Suspect wrote he aimed to kill everyone at Maryland newsroom
BALTIMORE — wreaking his own vengeance.”
³µ7KDW¶ LV KRZ \RXU MXGLciary operates, you were too cowardly to confront those lies, and this is your receipt,” Ramos wrote.
He signed it under the chilling statement: “I told you so.” Below that, he wrote that he was going to the newspaSHU¶V RI¿FH ³ZLWK WKH REMHFWLYH of killing every person present.”
In a letter attached to what appeared to be the faux FRXUW ¿OLQJ KH DOVR GLUHFWO\ addressed retired special appeals court Judge Charles Moylan, who decided against Ramos in his defamation case. Ramos sued the paper after pleading guilty to harassing a high school classmate.
“Welcome, Mr. Moylan, to your unexpected legacy: YOU should have died,” he wrote. He signed it: “Friends forever, Jarrod W. Ramos.”
Douglas Colbert, a University of Maryland law professor, described the letters as “very powerful” evidence of intent that the state will make full use of at trial. Colbert said as long as it’s established in court that Ramos authored the letters, they will be used to show his “planning and deliberate actions” on the day of the attack.
The apparent admissions by the defendant will weaken a defense lawyer’s strategy of suggesting that he was “suffering from a mental disease or defect” that would impair his ability to understand the consequences of his actions, Colbert said.
Ramos, 38, has a well-documented history of harassing the SDSHU¶V MRXUQDOLVWV 7KH GHIDmation suit was thrown out as groundless, and he often railed against current and former Capital staff in profanity-laced tweets. Police found him hiding under a desk after Thursday’s DWWDFN DQG MDLOHG KLP RQ ¿YH FRXQWV RI ¿UVW GHJUHH PXUGHU
At a memorial service Monday night for one of those killed, editor Rob Hiassen, Marquardt said he once slept with a baseball bat by his bed because he was so worried about Ramos. He also said that they “stepped up security” at the newspaper years ago, and posted Ramos’s photo around WKH RI¿FH ³%XW WKHQ KH ZHQW dormant for about two years and we thought the problem has been solved. Apparently, LW ZDV MXVW EXLOGLQJ XS VWHDP ´ he said.
The mourning in Annapolis continued Tuesday, marked E\ D ORZHULQJ RI 8 6 ÀDJV WR honor the victims. President 'RQDOG 7UXPS RUGHUHG ÀDJV ÀRZQ DW KDOI VWDII RQ IHGHUDO property through sunset.
Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley said Monday that Trump, who has repeatedly FDOOHG MRXUQDOLVWV WKH ³HQHP\ RI the people,” said he had been told his request to lower the ÀDJV KDG EHHQ GHQLHG 7KH White House said Tuesday WKDW 7UXPS RUGHUHG WKH ÀDJV lowered as soon as he learned of the mayor’s request.
Buckley expressed frustration Monday afternoon when he was told by a Maryland conJUHVVPDQ¶V RI¿FH WKH UHTXHVW had not been granted. He said KH FRQVLGHUHG ORZHULQJ ÀDJV on his own, but decided to follow protocol. He said he received a call from White House Press Secretary Sarah +XFNDEHH 6DQGHUV MXVW DIWHU 11 p.m. Monday, asking him IRU FRQ¿UPDWLRQ LI KH SHUVRQally was making the request.
“She was very sympathetic,” Buckley said in an interview. “She felt for our community. She said ‘I’ll get back to you in the morning,’ and she called me 7:16 this morning to say the president had issued a proclamation, and we’re very grateful for that.”
Hiaasen was remembered Monday evening in stories, poems, prayers and songs at the “celebration of life” ceremony. He was fatally shot last ZHHN DW WKH &DSLWDO *D]HWWH along with colleagues.