Residents rally after Hopkins technician's murder

People who live in Charles Village came together Wednesday night -- just days after the shocking murder of a Johns Hopkins research technician.

City and state leaders hosted an anti-violence rally just a few feet from the spot where 23-year-old Stephen Pitcairn was stabbed to death.

There was a lot of what you might expect from that rally – including a moment of silence: ‘We pray for peace, but peace requires participation,’ said Rev. Hal T. Ley Hayek, of the Episcopal Cathedral of the Incarnation.

There were the calls for neighbors to help other: ‘I say enough is enough. Let’s band together,’ said City Council President Bernard ‘Jack’ Young.

There was the anger of Police Commissioner Fred Bealefeld, over suspects with long criminal records, still on the streets: ‘I am frustrated because you can't even get people, you can't even get universal commitment to put bad guys with guns in this city in jail, and keep them there. That's where they belong,’ he said.

City Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake brought a similar message: ‘We must demand that violent offenders serve real jail time,’ she said.

But with emotions running high just three days after the Pitcairn’s murder, the event did not go exactly as planned.

As City Councilwoman Mary Pat Clarke tried to end the rally, Charles Village resident Mark Unger yelled out, ‘We're in fear. We're in fear.’

He then came to the podium, and said Pitcairn's murder, and another killing in the neighborhood prove one thing: ‘This is not a safe neighborhood. There was a killing 100 feet away. And whether it was a gang leader, or another Hopkins student, that is a death in this neighborhood.’

Another resident, Lenny Marion, agreed – saying citizens can only do so much. ‘We can't defend ourselves. We don't have weapons. We don't have the means. So please, help us,’ he said to Councilwoman Clarke. ‘And don't depend on us to be doing it. You need people need to be doing it for us.’

Gregg Bernstein, who is challenging Patricia Jessamy for the office of City State's Attorney, was at the rally, but declined to comment.

On Tuesday he claimed that Stephen Pitcairn might still be alive if Jessamy had pushed harder to prosecute the suspects now charged with killing him.

Jessamy criticized Bernstein for what she called 'politicizing' the murder.