cost is what the prosecutor wants. Even if the loss of innocence and freedom for a law abiding citizen is the end result.

In the courts, the fate and destiny of the common man lies in the balances. When a new case is reviewed by the prosecutor's office, decisions should be made in the best interest of society. Ideally at this point, it is determined whether there is enough to proceed to trial, or should the whole matter be dropped. A prosecutor who truly believes in justice will usually review all evidence, or lack there of, then chart a course. The attorney trapped in the tunnel vision mindset of winning or losing sometimes miss relevant details. Other times there is a willful overlooking of pertinent facts supporting the defense. Often, without any real evidence, they choose to go forward.

Many cases brought up in court should have been summarily dismisses, but gamesmanship of a misguided prosecutor perverts justice. He wants to win remember? At all costs! To nolle preseque, or throw out a case; would save innumerable taxpayer dollars and free up the court docket for the many serious and pressing issues faced by our city. Truly, Baltimore is a community in crisis.

In Charm City, too many cases are dragged on, while an innocent person is put through the ringer. Our system claims innocence until proven guilty, but close examination reveals this notion exists only in theory. For some who are wrongfully charged, their accusers often win, dealing a defeat to true justice. But what does this mean? The reasons for the victory are no more evident at the end of the trial, that it was at the very start. In other words, any fool and his mama could have seen, there was never really a case, yet for some reason it went forward.

Arrogance and pride keeps the prosecutor going on a lost cause, looking for that victory. He wants guilt, but there's non there. Only an innocent man, and the prosecutor knows this. Or maybe he doesn't....

MALICIOUS PROSECUTION A DESTRUCTIVE FORCE

The cases tried against the innocent come at a very high price. The hapless defendant; make that innocent victim; or should I say loser, is left in a sorry state; even if he somehow won against malicious prosecution and false accusation. An innocent man who wins in court is left to pick up the pieces of his broken life.

Destroyed is his good name, public reputation, financial and career prospects, and even his family life sometimes is totally ruined. Too many times, for too many people, when you win, this is just a minor detail, easily insignificant in a now shattered world.
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With years of practical, theoretical and academic experience in criminal justice and criminology, A.F. James MacArthur is a frequent commentator on crime and justice. A one time college level instructor, MacArthur has been recently selected as a lead instructor for the soon to be chartered Baltimore Urban Institute.