As the General Assembly moves to create an independent police commission, key lawmakers say one of its first priorities should be to develop a statewide policy on how officers use stun guns across Maryland. The commission's mandate would be to adopt "use of force" policies recommended by the U.S....
State lawmakers on Wednesday called the routine shackling and strip-searching of youths in the state's juvenile justice facilities "simply unacceptable" and demanded an "immediate" end to the practices. Nearly three dozen members of the House of Delegates, all Democrats, made the demand in a letter...
As part of its continuing coverage of Freddie Gray’s death, The Baltimore Sun is examining some of the intractable problems that affected his life — and still trouble thousands of city residents. This series of occasional articles has focused on lead poisoning, segregation in public housing and...
Heather Elizabeth Cook is the second-ranking official in the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland. The 58-year old is charged with manslaughter, driving while intoxicated and leaving the scene of an accident in the death of bicyclist Thomas Palermo on Dec. 27, 2014, in Roland Park.
Baltimore City has paid about $5.7 million since 2011 over lawsuits claiming that police officers brazenly beat up alleged suspects. One hidden cost: The perception that officers are violent can poison the relationship between residents and police.
A two-month investigation by The Baltimore Sun highlighted troubles at a LifeLine Inc. group home for disabled foster children, where a 10-year-old died in July. The Sun showed that state regulators were left in the dark about significant problems at LifeLine, including the founder’s conviction...
The seafood black market is a hidden, but lucrative world. Wild-caught illegal imports are worth $1.3 to $2.1 billion annually across the United States, the world's second-largest importer of seafood. Fraudulent mislabeling of species – like foreign crab as more expensive Maryland crab— is a common...
Baltimore Sun staff writers Scott Calvert and Luke Broadwater;spent more than six months investigating the proliferation of speed cameras in the region. They obtained detailed citation data from Baltimore City, Baltimore County and the State Highway Administration, which oversees the state's highway...
The largest bill in Maryland history weighs in at nearly 11 pounds. It stands 14 inches tall. It was conceived of 45 years ago, and took eight years to draft. It doesn't change a single public policy. Rather, the first full rewrite of the state's liquor laws since Prohibition is the final step...
The Obama administration has proposed new rules that would require seafood importers to better record the who, what, when, where and how of the fish they bring into the country. "Traceability is a key tool for combating illicit activities that threaten valuable natural resources, increase global...
A foundation associated with the University System of Maryland is requesting bids from contractors for a $125,000 kitchen renovation in the Baltimore County mansion it provides for its chief executive. In December the executive committee of The University System of Maryland Foundation discussed...
When Martin O'Malley decided in November to rely on public financing for his struggling presidential campaign, he was tossing a Hail Mary with a federal program that watchdog groups say is in need of a major overhaul. The former Maryland governor was also ensuring he could pay off his debts when...
A beer and wine store in Montgomery County sold the most tickets of any of Maryland's 4,481 lottery retailers during the Powerball roll that ended with a record jackpot, according to state records. Retailers in the Washington suburbs dominated state sales as players sought a share of a jackpot...
When the House of Delegates voted to override Gov. Larry Hogan's veto of a bill to speed restoration of felons' voting rights last month, Del. Craig Zucker of Montgomery County cast one of the 85 votes needed. When the same bill comes up in the state Senate this week, Zucker — sworn in as a senator...