Alonzo Stinnie would have been better off in prison than shot dead in Capitol Heights

CAPITOL HEIGHTS, MD.  Just another black guy shot dead in the drug wars of Prince Georges County could have been the headline, but that wouldn’t tell the whole story.

This victim of an execution is also a victim of judicial leniency in Maryland where the current vogue is to treat drug dealing as a non-violent crime.

Matthew Stinnie was a “non-violent” criminal, if one doesn’t’ count all the violence surrounding his dealing drugs and robbery and the violence committed as he was shot dead in a vehicle on Wednesday, April 15, 2015.

Facing a criminal indictment in Montgomery County Circuit Court on May 22, 2006, Stinnie entered a guilty plea to robbery in front of Circuit Court Judge Nelson W. Rupp Jr.   Stinnie was sentenced to a jail term of 15 years with all but one year suspended so he could spend his time behind bars in the pleasant atmosphere of the Montgomery County jail instead of the cold and tough halls of the Maryland State Prison system.

A “probation contract” was drawn up on that date, giving the young man a chance to do a little time and start over in life.

On April 29, 2009, the probation officer reported to the court that Stinnie had been arrested again for possession with the intent to distribute narcotics, which wasn’t the deal in the contract he had signed to avoid a long stretch in prison. He was brought back in front of Judge Rupp.

After two postponements, the case was called on July 21, 2009 and Stinnie failed to appear. Finally on Sept. 9, 2009, Stinnie appeared in court and the Judge revoked his bond. Court records reveal that the clerk noted that no bond was ever posted.  Sentencing for the violation of parole was set for Oct. 14, 2009. On Oct. 1, 2009, court records show that Judge Rupp sentenced Stinnie to Drug Court. First, he would be sentenced to 14 years in prison with all of the time suspended and be placed on 3 years supervised probation. As a condition, Stinnie was ordered to serve six months in the local and comfortable jail and participate in drug court.

Now for those readers who are newcomers to Maryland’s White Rabbit and Alice in Wonderland Court System, just keep in mind that the Mad Hatter is in charge.

Court records show that Stinnie had roughly four to five appearances in Drug Court during November of 2009.  Suddenly on Nov. 24, 2009, with six years of life left in him before he died of lead poisoning, Stinnie was hauled back in front of Judge Nelson Rupp Jr. Judge Rupp ordered that the order he had issued on Oct. 1, 2008 was rescinded. He now ordered that the prior order that Stinnie be sent to the pre-release center was out the window and the cause of justice was better served if Stinnie was to be released and sent to live with his grandmother.   A new Drug Court hearing was set for Dec. 10, 2009. That hearing was postponed and this time he showed up for a new Drug Court hearing with a new public defender, Audrey Creighton.  Creighton is now herself a circuit court Judge who was kidnapped by another former client last year, a client she had made her live-in lover and boy toy all in an election year. Just Google “Judge Cougar and her Boy-Toy Burglar” for the details.

Court records show that the Drug Court hearing was held on Dec. 22, 2009. In the next few weeks, Stinnie was brought back for a Drug Court hearing three more times. The pace picked to the point he was appearing every week for a Drug Court hearing before either Judge Rupp or Judge Craven.

But then a day came that Stinnie didn’t appear.

Now, the reader might want to bolt from one’s chair to look for a rabbit hole in which to duck.  The date of the hearing when Stinnie failed to appear after nearly two dozen appearances was on April Fool’s Day.  Stinnie sure showed those limousine liberal judges what he was made of and Judge Craven issued a bench warrant.

By April 5, 2010, the Sheriff had located Stinnie and brought him to appear before Judge Steven G. Salant. Judge Salant saw a fool’s errand and quickly postponed the case to the next day so Judge Rupp could have another go at Stinnie.

Judge Rupp, in spite of Stinnie failing to appear for a Drug Court date all for the cause of his violation of probation hearing, was relentless in the cause of bending over backwards for criminals. Judge Rupp ordered Stinnie to go back to Drug Court and released without a condition of bond.

Now, it was May 27^th and Judge Rupp ordered that Stinnie be brought before him for violation of probation hearing. After more postponements, they finally had another hearing for June 17, 2010 before Judge Rupp. But the States Attorney failed to appear, but that didn’t matter because Stinnie didn’t appear either.  That being released without posting bond worked well for Stinnie but not for the public.

Those treatments held weekly at Drug Court must really include some real miracles as court records show that by Aug. 5, 2010, Stinnie had entered ‘Phase Three’.

Judge Rupp, the public defenders (a different one most weeks and all paid for by taxpayers) and Stinnie must have gotten to be real chums with all those weekly court sessions in Drug Court.

Finally, they got around to having a trial for Stinnie’s Violation of Probation hearing on Oct. 28, 2010 and guess what happened?

Nothing.

Stinnie didn’t appear.

On Nov. 18, 2010 Stinnie showed up in court. Judge Joseph Quirk, apparently unable to read the year-long docket or possibly just too dense to understand it, ordered more Drug Court for Stinnie.

From December of 2010 to April of 2011, more weekly sessions of “Drug Court” were held and finally on July 27, 2011, Stinnie was ordered by Judge Rupp to have successfully completed Drug Court.

Between that time and the time of his murder a few traffic charges and disturbing the peace charges were brought and mostly dropped.  On Oct. 28, 2014, Stinnie was charged in Prince Georges County Circuit Court with assault and theft.  That case is still pending and will soon be dismissed.

The following is the police report

The Prince George’s County Police Department is investigating a homicide in Capitol Heights. The victim is 26-year-old Alonzo Matthew Stinnie of Greenwood Avenue in Takoma Park. A reward of up to $25,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest and indictment in this case.

On April 15, 2015, at about 8:00 pm, patrol officers were called to the 6700 block of Calmos Street for the report of a shooting. When they arrived, they found Stinnie inside a car suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead on the scene.

Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives do not believe this was a random act. Investigators are working to identify the suspect(s) in this case.

Anyone with information about this homicide is asked to call the Prince George’s County Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 301-772-4925. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call CRIME SOLVERS at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477), text “PGPD plus your message” to CRIMES (274637) on your cell phone or go towww.pgcrimesolvers.com and submit a tip online.