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CNN Saturday Morning News
Baltimore Drug Warrior's Home Firebombed
Aired October 19, 2002 - 09:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KATHLEEN KENNEDY, CNN ANCHOR: The scene is Baltimore. The crime is arson. The victims, five young children and a mother who championed the war on drugs.
Here's CNN's Aaron Brown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AARON BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Angela Dawson wanted no more than what you want, a safe neighborhood free of drug dealers and drug crime.
COMMISSIONER EDWARD NORRIS, BALTIMORE POLICE: I think we have a record of her calling about 50 times since June. We had a lot of activity going there because of her information and others.
BROWN: She knew she'd become the enemy to the dealers. She pressed on. When her home was vandalized two weeks ago, she didn't give up. As a mother of six, the war on drugs was personal. And the war on drugs in Baltimore is a war.
NORRIS: And I did 20 years with the New York City Police Department, and I tell my friends in the NYPD that we had it easy. I've never seen anything quite like sections of Baltimore, especially this area out in the eastern district.
BROWN: But early Wednesday morning while she and five of her children slept, their three-story home was firebombed.
SEN. NATHANIEL MCFADDEN, (D), BALTIMORE: I mean, it's a revolving cycle that we are going to break. We consider this an absolute terrorist attack on the community.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I could hear them, I could hear them crying for help. Mommy, help me. And you're in a helpless position, you can't help your child.
BROWN: Police moved in quickly, arresting 21-year-old Darrell (ph) Brooks, a suspected dealer. He's charged with six counts of first degree murder. It is believed that Brooks and Dawson had numerous run-ins with each other in this tough neighborhood.
NORRIS: You know, he's going to send a message that, We own the streets. And that, in fact, is not true. I don't know if he thought he was going to get away this, but he was apprehended within a day, and he's going to be prosecuted, and he may face the death penalty, actually. BROWN: They call this area of Baltimore the Badlands, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in one of the country's most violent cities. Ironically, some believe Angela Dawson will do more in death to fight the drug problem than she was able to accomplish in life.
NORRIS: I don't know how much of an impact she made while she was alive, but I know she's going to make a hell of an impact now that she's been murdered in this fashion, because I really feel this is a tipping point for this city. And I think she has not died in vain.
BROWN: Aaron Brown, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KENNEDY: Boy, that just breaks your heart, doesn't it?
O'BRIEN: Yes, it does.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 19, 2002 - 09:14 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KATHLEEN KENNEDY, CNN ANCHOR: The scene is Baltimore. The crime is arson. The victims, five young children and a mother who championed the war on drugs.
Here's CNN's Aaron Brown.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
AARON BROWN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Angela Dawson wanted no more than what you want, a safe neighborhood free of drug dealers and drug crime.
COMMISSIONER EDWARD NORRIS, BALTIMORE POLICE: I think we have a record of her calling about 50 times since June. We had a lot of activity going there because of her information and others.
BROWN: She knew she'd become the enemy to the dealers. She pressed on. When her home was vandalized two weeks ago, she didn't give up. As a mother of six, the war on drugs was personal. And the war on drugs in Baltimore is a war.
NORRIS: And I did 20 years with the New York City Police Department, and I tell my friends in the NYPD that we had it easy. I've never seen anything quite like sections of Baltimore, especially this area out in the eastern district.
BROWN: But early Wednesday morning while she and five of her children slept, their three-story home was firebombed.
SEN. NATHANIEL MCFADDEN, (D), BALTIMORE: I mean, it's a revolving cycle that we are going to break. We consider this an absolute terrorist attack on the community.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: I could hear them, I could hear them crying for help. Mommy, help me. And you're in a helpless position, you can't help your child.
BROWN: Police moved in quickly, arresting 21-year-old Darrell (ph) Brooks, a suspected dealer. He's charged with six counts of first degree murder. It is believed that Brooks and Dawson had numerous run-ins with each other in this tough neighborhood.
NORRIS: You know, he's going to send a message that, We own the streets. And that, in fact, is not true. I don't know if he thought he was going to get away this, but he was apprehended within a day, and he's going to be prosecuted, and he may face the death penalty, actually. BROWN: They call this area of Baltimore the Badlands, one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in one of the country's most violent cities. Ironically, some believe Angela Dawson will do more in death to fight the drug problem than she was able to accomplish in life.
NORRIS: I don't know how much of an impact she made while she was alive, but I know she's going to make a hell of an impact now that she's been murdered in this fashion, because I really feel this is a tipping point for this city. And I think she has not died in vain.
BROWN: Aaron Brown, CNN, New York.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
KENNEDY: Boy, that just breaks your heart, doesn't it?
O'BRIEN: Yes, it does.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
