9384 - Saturday
Aug. 2nd, 2008 11:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
scottobearMet up with the in-laws, and headed to selby sub shoppe - pizza for all, I got a black bean burger and fries. Tasty as all get out!
We planned on heading to Annapolis after to go see Wall-E, but instead we stopped at Toys-R-Us, and picked up Marvel Heroscape and Good Ol' Scrabble.
Heroscape is cute.. sort of like heroclix or D&D miniatures. The fun thing is that it's cross-genre, so you can have cowboys shooting at zombies, fighting robots, ninjas, superheroes and cavemen all on the same board. (and if you like, you can make custom cards for units very easily - so you can have spongebob fighting a paperclip, if you want.) Basic rules are quick and easy... advanced rules look more fun, and maybe another moment or two to learn.
BHK and I opted to head back home after getting our loot - there was a storm brewing... even tornado warning, and we wanted to be curled up at home anyhow.
Watched some tube, lounged, and the in-laws came over - we half watched Micheal Clayton while we played scrabble - Chris dominated.. and she was half asleep. I'd hate to think of what sort of opponant she's make at full mental charge. Chris scored 258 to my 247 and BHK's 162 - and Chris laid all of her letters down first turn... accounting for 63 of those points! I was feeling a little sour-grapey, but not too much... our dictionary is a bit on the lightweight side... time to get something unabridged. The plus size was that it caused me to rethink words I'd use in a pinch... like "QI", but instead, items that are in more everyday language.
The folks went home, but BHK was still up for a wordgame, so we went with another - BHK dominated me at upwords - beat me by more than 40 points.
My brain is melted a bit.. until later, dear journal!
Upgrading the computer in the newtcam room at home - ordered 2 GB more ram for my system (Crucial 2GB Kit (2 x 1GB) DDR2 PC2-4200 UNBUFFERED NON-ECC 240-PIN DIMM, to be specific) -ups my desktop box to a proper 4 gig for less han $50, and a new video card - (EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GT 512 MB DDR3 Superclocked Edition PCI-Express Graphics Card (512-P3-N802-AR) - got it for less than half what it usally costs - $300 card for $160, less anothera $20 rebate for a total of $140
Super saver shipping means possibly slower send times, but the price was right, and I don't need it super soon.. I can wait a week or two.
SWAT team kills 2 dogs in raid on Md. mayor's home
BERWYN HEIGHTS, Md. — A SWAT team raided the home of a Washington, D.C.-area mayor, killing his two black Labrador retrievers and seizing an unopened package of marijuana delivered there.
Prince George's County Police said Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo brought a 32-pound package of marijuana into his home that had been delivered by officers posing as delivery men. The Tuesday evening raid was conducted by county police narcotics officers and a sheriff's office SWAT Team.
The package was addressed to Calvo's wife, Trinity Tomsic. His mother-in-law had asked the supposed delivery men to leave the package outside. Calvo has not been charged, though police said he, his wife and his mother-in-law are "persons of interest" in an ongoing investigation.
"We never opened the box. We have nothing to do with this box," Calvo said.
Sheriff's office spokesman Sgt. Mario Ellis says deputies "apparently felt threatened" when they shot the dogs.
Calvo said officers entered about 7:30 p.m., first shooting 7-year-old Payton. They then pursued 4-year-old Chase, who ran away and was shot by police from behind, he said.
Calvo said he doesn't have any idea how the package ended up at his house. He called the raid "the most traumatic experience" of his life.
Calvo, who called his town "Mayberry inside the Capital Beltway," gets a small stipend as mayor and works at the SEED Foundation, a nonprofit that runs public boarding schools for at-risk students. His wife works as a state finance officer.
"These were two beautiful black Labradors who were well-known in the community. We walked them twice a day; little kids knew their names and would come up to them and pet them," he said.
So... the police brought drugs to the house, and then raided him... but then didn't arrest or press any charges? They *did* however kill his two dogs.
1 year ago - ATW man stolen, Petey Greene / "Talk to me", Vassal, pictures while waiting for the bus, new nuclear reactor in calvert county
2 years ago - paperclips, cross-dressing crooks, reading Pride and Prejudice, I predict a riot, good talking to folks, writely (now google docs)
3 years ago - sick of summer heat, paper robots!, spiffy car, where do they make balloons?, animal crackers, ADP nearly nailed, bugs bunny, heart shaped land, baron von bludd
4 years ago - sleepy, meeting, a year at current gig, 5 senses, scarecrow, codecs, game-dancing, oh danny bot, land of many colors, rain and running newtie-pic
5 years ago - bidet poll, food, vamp game, first gig paid poorly, games on the website
6 years ago - talked to rob (we never got together), baron von bludd, strange black blobs
7 years ago - rainy, Owen Ng, broken drug war link, Thunderstorm, code red, lord humongous
8 years ago - Finished HP2, started hp3, foodies, moved to the 12-8 shift at IMT
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Date: 2008-08-05 02:51 pm (UTC)but... I'll get 'em next time... if I'm worthy!
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Date: 2008-08-04 05:29 pm (UTC)Man it make sme sick and enraged that they shot that poor doggie while he was trying to run. I'd like to knock some sense into PG county cops---as you know I've witnessed their ill-thought actions before when they thought it a good idea to do a car chase through our kid-filled neighborhood with guns drawn! They need some SERIOUS re-training!!!!!!
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Date: 2008-08-04 05:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-04 10:28 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-05 03:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-05 02:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-05 02:48 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-05 03:28 pm (UTC)I was scared silly by the whole event and made a stink---they finally sent Internal Affairs out here to investigate months later---sounds like it didn't do much good!!!
I know there are 2 sides to every story but I'm a bit enraged and can only imagine they probably displayed the same total lack of care for living things that they displayed in our town!!
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Date: 2008-08-05 04:28 pm (UTC)Neighborhood shakeup tonight at about 7pm - A minivan chasing another - apparently the second vehicle had 2-4 people inside with the side doors open and guns showing. The vehicle being chased was honking and swerving all over the place to avoid being shot.
BHK called 911, and the response time was *terrible*, and she was never questioned by the police for a report on the matter. I'll be investigating that situation more tomorrow after work.
I'll have to dig deeper for when we found more info.
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Date: 2008-08-07 02:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-05 02:50 pm (UTC)I remember the shootout... angered me to no end. not even in our county, and they're playing miami vice in the middle of a little podunk community... that's what I like about my neighborhood.. worst crime is shoplifting or theft from a car!
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Date: 2008-08-04 07:34 pm (UTC)Date: July 30, 2008 11:42:16 AM EDT
Subject: Tuesday evening (and night)
Dear Friends and Neighbors-
Yesterday evening, as my mother-in-law prepared dinner and I changed clothes hurrying to head to a community meeting, a heavily-armed county SWAT team burst through our living room door and shot and killed both of our dogs. There were loud voices. In the sights of two high-caliber weapons, I was ushered downstairs in only my boxer shorts before I was bound and forced to kneel on the floor. My mother-in-law was bound face down in the kitchen. The dead body of my bigger and older dog, Payton, laid in a pool of blood on the other side of the living room.
It was some time before someone spoke to me other than to yell orders. I was told there was a warrant but was never shown one. After many questions and much anger, I was told that they had intercepted a package addressed to our house that contained 32 pounds of marijuana. The large, white box, which I just had retrieved from the front porch, sat unopened on a living room table.
The county police then proceeded to turn our house upside-down. I was moved to the kitchen, where I could see my little dog, Chase, lying in his own pool of blood. My mother-in-law watched them shoot him while he was running away. After about 90 minutes, they finally removed my restraints, which tied my hands behind my back. About the same time, Animal Control came to remove our dogs. Emotions overtook me; I broke down and sobbed.
They asked questions. Through my anger, hurt, and confusion, I answered them. Trinity came home from work a little after 8:00 pm, and they questioned her outside. We both were and remain in shock. It does not make sense, but shared what we could. About three-and-a-half hours passed before they acknowledged that they had found nothing to connect us to the box, but could not be 100 certain whether or not we were involved. The package alone was enough to arrest us all, they said, but they would not so long as we continued to cooperate.
Then they left. The broken front door remained open and unsecured. Blood from my dogs was pooled and tracked throughout the house. Our belongings were pulled from drawers, closets, and trunks and tossed about, piled in the middle of rooms and on tables and beds.
A Berwyn Heights officer on the scene helped me get the door shut. Just after midnight, I began to clean up the blood. We put a few things back. Trinity and I tried to sleep. Instead, we both laid there through the night as disbelief, fear, and anger played off one another. We try to make sense of it. They invaded our home and killed our dogs! That, above all else, can't be undone.
A friend came this morning to secure the door. People have begun to call, and the outpouring of friendship and support brings tears to my eyes. The media calls have begun, as well.
I wanted to get this out so that you at least hear the story from me. This promises to be a lengthy process, which will involve telling and re-living this story time and again. Hopefully, the healing will begin soon.
Warm regards,
Cheye (Mayor of Berwyn Heights
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Date: 2008-08-04 07:36 pm (UTC)Prince George's County Police said Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo brought a 32-pound package of marijuana into his home that had been delivered by officers posing as delivery men. The Tuesday evening raid was conducted by county police narcotics officers and a sheriff's office SWAT Team.
The package was addressed to Calvo's wife, Trinity Tomsic. His mother-in-law had asked the supposed delivery men to leave the package outside. Calvo has not been charged, though police said he, his wife and his mother-in-law are "persons of interest" in an ongoing investigation.
"We never opened the box. We have nothing to do with this box," Calvo said.
Sheriff's office spokesman Sgt. Mario Ellis says deputies "apparently felt threatened" when they shot the dogs.
Calvo said officers entered about 7:30 p.m., first shooting 7-year-old Payton. They then pursued 4-year-old Chase, who ran away and was shot by police from behind, he said.
Calvo said he doesn't have any idea how the package ended up at his house. He called the raid "the most traumatic experience" of his life.
Calvo, who called his town "Mayberry inside the Capital Beltway," gets a small stipend as mayor and works at the SEED Foundation, a nonprofit that runs public boarding schools for at-risk students. His wife works as a state finance officer.
"These were two beautiful black Labradors who were well-known in the community. We walked them twice a day; little kids knew their names and would come up to them and pet them," he said.
Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-04 07:36 pm (UTC)Berwyn Heights Mayor Cheye Calvo is still reeling after a team of heavily armed sheriff deputies burst into his home Wednesday.
"It was an explosion followed immediately by gunfire," said Calvo.
The deputies bound the mayor and fired shots, killing the Calvo's two black Labradors. Calvo tearfully expressed his love for his "good dogs" while showing ABC 7 reporter Brad Bell, exactly where they were shot by a Prince George's county sheriff.
According to sources, the deputies armed with a warrant were acting on behalf of a drug squad for Prince George's County Police. Detectives had learned that a box containing more than 30 pounds of marijuana had been shipped from Arizona and was addressed to Calvo's wife at their Berwyn Heights address.
After the Calvo's brought, unknowingly they claim, the package into their home Tuesday evening, the waiting officers moved in. The Calvo's said the box wasn't even opened when the officers stormed into their residence.
When asked if he is a drug dealer, Calvo said, "Of course not!" The mayor said he has no idea where the marijuana came from.
Neither Calvo, his wife nor her mother, who also lives in the home, have been arrested or charged with anything. Police said the investigation remains open.
The Calvo's insisted the investigation shouldn't involve them, saying the event was very traumatic to deal with. "We have to heal," said Calvo.
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Date: 2008-08-07 10:19 am (UTC)PALMER PARK, Md. (WUSA) - - The raid on the home of the mayor of Berwyn Heights has led to new evidence and two arrests.
Prince George's County Police say their investigation of the marijauna smuggling case has not completely cleared Mayor Cheye Calvo and his wife, but it's come close.
"It's most likely they were innocent victims," said Chief Melvin High.
Investigators say the two suspects now being questioned have been linked to the 32 pounds of marijuana found in a package addressed to the mayor's wife, Trinity Tomsic. The package was seized in the July 29th raid after police officers, posing as delivery men, dropped the package off at Calvo's home.
"We have two arrests. One had some involvement in the parcel delivery. It was an an independent contractor. The other person was the intended person for the parcel," said Major Mark Magaw, commander of the county's narcotics enforcement division.
Police announced they had seized 417 pounds of marijuana worth about $3.6 million dollars. Another 100 pounds was confiscated today.
The seizures are linked to different people allegedly involved in using the parcel delivery system in this region and nationwide to smuggle drugs. Investigators are trying to sort out whether the two suspects arrested and the other individuals are all part of the same drug organization.
Yet, many questions remain about the execution of a search warrant on Calvo's home. Berwyn Heights Police Chief Patrick Murphy says county officers and the Sheriff's Department SWAT team did not request or receive the authority to enter without knocking or announcing themselves.
"The law simply does not allow police officers to take this kind of initiative on their own without extremely grave, urgent, exigent circumstances or the authorization of a judge," said Chief Murphy.
According to Murphy, state law does allow for exceptions when a judge grants permission because of information presented or circumstances that indicate the officers could be in endangered or evidence destroyed.
The warrant obtained by county police does not list any evidence of weapons being present or any history of violence at the 8522 Edmonston Road address. Chief High told reporters officers did nothing wrong when they broke down Calvo's door, killed the family's two Labrador retrievers, and handcuffed the mayor.
"This appeared to be a major drug trafficking activity,...and violence and the use of a firearm is quite often associated with that," said Chief High.
Sheriff Michael Jackson offered another explanation for why his SWAT officers did not knock and request entry.
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Date: 2008-08-07 10:19 am (UTC)Mayor Calvo will discuss the arrest of suspects and the warrant issue at a news conference Thursday. His attorney, Timothy Maloney, issued a written statement blasting the explanation for a "no-knock" entry:
"These arrests confirm that Trinity Tomsic was a random victim of identity theft at the hands of major drug traffickers. This crime was compounded by law enforcement when it illegally invaded the Calvo home, tied up the mayor and his mother-in-law, and killed the family dogs. The suggestion that Mayor Calvo's mother-in-law's reaction to seeing a SWAT team in her front yard justified an illegal no-knock entry is outrageous," said Maloney in the statement.
The mayor's counsel also disputes authorities claims that they killed the dogs, Chase and Payton, because one of the dogs was coming at officers. Maloney says one dog was running away and the other was shot some distance from the front door.
Still, county law enforcement officials say they do not owe the Calvo's an apology. Chief High defended the officers actions, but expressed regret over the death of the dogs.
"I'm an animal lover, a pet owner myself and so, I can certainly sympathize with that," Chief High said.
"There's nothing that can replace those animals that they [Calvos] dearly loved, and I'm sure will hold close in their hearts for the rest of their lives. But I think an apology from the police chief and the county sheriff would certainly go a long way towards healing this, this community," said Chief Murphy.
Maloney told 9 NEWS NOW that no decision has been made about whether the Calvos will file a lawsuit. He says at this point the couple wants to know how this happened, and how police can prevent it from every happening again to innocent people.
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Date: 2008-09-05 05:33 pm (UTC)UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (AP) -- Prince George's County Sheriff Michael Jackson says an internal review has determined that deputies were justified when they shot and killed two dogs during a raid at the home of Berwyn Heights mayor Cheye Calvo.
Calvo, however, is not satisfied. He says the inquiry was incomplete. A Maryland Department of Agriculture veterinarian determined one dog was shot four times and the other twice, including once in the hind legs. Calvo says the findings are evidence that the officers weren't threatened and one dog was shot while fleeing. Authorities raided Calvo's home July 29 after police intercepted a 32-pound package of marijuana addressed to Calvo's wife. Police later determined the couple were victims of a smuggling scheme in which drugs addressed to unsuspecting recipients were intercepted by a deliveryman.