BALTIMORE MAN CHARGED IN ARSON-MURDERS OF 7

BALTIMORE -- Federal prosecutors filed seven charges of murder by
arson against a man Wednesday for a blaze that police say was set in
retaliation against a mother fighting neighborhood drug dealers.

The charges against Darrell Brooks, 21, carry the death penalty,
although prosecutors said they have not decided whether to pursue it.

"If you firebomb a house and you kill seven people -- if that's not a
federal case, what is?" asked U.S. Atty. Thomas DiBiagio. "Seven
people were burned alive in their home."

Angela Dawson and her five children died when fire tore through their
row house Oct. 16. Dawson's husband, Carnell, was burned over 80% of
his body and died a week later.

Police said Brooks set the blaze in retaliation for the family's
repeated complaints about area drug dealers.

The indictment charges Brooks with seven counts of arson resulting in
death and other charges related to an earlier fire at the Dawson home.

In addition to Angela, 36, and Carnell Dawson, 43, the fire claimed
the lives of Keith and Kevin Dawson, 9; Carnell Dawson Jr., 10; Juan
Ortiz, 12; and LaWanda Ortiz, 14.