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AZANIAH BLANKUMSEE v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal law — Writ of actual innocence — Court-appointed attorney Azaniah Blankumsee, appellant, contends that the Circuit Court for Washington County abused its discretion in denying his petition for writ of actual innocence. Read the opinion
JUWAN HOWARD CAMPBELL v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal procedure — Colloquy — Witness statement Following a jury trial, Juwan Howard Campbell (“Campbell”), appellant, was convicted of first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault, use of a firearm in a crime of violence, and wearing, carrying, or transporting a handgun. On appeal, Campbell presents four issues for our review … Read the opinion
DAJUAN REEDER v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal law — Reckless endangerment — Restitution A jury in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City found Dajuan Reeder, appellant, guilty of reckless endangerment, unauthorized removal of property, driving with a revoked license, and driving with a suspended license. Read the opinion
RICKY DAVIS V. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal procedure — Lawful search — Prejudicial testimony In 2021, Appellant Ricky Davis was stopped by the Baltimore City police for making a right turn on a “steady” red light. After learning that Mr. Davis had no driver’s license, police decided to impound his car even though Mr. Davis had pulled into a legal parking […]
JEROME COLLIER v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal procedure — Voir dire — Cross-examination A jury, in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, convicted Jerome Collier, appellant, of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, use of a firearm in a crime of violence, and carrying a handgun. The court sentenced him to a total term of life plus ten years’ imprisonment. Read the opinion
DUANE COREY JOHNSON v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal procedure — Motion to suppress — Discharge of counsel Duane Corey Johnson was driving in Anne Arundel County when he was stopped for broken taillights. Officers on the scene requested a drug-sniffing dog, or “K-9,” which arrived at the scene and alerted. A search of Mr. Johnson’s car then revealed crack cocaine. Read the […]
BENJAMIN THOMAS MURDY v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal law — Insufficient evidence — Criminal responsibility Benjamin Thomas Murdy was found guilty and criminally responsible in the Circuit Court for Harford County for the attempted first-degree murder of his neighbor and four police officers. On appeal, Mr. Murdy does not dispute that he fired over 200 rounds at these individuals, but he argues […]
BRIAN JEROME FLETCHER v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal procedure — Admissibility of evidence — Harmless error In 2003, a jury sitting in the Circuit Court for Prince George’s County found Bryan Jerome Fletcher, appellant, guilty of premeditated murder in the first degree, use of a handgun in the commission of a felony or crime of violence, conspiracy to commit murder, and car […]
KEVIN LEE PIERCE, JR. v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal procedure — Jury instruction — Failure to object In 2021, the State charged Kevin Lee Pierce, Jr. with one count of possession of contraband in a place of confinement and one count of possession of a weapon in a place of confinement after a shank was recovered from Mr. Pierce’s prison mattress. He was […]
MICHAEL YOUNG v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal procedure — Motion to suppress — Reasonable articulable suspicion After being identified by a witness as armed and a possible suspect in a homicide case, Michael Young (“Appellant”) was in a convenience store in Baltimore City when Baltimore City Police Department (“BCPD”) officers stopped him and asked him if he had a firearm. He […]
DATWAIN JACKSON v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal procedure — Inadmissible testimony — Plain error Appellant Datwain Jackson was convicted in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City of three counts of illegal possession of a regulated firearm in violation of §5-133 of the Public Safety Article, two counts of wearing and transporting a handgun in violation of §4- 203 of the Criminal […]
DAVID HOWARD COCHRAN v. STATE OF MARYLAND
Criminal law — Imperfect self-defense — Clear error This case arises out of a confrontation during which appellant, David Howard Cochran, ultimately drew his firearm and pointed it toward a group of young people who had gathered on a street in his Baltimore neighborhood. Read the opinion
