Our police went after the one suspected of killing Gregory Welsh, and they arrested 25-year-old Kenneth Megginson. Thursday evening, about 6 o'clock, a Baltimore Circuit Court jury found Megginson guilty of second-degree murder and possession and use of a handgun. He'll be sentenced by Judge John A. Howard.
Whistleblower aid
Several e-mails arrived in response to Thursday's column about George Tarburton, the former Maryland Transportation Authority Police officer who says he was forced to resign from his job after blowing the whistle on gaping lapses in security around the Port of Baltimore in 2005.
Tarburton's sacking took place while Robert Ehrlich was governor. Ehrlich's successor, Martin O'Malley, told Tarburton he appreciated whistle-blowers and promised to revisit his case.
But O'Malley did nothing for Tarburton, except uphold the Ehrlich administration position that the 17-year veteran of the port police had violated department rules by talking to a Sun reporter and, further, had surrendered all claims to his old job.
Tarburton is still unable to find a job in law enforcement. He's working as a security guard in Owings Mills. Some readers were outraged.
"Please help this guy," wrote Josh Levy. "No one makes personal sacrifices anymore, and even though this gentleman regrets it, he made the right choice in terms of public safety. As a police officer, isn't that his responsibility? Typical of O'Malley to make a promise to the guy and not follow through."
"Shame on former Gov. Ehrlich, that he took the money away [from] a little man that told the real truth to the Baltimore Sun," wrote Anja White. "Shame on Gov. O'Malley for not reinstating Mr. Tarburton and failing to recognize him for [telling] the honest truth about security issue around the Baltimore port."
Here's another one, from Donnie Zachary, who served in the Marines with Tarburton in the 1980s. "I wanted to thank you for re-shining some light on his unfortunate situation. ... How stupid and narrow-minded local governments can be even at the expense of public safety. Obviously George is bitter and rightly so. I can tell you that he was and clearly is a good man and a better American, a Marine just like me, a brother for life even though I have not seen him in many years. I, like many others, will always be in his corner."
A reader named Virginia Stein asked me to pass along this note: "Dear Mr. Tarburton, please accept my deepest thanks and admiration for your courage, astuteness, and determination in your efforts to protect the citizens of Baltimore. Please stand by your convictions, and don't let yourself be diminished by those who value their jobs more than their spiritual and physical freedom, and their self-respect."
More to come, I'm sure.
Drug dealers, former drug dealers and others with criminal records can obtain information about re-entry programs and jobs by contacting Dan Rodricks at 410-332-6166 or at dan.rodricks@baltsun.com
Dan Rodricks can be heard on "Midday," noon to 2 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, on 88.1, WYPR-FM.
