Man charged in Baltimore County toilet bomb hoax

A Baltimore man has been charged after county police said he left a decorated toilet made to look like a bomb outside a Baltimore County office building.

Duane Davis Sr., 51, was charged late Monday with placing a phony destructive device outside the old courthouse building in Towson, which now houses the offices of the county executive and council. The toilet was decorated with newspaper clipping and photos, including photos of Davis, and had a cell phone, an electronic device and a note signed by Davis attached to it, police said.

The county bomb squad investigated the toilet, but police spokesman Lt. Robert McCullough said it proved harmless.

Davis, who is being held on $200,000 bail, is also charged with making a false statement on Facebook about leaving destructive devices outside the building.

A status message posted on Davis’ Facebook page Monday morning states “Monday morning Madness. Left my Toilet at the Baltimore County Courthouse. Also left a kite of Knowledge. Secrets will not Block Justice,” according to charging documents.

It goes on to say the writer is leaving material at the Basilica. “And just like Moses I’m marking the Doors of the people and I asking (sic) to give up my citizenship. Don’t want to live in a Country of White Justice and Black Justice while you promote equality across the Airwaves,” the post continued.

A poster with political news clips mounted on a wooden frame with a toy cell phone attached was found outside the Pope John Paul II prayer garden by the basilica in downtown Baltimore, according to archdiocese spokesman Sean Caine. A guard threw it away, but retrieved it later when police visited to investigate, he said.

No attorney could be located for Davis and the Office of the Public Defender said they did not have a record of him requesting representation.