Maryland

Soft-on-crime ex-NYC, Maryland jail honcho helping Zohran Mamdani reshape services for criminals

Published

4 months ago

December 6, 2025

Soft-on-crime ex-NYC, Maryland jail honcho helping Zohran Mamdani reshape services for criminals

The ex-NYC jails boss who oversaw a huge surge of violence on Rikers Island is helping Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani reshape the Big Apple’s public-safety policies.

Former Correction Commissioner Vincent Schiraldi — a longtime soft-on-crime, juvenile-justice activist — is one of 20 appointees named to the socialist pol’s transition committee for criminal legal services. Both Schiraldi and Mamdani are big proponents of mass decarceration and shutting Rikers.

Critics say Schiraldi — who resigned in June as head of Maryland’s juvenile detention services following statewide spikes in teen crimes – is a terrible selection.

“Vincent Schiraldi failed spectacularly at Rikers, was pushed out of Maryland after yet another correctional disaster, and now Zohran Mamdani is welcoming him with open arms,” ripped Councilman Robert Holden (D-Queens).

“If this is the braintrust Mamdani is building, New Yorkers should expect more chaos, more excuses, and the same public safety failures that put our city and our jail system in danger in the first place.”

Schiraldi, 66, served as NYC correction commissioner during the final seven months of 2021 under then-Mayor Bill de Blasio – as violent attacks against detainees and correction officers on Rikers skyrocketed.

In 2023, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore appointed Schiradli as his secretary for the Department of Juvenile Services.

But in June, Moore reportedly pressured Schiradli into resigning after juvenile crime in Maryland spiked and criticism mounted over Schiradli’s lenient management style, which emphasized detainee rehabilitation over public safety.

His tenure bizarrely included appointing Joel Castom — who served 26 years in prison after being convicted for first-degree murder in Washington, D.C. – as a senior official of a new unit reforming Maryland’s juvenile detention system.

Schiraldi also came under fire in 2008 as director of D.C.’s Department of Youth Rehabilitation Services for ordering DYRS workers to transport three juvenile detainees to his private D.C. home for a holiday cookout – only to have one escape.

Benny Boscio, president of NYC’s Correction Officers’ Benevolent Association, questioned Mamdani’s decision to appoint Schiradli to the transition team, saying the union knew Schiradli was a poor choice to lead the Department of Correction “from Day One.”

“He consistently advocated to protect the rights of violent inmates, while he was our commissioner and then hired a convicted murderer to help reform Maryland’s youth corrections system,” Boscio said.

“New Yorkers deserve leaders who are committed to the public’s safety and the men and women who maintain it. He is not one of them.”

Messages left with Mamdani and Schiraldi were not returned.

However, during a 2022 column for the nonprofit Marshall Project, Schiradli admitted conditions at Rikers under his watch “fell below [his] already-low expectations” as “staff absenteeism soared, uses of force [by officers] increased, programming and visitation [for detainees] declined, shank attacks skyrocketed and deaths rose.”

He blamed the “chaos” at the scandal-scarred jail complex not on himself but on the “nation’s racist and destructive fixation on imprisonment.”

“It’s Exhibit A for why we need to end mass incarceration,” claimed Schiraldi.

Responding to a LinkedIn post two weeks ago naming transition committee members, Schiraldi said he’s “honored to [be] part of this prestigious bunch!”

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Maryland

Chance of storms on Wednesday in Maryland

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9 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Press Room

Chance of storms on Wednesday in Maryland – CBS Baltimore

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Chance of storms on Wednesday in Maryland

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Maryland

Truck driver in Maryland fatal crash identified as Waynesboro man

Published

22 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Press Room

Truck driver in Maryland fatal crash identified as Waynesboro man

A Waynesboro man died in a single-vehicle crash in Frederick County, Maryland.
The driver was identified by Maryland State Police as 28-year-old Timothy Rice Jr.
The tractor-trailer he was driving left the road and overturned for unknown reasons.

A Waynesboro man died Sunday, March 29, after the tractor-trailer he was driving in Frederick County, Maryland, crashed, according to Maryland State Police.

The truck driver was identified as Timothy Rice Jr., 28, of Waynesboro.

State police from the Frederick barrack responded shortly before 8:30 a.m. Sunday to the area of southbound U.S. 15 at West 7th Street for a reported overturned tractor-trailer, according to an email from state police spokesperson Ashley Millner.

The preliminary investigation indicates that, for unknown reasons, the tractor-trailer left the road before overturning, according to state police. State police are continuing to investigate.

Rice was pronounced deceased at the scene by emergency medical service personnel.

No other injuries were reported.

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Maryland

Vote: Who is the Maryland Softball Player of the Week – March 30, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 30, 2026

Press Room

It’s officially spring, and high school softball season has already begun in Maryland. Once again, it’s time to answer the question: Who was the Maryland Softball Player of the Week?

We looked at multiple counties and nominated athletes for games played from March 23-29.

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Congratulations to last week’s winner: Macie Anderson of Kent Island.

We ask you to check out this week’s nominees and cast your vote below.

Voting ends Sunday, April 5, at 11:59 p.m. PT. The winner will be announced next week. Here are the nominees.

Abigail Clemens, Bethesda-Chevy Chase

Clemens, a sophomore, went 4-for-5 at the plate with three RBIs and a double in Bethesda-Chevy Chase’s 19-4 blowout victory over Rockville.

Allie Hage, Bethesda-Chevy Chase

Hage went a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBIs, two doubles, and two runs in the Barons’ 15-1 win over Watkins Mill.

Addie Harling, Quince Orchard

Harling, a freshman, was dominant in the circle with 14 strikeouts through five scoreless innings in Quince Orchard’s 15-0 victory over Watkins Mill.

Paulina Mann, Einstein

Mann went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with four RBIs, two doubles, a triple, and a run in Einstein’s 19-0 shutout win over Whitman. She also tossed eight strikeouts in the circle.

Ava Libercci, Mount Carmel

Libercci finished with a whopping nine RBIs, three home runs, and three runs on 3-for-3 batting in Mount Carmel’s 22-14 slugfest victory over Chapelgate Christian Academy.

Erin Martin, Mount Carmel

In the same game, Martin put up seven RBIs, a double, a triple, and three runs for the Cougars.

Nala Johnson, Northwest

Johnson was impressive in the circle with 13 strikeouts in five innings to lead Northwest’s 17-1 victory over Wootton. She also went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and a double.

Ali Porter, Northwest

Porter, another previous nominee, went 4-for-6 with four RBIs, a double, and three runs in the Jaguars’ 25-0 shutout win over Churchill.

Imani Lewis, City College

Lewis, a junior, went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with six RBIs, two home runs, a triple, and four runs in City College’s 22-10 win over Forest Park.

Abby Marmen, Fallston

Marmen, a senior and Drexel commit, finished with six RBIs, a double, a triple, and a home run on 4-for-4 batting in Fallston’s dominant 27-0 shutout victory over Joppatowne.

Sara Frist, Fallston

In the same game, the senior Frist also registered six RBIs, along with two doubles and four runs scored on 3-for-5 batting for the Cougars.

Annie Baker, Mountain Ridge

Baker went 3-for-4 with six RBIs, two doubles, and three runs in Mountain Ridge’s 19-1 blowout victory over Berkeley Springs (WV).

Emerson Koenig, Richard Montgomery

Koenig finished with five RBIs, a double, and a run on 3-for-4 batting in Richard Montgomery’s 20-1 blowout win over Blake.

Rebekah Caballero, McDonough

Caballero had a dominant two-way performance in McDonough’s 17-6 victory over Great Mills. In the circle, she tossed 10 strikeouts through six innings, while at the plate, she went 3-for-5 with seven RBIs, a double, and three runs.

Rylan Crisafulli, Broadneck

Crisafulli, a junior, tossed 12 strikeouts in four innings with no hits allowed in Broadneck’s 8-0 win over Annapolis.

Kimani Dennis, Dulaney

Dennis finished with four RBIs, a home run, a triple, and three RBIs in Dulaney’s 16-0 shutout victory over Lansdowne.

About Our Athlete of the Week Voting
High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals.Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports.Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.

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