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February 23, 2010

Cult starvation trial opens

It may be one of the most bizarre criminal cases to come through a Baltimore courtroom - and that's saying a lot. On Monday, opening statements took place in the trial of three accused cult members who have been charged with killing a toddler because he wouldn't say his prayers. The defendants have chosen to represent themselves - which always makes for a circus of a trial - and one of the members pleaded guilty to a plea agreement that stipulates that the charges be dropped if the baby is resurrected. It's believed to be the one plea agreement of its kind.

"This is going to be something of a unique circumstance for all of us," Judge Timothy J. Doory warned the newly seated jury Monday afternoon, shortly before Assistant State's Attorney Julie Drake took the floor.

Posted by Justin Fenton at 10:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Courts and the justice system

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About Peter Hermann

Peter Hermann started covering news for The Baltimore Sun in 1990, first in Anne Arundel County and, starting in 1994, reporting on the Baltimore Police Department. In 2001, he was assigned to Jerusalem as the Baltimore Sun's Middle East correspondent. He returned in 2005 as an assistant city editor overseeing crime coverage. In 2008, Peter returned to the beat as a daily reporter and blogger. A recent BBC report featured him in a segment on the harsh realities of covering crime in Baltimore.

Coverage will focus on crime trends, problems in neighborhoods in the city and elsewhere, profiles of victims and police officers and try to offer readers a fresh perspective on one of the most vexing issues facing Baltimore and its future.

Contributing to this blog is Justin Fenton, who joined The Sun in 2005 and has covered the Baltimore City Police Department and the criminal justice system since 2008. His work includes an investigation into Cal Ripken Jr.’s minor league baseball stadium deal with his hometown of Aberdeen, a three-part series chronicling a ruthless con woman, coverage of the killing of five Amish children at a schoolhouse in Nickel Mines, Pa., and a job swap with a British crime reporter to explore differences in crime-fighting. A special report looking into how city police handle rape cases led to sweeping reforms that changed the way sexual assaults are investigated in Baltimore. He was recognized as the best reporter in Baltimore by the City Paper in 2010 and by Baltimore Magazine in 2011.

Follow @phscoop, @justin_fenton on Twitter