Essex Man

An Essex man testified yesterday that when Baltimore County police Officer William R. Goodman tried to take his fingerprints at the Essex Precinct on July 29, 1995, Goodman used racial epithets and repeatedly struck him.But some testimony given by convicted drug dealer Melvin Maddox in Baltimore County Circuit Court conflicted with that of officers who testified this week against Goodman, who faces several charges in the incident.Goodman, who has been suspended with pay and could face a three-year prison term, was indicted by a county grand jury on a hate-crime charge, accused of using a racial epithet against Maddox, 25, at the Essex precinct.

Theft charges dropped against school employee Prosecutors dropped a Baltimore District Court case Tuesday against a former public schools employee accused of stealing payroll checks. In July, Latanya Bunch, 37, was charged with three counts of theft over $500 and four counts under $500, but prosecutors declined to prosecute this week. Their reason was not immediately available. Bunch, who worked as a secretary at Reginald F. Lewis High School, says she lost her job over the charges, which she says she's innocent of. This is the second time Bunch has been charged with crimes that prosecutors ultimately dropped.

A Baltimore woman was arrested Monday afternoon on theft charges after she tried to steal more than $500 worth of clothes from a Lerner store in the mall at Marley Station, county police said.Rixie Groay, 26, the manager of the store, told police she noticed two women take clothes from a display rack about 4:30 p.m. and hide them in a shopping bag. Both women then left the store without paying for the merchandise. Two mall security officers stopped one woman, but the other escaped in a a black Toyota Camry, police said.

In Baltimore City Two lives claimed by gunshots, stabbing on city streets Two people were killed -- one stabbed and the other shot -- in separate incidents yesterday morning, Baltimore police reported. Investigators have no suspect or motive in either case. An unidentified man in his 20s was found in the 2000 block of E. North St. about 1:35 a.m. He had been shot in the back and abdomen and was pronounced dead at Johns Hopkins Hospital. About 7 a.m., Romaine White, 37, of the 1900 block of Division St. was found at Charles and Lombard streets, suffering from multiple stab wounds.

Panel backs utility regulation The Senate Finance Committee has approved legislation to give Maryland regulators more authority to direct utilities to build new power plants. The 6-4 vote Tuesday sends the measure to the full Senate. The bill would restore some of the authority the state's Public Service Commission lost after the state decided to deregulate in 1999. High energy bills have caused many lawmakers to consider the 1999 decision a mistake, but industry representatives say markets have not had enough time to translate deregulation into cheaper electricity bills.

After pushing a female companion out of harm's way, a 19-year-old Essex man was hit by a truck Friday night and hospitalized for his injuries, Baltimore County police said. Kwante Betters and Lauren Bielanski, both 19, were trying to find jumper cables after their van stalled on Southeast Boulevard near Turkey Point Road in Essex about 10 p.m. Friday, according to police. Betters saw a red Ford F-150 pickup truck approaching and pushed Bielanski out of its path. The truck struck the disabled van and Betters, throwing him into the road.

Man killed in fire in Reisterstown A man died in a fire near Reisterstown yesterday, county fire officials said. The fire started about 11:45 a.m. in a single-family home in the 200 block of Church Road. Firefighters found heavy fire in the front of the house and smoke throughout. Robert Eugene Peeling, 48, was dead in a front bedroom, the Fire Department said. Firefighters said they were familiar with the address because they had made medical calls there in the past. The man lived alone, the department said.

Essex man, 26, charged with injuring boy who died An Essex man has been charged with severely injuring a 2-year-old boy left in his care who later died, Baltimore County police said yesterday. Arron A. Bogan, 26, of the first block of Cedar Drive was arrested Thursday and charged with first-degree child abuse, police said. Jordan Adams, his girlfriend's son, died early Friday at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was being treated for head injuries, said Bill Toohey, a police spokesman. Jordan's mother, Heather Meyers, left the boy with Bogan at his apartment for a few hours Oct. 28 and returned to find her son asleep, according to court documents.

NATIONAL Alito hearings draw to a close Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr. sparred for the last time with Senate Democrats, emerging from four days of sometimes fierce, sometimes lackluster confirmation hearings with few political wounds. pg 1a WORLD Saudi pilgrimage turns deadly At least 345 worshippers were killed in a stampede at one of Islam's holiest sites yesterday, tainting the annual hajj pilgrimage to the Muslim religion's birthplace in Saudi Arabia. pg 8a MARYLAND Ehrlich veto overridden The state General Assembly overrode Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr.'s veto of legislation requiring Wal-Mart to pay more for employee health care.

TOWSON -- The final round of public hearings in the county's quadrennial comprehensive rezoning process will begin tomorrow night when the County Council meets at Franklin High School, 12000 Reisterstown Road, to hear concerns about issues in the 3rd Councilmanic District, which covers Owings Mills and the north and western county.A hearing on issues in the southwestern 1st District is scheduled for Thursday night at Lansdowne High, 3800 Hollins Ferry Road. Another on issues in the northwestern 2nd District will be held Sept.