Members of The Arc of Howard County this week joined a national effort urging moviegoers to boycott the comedy-action movie "Tropic Thunder" because of the movie's use of language the group says is offensive to those with developmental disabilities.

A group of about eight representatives of The Arc of Howard County, an organization that provides services and advocacy for the developmentally disabled, gathered outside the United Artists Snowden Square theater in east Columbia on Wednesday, Aug. 13 in what event organizers called a "symbolic" boycott of the movie, which debuted that day.

The movie, produced by DreamWorks and intended to be satirical, stars Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr. and Jack Black, who play the roles of actors filming a war movie in Southeast Asia.

The labels "retard" and "retarded" are used throughout the movie to describe a character, while images in the movie ridicule those with disabilities, Arc members said.

According to news reports, representatives of DreamWorks have said the movie was not intended to be hurtful to those with intellectual disabilities and that no cuts or changes were planned.

-- Jennifer Broadwater

Jail sentence review denied for ex-teacher

A judge has denied a request by Joseph Samuel Ellis, the former Glenelg High School teacher convicted in January of sexually abusing a student, to have his sentence reviewed and possibly modified.

In a motion filed with the Howard County Circuit Court on July 24, Ellis' attorney, Andrew Levy, requested that the court hold a hearing one year after Ellis' conviction to allow Ellis "to make a showing as to his rehabilitation and why and how his sentence should be modified."

According to the motion, Ellis is currently in group therapy and tutors his fellow inmates who are working toward their G.E.D.s.

Howard County Circuit Court Judge Richard Bernhardt denied Ellis' request Aug. 4.

On Jan. 9, a Howard County jury found Ellis, 27, of Elkridge, guilty of sexual abuse of a minor, indecent exposure and telephone misuse.

Ellis recently filed an appeal with the Court of Special Appeals to rescind the verdict. Hearing dates have not yet been set for the appeal.

During a three-day trial, one of Ellis' former students testified that Ellis e-mailed her nude photographs, then later exposed himself to her during an after-school visit in his classroom in December 2006.

The former student, now 18, was 17 and a senior at Glenelg at the time of the incidents. Prior to his trial, Ellis pleaded guilty to sending the girl nude photos.

Ellis is currently serving five years in prison. After his release, Ellis will be required to serve five years of probation and complete sexual offender treatment. Ellis is also prohibited from holding a position as a teacher or coach upon his release and will be required to register as a sex offender.

Ellis was a social studies teacher and coach at Glenelg High before he was fired by the Board of Education.

-- Sarah Daniels

Teen gets 10 years in Columbia mall stabbing

One of two teenagers charged in the non-fatal stabbing of a Pikesville teen at the Columbia mall in January was sentenced Aug. 1 to 10 years in prison.

Cordero Dante Taylor, 17, of Prince George's County, was convicted of one count of first-degree assault by Howard County Circuit Court Judge Richard Bernhardt on July 1 following a bench trial, according to Wayne Kirwan, a spokesman for Howard County State's Attorney Dario Broccolino.

On Aug. 1, Bernhardt sentenced Taylor to 25 years in prison, suspending all but 10 years, according to Kirwan.

During the July trial, prosecutors argued that Taylor aided Bernado Leconte, 18, of Oakland Mills, who is charged with stabbing the 17-year-old boy during a drug transaction outside the Columbia mall on Jan. 8, according to Kirwan.

Leconte's charges in the case include attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, armed robbery and robbery. He is scheduled to be tried on Sept. 2.

Taylor's attorney, Gabriel Terrasa, could not be reached for comment.

--Mike Santa Rita

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