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Justin Fenton

Justin

Justin Fenton is an investigative reporter for the Baltimore Banner. He previously spent 17 years at the Baltimore Sun, covering the criminal justice system. His book, "We Own This City: A True Story of Crime, Cops and Corruption," was released by Random House in 2021 and became an HBO miniseries. He was part of the Pulitzer Prize finalist team for coverage of the death of Freddie Gray, and was a two-time finalist for the national Livingston Award for Young Journalists for an investigation showing how police were discarding rape complaints at the highest rate in the country as well as a five-part narrative series inside a homicide investigation. He is an Anne Arundel County native, a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park and lives in Baltimore.

The latest from Justin Fenton

Furrow Street in the Carrollton Ridge neighborhood, where in 2022, 35-year-old Miguel Soto-Diaz was taken after being kidnapped, tortured and ultimately killed in a ransom plot gone awry.
Family grapples with murder case in Baltimore, ‘where violence is louder than love’
Ziyon Thompson was sentenced for taking part in a fatal kidnapping-for-ransom in 2022, when he was 21 years old.
Baltimore Ravens place kicker Justin Tucker at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, ahead of a divisional round playoff game against the Buffalo Bills in January.
Justin Tucker’s house is about to hit the market for $3.2M
The home of former Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker is set to hit the market, with the list price of $3.2 million one month after he was cut by the team.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 03: Ben Stiller attends the Apple TV+ Official FYC Event for "Severance" Season 2 on May 03, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
Why Ben Stiller’s sleuthing around Baltimore
Actor and director Ben Stiller visited Baltimore’s circuit courthouse ahead of filming for his next project, reported to be about former U.S. vice president and Maryland Gov. Spiro Agnew.
What we know about 36 in-custody deaths auditors say should have been ruled homicides
The Banner attempted to reach relatives and attorneys associated with each of the 36 deaths that the audit found should have been ruled as homicides.
U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher wrote last week that the Justice Department had reopened two pending Maryland cases for capital review in April.
Federal prosecutors will seek death penalty in Maryland gang case, reversing course
The case, which involves two murders and four attempted murders, has been pending since 2022.
Tawanda Jones, sister of Tyrone West, speaks out on police brutality at a rally for Tyre Nichols on the corner of North Avenue and North Charles Street on January 28, 2023.
After a yearslong vigil, supporters of Tyrone West gain a remarkable reversal
Independent pathologists commissioned by the state concluded that Tyrone West’s case should be reclassified as a homicide.
Dr. Jeff Kukucka, center, joined by Gov. Wes Moore and Attorney General Anthony Brown at a press conference at the State House in Annapolis to announce the release a wide-ranging independent audit of nearly 90 in-custody deaths spanning 2003 to 2019.
Here’s what you need to know about Maryland’s sweeping audit of police-custody deaths
The audit’s implications reach far beyond a finding of 36 wrongfully classified deaths.
In this Jan. 28, 2019, photo, pictures of Anton Black decorate a collage in his family's home in Greensboro, Md. Black, 19, died after a struggle with three officers and a civilian outside the home in September 2018.
Forensic failures: 36 police-custody deaths should have been ruled a homicide, audit finds
The yearslong audit cited racial and pro-police bias in the work of the state’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
President Donald Trump speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House, Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Washington.
After Trump directive, Maryland federal cases get new death penalty review
The state of Maryland has banned the death penalty since 2013, but it has remained in effect on the federal level and applied sparingly.
Justin Tucker’s NFL future remains unclear after being cut by the Ravens while awaiting the results of an NFL investigation into his behavior at Baltimore spas and wellness centers.
Justin Tucker was cut by the Ravens. Here’s everything you need to know.
The most accurate kicker in NFL history is suddenly a free agent — while awaiting the results of a league investigation.
Homes owned by ABC Capital Investments across the city.
State regulators pull license of title company connected to ABC Capital
One of the title companies that handled ABC Capital’s disastrous sale of hundreds of homes to foreign buyers has been stripped of its license.
Mark Anthony Sykes was sentenced to three years of supervised probation in connection to an ongoing corruption investigation at the Maryland Department of Labor.
Defense attorney: Bribery case at state Labor Department involves ‘much larger fish’
An ongoing corruption investigation involving bribery at the state Department of Labor could involve “much larger fish,” a defense attorney involved said.
Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium.
Mayor: IronBirds’ era at Ripken Stadium is likely ending
Aberdeen Mayor Patrick McGrady says the IronBirds will likely leave his city’s Ripken Stadium amid a long-simmering battle over costs.
Many vacant houses still stand in the Sandtown-Winchester neighborhood on March 19, 2025. Empty and vacant lots replace them, but residents say it hasn't improved the area.
Freddie Gray’s death led to promises for big change. For many, Baltimore looks stubbornly the same.
After the death of Freddie Gray, promises were made to change Baltimore for the better. Ten years later, the city looks the same, many say.
Prosecutors ban Baltimore officer from testifying after years of complaints
Police Det. Calvin Moss’ inclusion on the courtroom ban list makes him the latest of nearly a dozen officers so mistrusted by prosecutors they cannot be counted on to help bring criminals to justice in court.
Attorney Stephen L. Snyder, center, arrives for his sentencing hearing at the Edward Garmatz United States Courthouse in Baltimore on Wednesday.
Former lawyer Stephen L. Snyder sentenced to home confinement, probation: ‘My own worst enemy’
A federal judge sentenced former top malpractice attorney Stephen L. Snyder to three years of probation with six months of home confinement for attempting to extort the University of Maryland Medical System.
Police commissioner Richard Worley on site of a shooting on the 1400 block of East North Avenue, at the Eastside District Court, on Friday, January 31, 2025.
Baltimore police commissioner finally moves out of a hotel and into city home
Worley had been living in Anne Arundel County as deputy commissioner when he was appointed police commissioner in 2023.
Attorney Stephen L. Snyder, at right, leaves court in November.
Feds seek 3 years in prison for malpractice attorney Stephen L. Snyder
Snyder is set to be sentenced in April after he was convicted of trying to extort the University of Maryland Medical System for $25 million.
Ex-priest who helped report notorious abuser now charged with sex abuse from 1990s
A former Catholic priest who played a key role in bringing down the notorious child rapist John Joseph Merzbacher has been charged with sex offenses.
Kelly O. Hayes has been named interim U.S. Attorney for Maryland.
New interim U.S. Attorney for Maryland selected
Kelly O. Hayes has been the chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s southern district office in Greenbelt since 2021.
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