man killed in Catonsville bar fight

I don't know if the recession is making violent crime more common, but this was sobering:

Sunday, a man was beaten to death in a bar on Catonsville's main street. This wasn't in a bad neighborhood or anything -- I walked by this place just a few days ago and had noted that they featured live music and were looking for people to play.

And Monday night, while I was at Leadbetter's in Fells Point, a fellow came in trying to find witnesses to the beating he had suffered in front of the bar the night before. I've seen a few scuffles there over the years (and jumped in to break them up) but it's rare that things go beyond the pushing match, or the one punch, stage.