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Lawyers had no duty to object before CSI effect ruling, Md. high court says
Maryland’s top court excused lawyers who failed to object to judges telling jurors the state need not present DNA evidence to prove guilt before a 2010 ruling.
Md. high court weighs ‘CSI’ effect’s impact on ineffective-assistance claims
This expectation of jurors has been dubbed the “CSI effect” in recognition of the popular show “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."
Md. high court will weigh if ‘CSI-effect’ rulings apply retroactively
The Maryland Court of Appeals will consider whether a general prohibition on judges telling prospective or sitting jurors that prosecutors need not present scientific evidence to prove a defendant’s guilt […]
Court of Appeals will review judge’s ‘CSI effect’ jury instruction
Maryland’s top court will consider whether a judge’s television crime drama-inspired jury instruction that prosecutors need not present forensic evidence to prove guilt was a harmless mistake, given that the victim’s compelling testimony left jurors with no reasonable doubt that the defendant had robbed and assaulted her.
Top court: ‘CSI’ error was harmless in carjacking case
While a trial judge abused his discretion by giving the jury an “anti-CSI effect” instruction, the error was harmless, the state’s top court held.
Top court faults ‘CSI effect’ instruction
Although a defense attorney drew attention to the absence of DNA evidence in a burglary case, a trial judge overstepped his bounds in telling the jury that prosecutors didn’t have to present scientific evidence to prove the defendant’s guilt, Maryland’s top court has held.
Law digest: 4/7/12
MARYLAND COURT OF APPEALS Criminal Procedure, Voir dire objection: An overruled objection to a “CSI effect” voir dire question, where the nature of the objection was directed to the composition […]
Top court reinstates gun conviction
The Office of the Maryland Attorney General got just part of what it wanted Monday, when the state’s highest court revived a gun-possession conviction but declined to revisit an earlier […]
‘CSI effect’ instruction faulted again
Maryland’s top court on Tuesday unanimously overturned a man’s conviction for sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl in Salisbury, saying he was denied a fair trial because the judge told the […]
Court of Special Appeals overturns murder verdict
Maryland’s intermediate appeals court Thursday overturned a first-degree murder conviction in Baltimore, saying the trial judge had violated the defendant’s right to a fair trial by asking prospective jurors if […]
Court of Appeals revisits ‘CSI effect’
With a popular TV crime series touting the conclusiveness of DNA evidence, Maryland‘s top court last week considered whether a judge violated a defendant’s right to a fair trial by […]
