Latest content by Ben Conarck
He spent months in jail. The crime? Annoying Baltimore County Police and 911 operators
In Baltimore County, people who show signs of mental illness are being criminally charged for repeatedly calling 911 and crisis hotlines.
New state prison watchdog is ‘full steam ahead’ after governor appoints agency head
Gov. Wes Moore appointed Yvonne Briley-Wilson as the head of the new state agency that will examine prison conditions.
Police identify victim killed in East Baltimore shooting that also injured 7
A 36-year-old man died and the other conditions range from stable to critical condition.
After seven years under federal oversight, Baltimore Police aren’t exiting anytime soon
The Baltimore Police Department continues to make slow and steady progress in a wholesale reform effort mandated by its agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice and a federal judge, but hopes of exiting that oversight anytime soon remain dim at best.
State destroyed key records on treatment of mentally ill Baltimore detainees, ACLU says
Many of the people incarcerated in the mental health unit are awaiting transfers to psychiatric facilities run by the Maryland Department of Health for evaluation or treatment.
‘I am going to kill,’ a Maryland prisoner warned. And then he did.
Daniel Myers was sentenced last week to 50 additional years in prison for first-degree murder. He had pleaded guilty in February to killing Nicholas Delfosse in May 2023.
‘It’s your word against mine’: Women’s prison officer pleads guilty to misconduct
The charged officer was found by investigators to have given a prisoner “unauthorized privileges,” and to have spoken to her on a recorded phone line more than 800 times in three months.
A prisoner endured months of sexual abuse. Some officers who played a part still have jobs.
The story of Brandon Bowden reveals disturbing truths about the Maryland prison system.
As record heat roils Baltimore, jail detainees left ‘baking’ in cells without AC
The Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services, which runs Baltimore jails, confirmed on Wednesday that one of its facilities has been without air conditioning since Friday after a blower motor malfunctioned on a housing unit tier.
A disaster waiting to happen: Tracking hazmat trucks illegally using Baltimore’s tunnels
The Baltimore Banner observed 40 tanker trucks going through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel, including more than a dozen with hazmat placards typically prohibited from driving through the underpasses.
Woman dies while in custody at Baltimore Central Booking & Intake Center
Helen Williams, 43, of Baltimore, is at least the fourth person to die in 2024 in the custody of the city’s jail system.
Brooklyn Day aftermath: Baltimore Police move to fire two, discipline several others after probe
The disciplinary actions were announced in a terse press release by department officials that did not name any of the officers or shed light on the circumstances of the violations.
Man charged in parole agent’s killing was flagged as combative before fatal visit
The scanner chatter contradicts statements made by the state’s public safety chief, Carolyn Scruggs, that there were no clear warning signs that Sewell posed a risk to Martinez.
Delays in Baltimore rape case led her to a daunting decision: Testify or pay rent
A woman reported that an acquaintance sexually assaulted her in 2023. Then a series of delays and scheduling conflicts began to upend the trial in Baltimore Circuit Court.
After parole agent’s killing, embattled corrections secretary shakes up leadership
The leadership shake-up follows the killing of parole agent Davis Martinez and subsequent calls from the union representing him demanding the resignation of Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Secretary Carolyn Scruggs, accusing her of ignoring health and safety concerns raised by union officials.
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