2006 Birmingham homicides

This is a List of Birmingham homicides in 2006. A total of 110 homicides were reported within the city limits during 2006. Note that a "homicide" refers to the cause of death as determined by a medical examiner, not to the commission of the crime of murder as charged by police and prosecutors.

The homicide rate for the city of Birmingham, based on the 2005 census estimate of 231,483 population, was 47.5 homicides per 100,000 population for the year. Birmingham had 105 homicides in 2005, 64 in 2004, and a record of 141 in 1992.

Birmingham averaged 9.2 homicides per month, or one every 3.32 days. June was the deadliest month, with 13 homicides vs. a low of 4 in October. The longest stretch without a homicide occurred in the 15 days between October 2 and 16, 2006.

Birmingham Police detectives have cleared 72 of the 110 recorded homicides (64.2%). Four were ruled justifiable, two by reason of self-defense and two police shootings which survived review by the Jefferson County District Attorney. One other shootings by Birmingham Police are still under review. Of the 110 cases, at least 66 led to arrests and 47 to criminal charges. Suspects were convicted in 15 cases and pleaded guilty in 19 more. Three cases ended in acquittals and charges were dropped in two others. One conviction was reached with improper testimony at trial, and may be require a retrial.

44 of the 110 homicides took place within a residence, while 26 occurred on a street. Of those for which the circumstances are known, at least 14 homicides originated in domestic disturbances; 7 were initiated by robberies, and 21 occurred during heated arguments. 60 cases have been listed with no known motive.

Listing by date

1. January 1: Byron Wilson, 33, found shot in SUV at Cedar Tree Apartments, 1532 17th Street South (Southside) (map), no arrest. [1]
2. January 2: Deborah Robertson, 43, stabbed at 1107 47th Place North (map), no arrest. [2]
3. January 4: George Capers, 43, found beaten to death on 7400 block of 67th Street South (Gate City), (map) no arrest. [3]
4. January 7: Curtis Shepard, 42, shot after an argument at home, 508 Center Street South (Goldwire) (map). Shepard's stepson, Tyree Montell Hicks, 23 was charged with capital murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter. [4]
5. January 9: James Barnes, 21, shot at 2729 Jefferson Avenue. Case cleared by detectives. [5]
6. January 11: Joe Stephen Farmer, 56, found on 14th Street North on January 2. Danny Turner, 47, in custody. [6]
7. January 17: Tawfig Sharif, 27, found in store at 1200 40th Street Ensley, Moshen Musa, 16, free on bond. [7]
8. January 22: L'Oreal N. Bussey, 27, found shot in bed with her boyfriend, Reginald Taylor, at Michael J. Mays' house 829 28th Street Southwest (Powderly) after a party. Mays, 19, returned to the house with a gun and shot the couple 15 times. He was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole in 2007. [8]
9. January 22: Reginald M. Taylor, 29, found shot along with his girlfriend, L'Oreal Bussey, at Michael J. Mays' house at 829 28th Street Southwest (Powderly). Mays, 19, returned to the house with a gun and shot the couple 15 times. He was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole in 2007. [9]
10. January 22: Allen Dunn, 22, was hit by a bullet during robbery at Mike's Crossroads, 1010 3rd Avenue North (Central City neighborhood). No arrest. [10]
11. January 23: Antonio King, 21, shot in yard of 500 Princeton Avenue Southwest (West End), grandmother, 71, in custody. [11]
12. February 1: Milton Poole III, 16, was killed in car at 19th Street Ensley & Avenue V Ensley, Esaw "Wolf" Jackson and Milton Edwards were taken into custody. Jackson was convicted and sentenced to death, but the Alabama Supreme Court found that improper testimony was allowed at trial and sent the case back to the Court of Criminal Appeals to determine if a retrial should be held. (report)
13. February 1: Pamela Montgomery, 42, killed in car at 19th Street Ensley & Avenue V Ensley. Esaw "Wolf" Jackson and Milton Edwards were taken into custody. Jackson was convicted and sentenced to death, but the Alabama Supreme Court found that improper testimony was allowed at trial and sent the case back to the Court of Criminal Appeals to determine if a retrial should be held. (report)
14. February 7: Joseph Richardson, 46, found dead at 1629 20th Street Alley Ensley, no arrest. [12]
15. February 13: Audrey Price, 23, shot on I-65 at 3rd Avenue South (Southside), no arrest. Suspect was driving a black Chevrolet Tahoe. $5,000 reward offered by state for information leading to conviction. [13]
16. February 18: Demetrius Hamilton, 41, stabbed in 1200 block of 10th Avenue North (Fountain Heights), Case cleared by detectives. [14]
17. Februrary 22: Anthony Sanderson, 39, shot January 19 outside 777 Arcade at 900 4th Avenue North (Graymont), no arrest. [15]
18. March 4: Steven Hines, 24, was shot 7 times in an argument at the Wing Out restaurant, 801 3rd Avenue West (Smithfield). Andrew Bonner was arrested and charged with intentional murder, but was acquitted at trial in February 2008. [16]
19. March 10: Wendy Reno, 32, of Hayden found in Anchor Motel, 8420 1st Avenue North (East Lake), no arrest. [17]
20. March 10: John Oliver, 53, found on sidewalk 1200 block of 14th Avenue South (Southside). Earlie Robinson, 40 in custody. [18]
21. March 11: Franco Johnson, 18, shot on 300 block of 20th Street South (Southside) . Jarvis Craig, 20, was arrested 11 days after the shooting and charged with murder. He was acquitted in November 2007. [19]
22. March 11: Dominic Ware, 16 mos, found at 4800 block of Avenue O (Ensley) (map). Jorge Latrice Carter convicted of capital murder and sentenced to life without parole. [20]
23. March 22: James Starkes, 55, was shot in a car at 10th Street West & 6th Avenue North (Graymont), Cornelius Callins Jr, 21, was arrested and indicted for murder, but the charges were dismissed. (report)
24. March 28: Taurus Frost, 22, was found shot in car with his girlfriend's son and niece (unharmed) at 1304 34th Street Ensley (Ensley), Randy Lamont Lewis, 19, was convicted of capital murder in May 2007 and sentenced to death. His sentence was upheld by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals in October 2009. [21]
25. March 31: Timothy Woods, 45, stabbed on 3000 block of 29th Avenue North (North Birmingham), Angela Woods, 40, in custody. [22]
26. April 3: Dakota Jackson, 3 months old, was killed at 718 Attalla Place (Wylam). Her mother Tiffany Jackson pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. (report)
27. April 7: Leviticus Campbell, 17, found shot on 6800 block of Higdon Road (Woodlawn/East Lake). no arrest.[23]
28. April 11: Man found dead of gunshot wound on 1100 block of 2nd Court West (Rising West-Princeton), Case cleared by detectives. [24]
29. April 13: Robert Farrow, 23, found shot behind house at 801 Tarpon Drive (Roebuck)
30. April 15: Anthony White, 21, shot in his car with an SKS rifle outside the Brookstone Apartments at 4141 Pinson Valley Parkway (NW Bham). Timothy Earl Wilkerson, 20, was convicted of capital murder of a person inside a vehicle and sentenced to life without parole. (report)
31. April 18: Marcus Cole, 23, found dead in apartment at 1328 Princeton Avenue (West End). [25]
32. April 22: Marquell Savage, 20, found dead in the 800 block of Cherry Avenue (Pratt City). Jerel Young pleaded guilty to felony murder and was sentenced to life. (report)
33. May 5: James McClellan, 55, shot multiple times in back yard of his house, 5125 Lincoln Avenue (Brownlee Heights). [26]
34. May 9: Tony Stevens, 29, found shot on 400 block of Oakmont Street at Pittsburgh Avenue (Sherman Heights), no arrest. [27]
35. May 11: Michael Smith, 40, found shot to death near alley in 1000 block of 4th Court West, no arrest.[28]
36. May 13: Reginald Hall, 18, shot in parking lot at 316 Iota Avenue. Jamaal King pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 22 years. Fredrick Swanson and Jermaine Williams also pleaded guilty to murder and were sentenced to 5 years each. (report)
37. May 14: Marlin Perryman, 53, stabbed in yard of his house in the 600 block of 27th Street Southwest. Case cleared by detectives. [29]
38. May 23: Unknown male found in burned car at 700 block of Eastern Manor Circle (East Pinson Valley). Case cleared by detectives. [30]
39. May 22: Stephanie Carson, 38, shot at home at 241 Fox Glenn Road (Apple Valley). Derrick Carson, 40 in custody.
40. May 22: Tymisha Green, 31, found shot at 2128 Carlos Avenue. Suspect Ivan Ashley Garner, 29, remains at large. [31]
41. May 27: Marion Johnson, 18, shot at 3000 block of 29th Court North. Case cleared by detectives. [32]
42. May 28: John Fitzgerald Lee, 41, found shot inside residence at 6805 68th Street South. Suspect identified, no charges filed. [33]
43. June 9: Walter Hill, 91, shot at home, 1308 4th Place North in Enon Ridge, which was then set on fire. Two men seen fleeing in Hill's pickup truck which was recovered on the Center Street Bridge. Derrol Shaw pleaded guilty to murder in January 2008 and was sentenced to life without parole. (report)
44. June 9: James Martin, 27, killed in shootout at Forest Hills Village Apartments at 2600 block of Tempest Drive in Powderly. Two suspects in custody. [34]
45. June 11: Casey Jones, 24, stabbed during an argument at Chubby's Restaurant & Lounge, 2512 16th Street North. Ronnie Abraham Williams was charged with murder, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter in July 2008. He was sentenced to 20 years with a minimum of 5 years served and 5 years probation. [35]
46. June 13: Steven Robinson, 42, stabbed at 3rd Avenue South and 78th Street South (South East Lake). Suspect Terry Lykes, 39, remains at large. [36]
47. June 14: Jerry Foreman, 44, found in Room 8 of Alabama Motel at 746 Forestdale Boulevard. No arrest. Governor Bob Riley has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the case. [37]
48. June 14: Fredrick James Bennett, 20, found dead in vehicle on 500 block of 9th Avenue West, College Hills. [38]
49. June 16: Lloyd Barker, 52, murdered on 500 block of 23rd Street Ensley and house set on fire. Alvin Rogers, 44, in custody and also charged with kidnaping and attempted murder of a 43 year-old woman. report
50. June 18: Otis Towns, 18, shot in residence on 300 block of Cross Creek Court. Suspect Earnest Reeves pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 5 years. (report)
51. June 21: Teresa Peoples, 54, was shot during home invasion at 3414 39th Street North by assailant. No arrest. $5,000 reward offered by state for information leading to conviction. report
52. June 25: Alejandro Guzman, 31, was shot in truck in front of his home, the Fox Valley Apartments at 601 Valley Avenue. No arrest. Governor Bob Riley has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the case. report
53. June 25: An unnamed man was stabbed in altercation at Alabama Highway 269 and Parson Loop Road. 18 year-old male suspect in custody. report
54. June 27: Daniel Woods, 22, shot multiple times at 4 Center Place North, in the Center Park Plaza Apartments. No arrest. report
55. June 29: Excell Turner, 65 shot in the chest at the door of his home at 4927 7th Avenue Wylam. No arrest. $5,000 reward offered by state for information leading to conviction. report
56. July 9: Robert McCurry, 27, stabbed in abdomen at Carson Crest Apartments, 1401 Carson Road. Jonathan Godfrey, 43, was convicted of capital murder in the assault on his estranged wife's boyfriend and sentenced to life in prison. report
57. July 11: Jasmine Parker, 17, was found strangled with her throat slit in apartment at 2716 34th Avenue North. Justin Matthew White, already serving a life sentence for the murder of Sirrea Black in Hoover, was identified as a prime suspect by DNA evidence. He was charged in February 2009, convicted in December of the same year, and sentenced to death in February 2010. (report)
58. July 15: Mikale Woods, 21, killed in gunfight at 1600 Block of Avenue T (Ensley). A third victim/assailant was hospitalized.
59. July 15: Christopher Richburg, 29, killed in gunfight at 1600 Block of Avenue T (Ensley). 3rd victim/assailant hospitalized.
60. July 15: Jamell Gamble, 16, shot at 17th Avenue North and 33rd Street (Norwood). Eugene Stafford, 31 and Alvanus Walker, 36 were arrested and charged. Stafford was convicted of killing Gamble, a marijuana dealer, in revenge for a previous attack on Walker. The district attorney announced that he will move to drop charges against Walker. [39]
61. July 16: Aqua Morgan, 30, shot at 5104 9th Avenue North in a disagreement over territory for cocaine sales. Huey Person, Jr was sentence to 30 years in prison for intentional murder in December 2007. [40]
62. July 19: Jamal O. Brown, 31, shot at wheel of truck at Vinesville Convenience Store at 101 Vinesville Road near Avenue J Ensley (Vinesville). Ladarius Jerrell Lucas was arrested and charged with capital murder in January 2007. He pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 25 years. (report)
63. July 27: Emanuel Townes, 46, found dead in vacant house at 1426 32nd Street North. No arrest. Governor Bob Riley has offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in the case. [41]
64. July 28: Dorothy Freeman, 75, found dead in house at 1607 Avenue F Ensley. No arrest. [42]
65. July 31: Joseph Bussey, 53, shot in home in 500 block of 64th Place South. No arrest. [43]
66. August 1: Jawanna Taylor, 28 found shot on 1000 block of 4th Avenue West. No arrest. [44]
67. August 3: Terrence West, 32, shot in car at 2200 Slayden Avenue in Wylam. No arrest. $5,000 reward offered. [45]
68. August 7: Ryant Dewayne Smith, 19, found dead of gunshot wound in double homicide on Globe Street and Lillian Street in Roosevelt City. No arrests. [46]
69. August 7: George Powell Jr, 23, found dead of gunshot wound in double homicide on Globe Street and Lillian Street in Roosevelt City. No arrests. [47]
70. August 10: Tyderrius Leshore, 26, found shot to death in SUV behind house on 400 block of 9th Street West. Lionel Scurry pleaded guilty to robbery and murder and was sentenced to 7 years. Anthony Archie pleaded to felony murder and was sentenced to 5 years (report)
71. August 14: Cordarrius Collins, 16, shot at home 7300 block of 4th Avenue South, Teryl Waller, 35, charged. [48]
72. August 16: Eddie George, 51, shot in apartment at 2101 19th Courth North, Druid Hills. Shantelle Hardy was charged with capital murder. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 15 years. (report)
73. August 21: Rahmon Roundtree, 25, shot in alley behind 100 block of Roosevelt Court Way in Southwest Birmingham. Anthony Acoff, Jr and Tony McCardell pleaded guilty to manslaughter and were sentenced to 3 years each. (report)
74. August 26: Vernon Whitlow, 29, shot outside nightclub in 200 block of 8th Avenue West. [49]
75. August 26: Rickey Gross, 38, shot 14 times by police at his cousin's house on 44th Street North in Inglenook (map). The shooting was ruled justifiable by the District Attorney. [50]
76. August 28: Max O'Shields, 76, found dead from multiple gunshot wounds to the head at 4612 7th Avenue Wylam. Tyrone Burts was charged with capital murder. He pleaded guilty to felony murder and was sentenced to life. (report)
77. August 29: Willie Morrow, 30, shot in front of apartment at 7721 5th Avenue South in South East Lake. Prosecuters have determined the homicide to have been justified as self-defense and no charges are filed. [51]
78. September 3: Ebony Jones, 22, found dead in her bed from gunshot wound in home on Dugan Avenue in Pratt City. Her 2002 white Mustang is missing. [52]
79. September 9: Vincente Lopez, 34, of Chattanooga shot in car at intersection of 3rd Avenue North and 11th Street Downtown. [53]
80. September 9: Marlon Edwards, 34, brought to Princeton Baptist Medical Center, then transported to UAB Hospital. Case cleared by detectives. [54]
81. September 18: George Amerson, 22 months old, was killed by stray rifle fire at Uptown Apartments, 1517 19th Street North in Druid Hills (map). $15,000 in rewards was offered for information leading to a conviction. Markeith Williams, who opened fire on a rival with an AK-47 near the apartments, was arrested and charged with capital murder in May 2007. He was convicted on the lesser charge of reckless murder in December 2008 and sentenced to life in prison. [55]
82. September 23: Marvin Shelton, 23, found shot on the 2300 block of South Park Drive in the Central Park neighborhood. Dartanya Williams, the estranged husband of Shelton's girlfriend, was charged with capital murder. He admitted to killing Shelton inside his wife's apartment after bringing their four children to her at 3:30 AM. He claims that Shelton attacked him and he acted in self-defense. He was convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter during an August 2008 trial presided over by Alfred Bahakel, who sentenced him to 20 years. (report)
83. September 29: Rodney Juddine, 41, shot by police investigating an auto theft on the 3800 block of Gray Avenue Southwest, near Jefferson Avenue Southwest in Powderly. [56]
84. September 30: Roderick McGraw, 52, shot by Yellow Cab driver during attempted robbery in 200 block of 47th Place North in Woodlawn. Prosecutors declined to charge the driver, ruling the homicide justifiable. [57]
85. October 2: Patrick Taylor, 38, found shot to death in house at 3350 Altamont Road. No arrest. [58]
86. October 17: Demetrius Mitchell, 18, found shot in alley behind 200 block of 73rd Street North in the Wahouma neighborhood. Anthony Gardner, 18, charged with murder. [59]
87. October 19: Mario Peoples, 26, was stabbed at a residence at 1909 8th Street NW. Robert Thrash pleaded guilty to manslaughter in November 2007 and was sentenced to three years in prison. (report)
88. October 29: Audie Murphy, 42, shot while assaulting a police officer at the 3300 block of 15th Court North. Officer William Raymond was injured in the assault. [60]
89. November 3: Eddie Clark, 53, a paraplegic, shot in bed at home on the 4300 block of 4th Avenue South in Avondale (map). Nephew Robert Clark, 28, in custody and charged with murder. [61]
90. November 9: Jajuan Wilson, 18, was shot after argument outside gas station in 300 block of Oporto-Madrid Boulevard South (map). Quinton Brown was convicted of murder and sentenced to 30 years (report)
91. November 9: Samuel Perryman, 2, killed at home at 1305 Western Valley Road in East Thomas.(map) Dexter Arrington, 36, pleaded guilty to capital murder. [62]
92. November 10: Jackie Stevens, 34, found in front of apartment building on 400 block of 1st Street West. (map) Police have charged Omar Keron Pickett, 29, who remains at large. [63]
93. November 11: Julius Goodman, 42, found dead from gunshot wound in 1000 block of 30th Street North (map). Case cleared by detectives. [64]
94. November 15: Unknown male found in alley behind 6300 block of 1st Avenue North in East Lake. Case cleared by detectives. (map). [65]
95. November 15: Sabrina Hill, 28, found shot in doorway on 3000 block of 29th Court North (map). Roy Murphy Rutledge, 34, charged with murder, but remains at large. [66]
96. November 17: Ricky Hale, 25, shot multiple times after argument at 33rd Street North and 27th Court North in Collegeville. (map). Jonathan Maurice Williams, 18, arrested and charged with murder. [67]
97. November 19: Demetrius Jones, 41, found shot in front of Wallace's Lounge/Queens at 308 19th Street in Ensley (map). No arrest. [68]
98. November 30: Sible Turner, 36 was shot in the head on 5500 block of Avenue J (map). Michael Myles was charged with murder, but the charges were later dropped. (report)
99. December 1: Thomas Little, 72, shot while walking home on the 300 block of 1st Street North (map). [69]
100. December 6: Malcolm Moore, 20, was found shot on the sidewalk on the 900 block of 46th Place North in Kingston (map). One of the bullets struck him in the back of the head and one at his lower back. Laderek Riley was charged with intentional murder. He claimed self-defense and was acquitted at trial in September 2008. [70]
101. December 13: Tchernavia Peterson, 22, found shot in home on Center Place Southwest in Titusville. Her boyfriend was taken into custody, but has not been charged. [71]
102. December 13: Tiffany Combs, 25, shot in car on 4800 block of 2nd Avenue North. (map). [72]
103. December 13: Unborn child killed by bullet fired into car on 4800 block of 2nd Avenue North. (map). (Killing an unborn child is a homicide under the state's "Brody's Law", passed July 1, 2006.) [73]
104. December 16: John L. Martin, 84, was found off Borah Avenue near State Highway 150 in Bessemer with his wife and grandson. They were all reported missing from their College Hills home in June. Derrol Shaw pleaded guilty to murder in January 2008 and was sentenced to life without parole. (report)
105. December 16: Evelyn Martin, 82, was found with her husband and grandson. (See above.)
106. December 16: Ryan Evans, 19, was found with his grandparents. (See above.)
107. December 18: Michael Rowser, 24, was found shot in a car in the parking lot of the Continental Ballroom at 89 Robert Jemison Road in Spaulding (map). Simmie Watkins and Ralph Williams were charged with capital murder. Both pleaded guilty to felony murder. Watkins was sentenced to 17 years and Williams to 4. (report)
108. December 23: Michael Raymond, 46, was found shot six times and beaten to death in a field adjoining 6th Street Southwest after he and Deno Williams were carjacked at a Princeton Avenue gas station. William Harris, Jr, a parolee, was identified by his accomplice and co-defendant Lanesha Deannetta Johnson as the killer. He was convicted in February 2009 and sentenced to life without parole. She pleaded guilty to felony murder and was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, all but three of which were suspended. [74]
109. December 28: Harrell Lee Naves, 73, killed in domestic dispute at 844 46th Street North in Kingston (map). Valerie Turner, 37, charged with murder. [75]
110. December 31: Francisco Ostiquin Cervantes, 32, was found shot to death in the woods near 27th Avenue North (map). Cervantes, a Hoover resident, was driving his children (3 and 7) on December 30 when he picked up Oscar Alejandro Quintero Barron and drove him to Birmingham. Barron left Cervantes' car, with his children inside, at a Bessemer restaurant. Barron was charged, along with Samuel Gomez and Maribel Garcia, with capital murder. All three pleaded guilty to murder. Judge Tommy Nall sentenced Barron to life; Gomez to 20 years, and Garcia to 3. (report)

Responses

In the Mayor's January 9, 2006 State of the City address to the Kiwanis Club of Birmingham, Bernard Kincaid stated that "Regardless of the events and circumstances which underlie it, our current homicide rate in Birmingham is unacceptable to this mayor. [...] I pledge to you and to all of our citizens that we will attack this problem from every responsible angle to reduce the number of homicides that occur in our city." (Bryant - January 10)

On January 14, 2006, largely as a response to the high number of homicides in 2005, and continuing through New Years', the City of Birmingham unveiled a "Ceasefire Initiative", planned to promote members of the community to get involved in reducing violent crime. Anti-Crime summits were planned in each Council District and materials featuring the Ceasefire logo are being distributed to promote awareness.

Jefferson County sheriff Mike Hale created a Violent Crimes Task Force made up of 51 federal, state and local law-enforcement officers from 21 separate agencies, which engaged in a two-month intensive effort, called Operation Unity to fight the increase in homicides by cracking down on violent offenders. In 60 days the Task Force cleared 1,009 warrants, arrested 512 people, and seized 84 cars, 41 guns and $600,000 in illegal drugs. A similar effort under Mel Bailey in the 1980s was credited with a sharp reduction in homicides in Bessemer that year.

On June 27 Mayor Bernard Kincaid took part in a "funeral procession against crime" organized by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. According to Kincaid, the aim of the march was "to raise community awareness and to bring together voices for change in Birmingham's most dangerous neighborhoods." The procession, which included 7 hearses loaned by area funeral parlors, began at St Joseph the Worker Church on 9th Avenue North and passed through several troubled areas before visiting an anti-crime rally which was part of the West End Family Reunion at the Park Manor Apartments on Tuscaloosa Avenue. The rally was attended by Birmingham police chief Annetta Nunn. The city's 54th homicide occurred within earshot of the rally around 5:30 P.M.

On July 20, in response to the July 15 shootout in Ensley that claimed Woods and Richburg, councilor Steven Hoyt met with ministers and community leaders at the Five Points West Library to discuss solutions to crime problems. Later that evening he participated in a candlelight vigil with members of the victim's families "to raise awareness of the violence gripping the city." (Norris - July 21). The same day, Jefferson County Commission president Larry Langford proposed a county-sponsored literacy center "to stem the number of murders in the Birmingham area." (Wright - July 21).

Tom Burtnett, a former police officer created a t-shirt depicting Vulcan holding an AK-47 with the caption "I fire one shot for each murder, ....and I'm running out of ammo." His intent, he says, is to "raise public awareness and get the attention of city leaders, who aren't giving police officers what they need to do their job." (Robinson - July 21)

On September 5, Mayor Kincaid and Chief Nunn jointly presented a "Public Safety Compensation & Crime Reduction Plan" to address officer retention and recruitment and crime-fighting programs. Kincaid rejected a City Council resolution to increase pay for police, fire and rescue personnel by 15% Instead, Kincaid called for the Council to convert the existing $200/month "uniform allowance" to salary, and asked the Personnel Board of Jefferson County to study Birmingham's overall compensation package for police , which he would review for the City's 2008 fiscal year budget.

For her part, Chief Nunn proposed changes to recruiting and a number of reassignments within the department to put more officers on the street: establishing a 3-person Recruitment Staff, awarding an incremental signing bonus for new officers, and making the Police Academy more flexible with regard to candidate testing and certification.

Nunn's "Crime Reduction Plan" consisted of intensifying existing operations at traffic checkpoints, serving warrants to fugitives, and collaborating more with U. S. Marshals and the FBI. She proposed replacing School Resource Officers with private security guards, replacing call-screeners with non-sworn employees, allowing the department to place two officers in each patrol car in designated areas. She also proposed implementing a video surveillance trial program in high-complaint areas, re-establishing a charitable foundation benefitting the Department, and purchasing the recently-approved camera-equipped Taser weapons. (Kincaid, Nunn - September 5)

The Montgomery-based Foundation for Moral Law sponsored a panel discussion on parenting on September 21 at the Cathedral of the Cross. Comedian Bill Cosby joined the panel to speak about morality and education as alternatives to violent lifestyles. (Robinson - August 19)

On October 31, the Mayor reacted vocally to press coverage of Morgan-Quitno Press' annual City Crime Rankings book, which ranked Birmingham 6th in their "Most Dangerous City" list based on data from 2005 uniform crime reports provided to the FBI. Kincaid called the listings "hype" and noted that many cities do not provide reports to the FBI, and that the FBI cautions against using their crime statistics to compare cities. (Bryant - November 1)

Birmingham's Vice/Narcotics Unit and the South Precinct Task Force conducted Operation "Taking It to the Streets" on October 14 and November 4, making numerous arrests.

In March 2007 the mothers of some homicide victims, led by Wanda Radford, organized as "Mothers Who Want the Violence to Stop". The group erected three billboards with photographs of their children and notice of the $5,000 rewards offered in each of those cases.

References

• 2006 Press Releases from Birmingham Police Department
• Bryant, Joseph D. (January 10, 2006) "Birmingham's Kincaid lifts Taser ban." Birmingham News.
• Norris, Toraine and Jordan H. Weissmann. (June 28, 2006) "Man killed blocks from site of anti-crime rally." Birmingham News.
• Norris, Toraine (July 21, 2006) "Vigil held in Ensley after double slaying". Birmingham News.
• Robinson, Carol (July 21, 2006) "Ex-lawman pushes anti-crime T-shirts tailored for city." Birmingham News.
• Wright, Barnett (July 21, 2006) "Langford urges literacy effort to curtail crime." Birmingham News.
• Robinson, Carol (August 18, 2006) "Bill Cosby to visit city, talk on crime." Birmingham News.
• Kincaid, Bernard and Annetta Nunn (September 5, 2006) "Public Safety Compensation & Crime Reduction Plan" (PDF)
• "More violent crime in first seven months." (September 7, 2006) Birmingham News.
• Robinson, Carol (October 3, 2006) "Riley offers rewards in 4 killings." Birmingham News.
• Bryant, Joseph D. (November 1, 2006) "Mayor calls city's crime ranking erroneous". Birmingham News.
• Robinson, Carol (January 1, 2007) "Birmingham homicides up." Birmingham News.
• Robinson, Carol (January 2, 2007) "40 killings from '06 remain unsolved." Birmingham News.
• "Birmingham's Cold Cases" (January 2, 2006) Birmingham News.
• Robinson, Carol (March 14, 2007) "Billboards placed by 3 mothers of murdered children." Birmingham News.
• Robinson, Carol (May 10, 2007) "Shaw indicted in four '06 slayings." Birmingham News.
• Robinson, Carol (September 29, 2007) "Riley offers rewards in local slayings." Birmingham News.
• Velasco, Eric (January 14, 2008) "Derrol Shaw agrees to plead guilty to four Birmingham murders." Birmingham News.

See also

• List of homicides in 2006, including the entire Birmingham District

External links

• 2006 Birmingham Homicide Map at wiat.com