Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-08-03
STATES ATTORNEY
GREEN TO CONFER
ON ANNEX CRIME
Question Of Jurisdiction In
Cases Made A Matter Of In
quiry And Investigation
MARCHANT GIVES AN
OPINION ON SUBJECT
County Magistrates Sit AS Here,
tofore But Commitments Go
To Baltimore City Jail

At a meeting which will be held In
States Attorney Broening's Office in
Baltimore at II O'Clock on Monday
steps will be taken to overcome a
rather perplexing situation in the
prosecution of crimes committed in
that territory of Baltimore and Anne
Arundel Counties which, under the an
nexation Act, now form a part of Bal
timore City. Deputy States Attorney
Roland Marchant and Assistant States
Attorneys Harry Nice and Lindsay
under the law governing the juris-
diction of the various police justices
in the new sections of the counties af-
fected, and have asked them to be
present at the meeting, together with
States Attorney Hartman, of Balti-
more County, and States Attorney
Green, of Anne Arundel County
The following is a copy of letter
sent today to each of the justices of
the two counties:
We have been asked by one of the
police justices of Baltimore County
what disposition should be made by
him of cases involving the commits
sion of criminal offenses within the
territory recently annexed to Balti-
more City. AS this is a matter of spe-
cial interest TO the police justices of
Baltimore and Anne Arundel Coun-
ties, involving as it does a most i'm
portant question of criminal pro-
cedure, l am giving you the opinion
of this Office for your guidance
The Annexation Law, except as to
provisions regulating taxes, police and
fire departments. schools. etc, be-
came effective June /. .se1s. BY Sec
tion is, of the law. criminal offenses
committed since June I, within the
territory annexed, must be prosecuted
in Baltimore City. Section 8, of the
law, provides in substance that the
obligation of performing every gov
ernmental function heretofore per-
nexed territory, shall continue to rest
upon such public official until Decem-
ber 81, 1918. From this l conclude
that police justices. in dealing with
ofTenses committed within the terri
tory annexed, shall continue to act
as heretofore, except that in all cases
involving offenses which, under the
law, must be held for court, the ac-
cused shall be held for the action of
the Criminal Court of Baltimore City
instead of the Circuit Court for the
county.
Briefly: Offenses committed within
the territory annexed should be han
died as follows:
1. If you have jurisdiction to hear,
try. and determine the case, you will
proceed as you have heretofore pro-
ceeded.
2. If the offense be one which, un-
der the law must be held for Court,
you will hold the accused for the ac-
ton of the Criminal Court of Balti-
more City, and. in default of bail,
commit the accused TO the Baltimore
City jail
5. In determining whether you have
jurisdiction to hear, try and deter
mine any offense alleged to have been
committed within the annexed terri
tory, you will be governed by Chap
ter M of the Acts of 1912, defining
the jurisdiction of Police Justice of
Baltimore City.
4. In considering any charge you
will bear in mind that all provisions
of the Public Local Laws of both Bal
timore and Anne Arundel Counties
have ceased to be in force within the
annexed territory and that the pub
lie local laws of Baltimore City and
the Ordinances of the Mayor and City
Council of Baltimore City are now in
force within this territory.