Source: https://katzjustice.com/im-afraid-that-affray-is-still-a-crime-in-maryland/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 13:05:18+00:00

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I'm afraid that affray is still a crime in Maryland | Jon Katz, P.C.
Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Robert Bell and Judge Lynne Battaglia, in their red robes that come with the territory.
Hickman v. Maryland, ___ Md. App. ___ (June 3, 2010, n.8).
A second significant difference between the crimes, which demonstrates that affray is neither a form of common law assault or battery, is the victim, or party against whom the crime is committed. “An affray is an aggravated disturbance of the public peace and is an offense exclusively against the public.” 2A C.J.S. Affray, § 5 (citing Chiles v. State, 15 Ark. 204 (1854) and State v. Weekly, 29 Ind. 206 (1867)). An affray is, therefore, characterized as a public disturbance, a crime against the public and its aim is to protect the peace. People v. Perry, 193 N.E. 175, 177 (N.Y. 1934). By contrast, an assault can be a crime against an individual and, in this respect, differs significantly from the non-personal offense of an affray. C.f. Taylor v. State, 214 Md. 156, 159 (1956) (stating that criminal assault can be a breach of the public peace or a crime against a person). As stated by the renowned authority on the English common law, Sir Matthew Hale,8 “An assault is but a wrong to the party, but an affray is a wrong to the Commonwealth.” Sir Matthew Hale, The History of the Pleas of the Crown, Vol. II at 92 (8th ed. 1800).
Based on these distinctions, while assault may be an element of an affray, an affray is not a form of common law assault or common law battery. Although an indictment charging a common law affray is, in effect, also one for several assaults and batteries, Carnley v. State, 102 So. 333, 334 (Fla. 1924), there are significant differences between the offenses that make clear that an affray is a separate and distinct offense from common law assault and battery. Accordingly, we hold that common law affray continues to be a viable offense in the State of Maryland.
Consequently, we can list affray with such other archaic but viable crimes in Maryland as rogue and vagabond, and unauthorized use of livestock.
Jon Katz – Criminal defense and DWI defense lawyer practicing in Fairfax County, Virginia, Montgomery County, Maryland and beyond. 301-495-7755.
ADDENDUM I: For there to be an affray, Hickman requires that at least two people be fighting in a public place. Hickman calls an affray an aggravated disturbance of the public peace. Hickman declines to decide whether Maryland affray law requires — as at least one other jurisdiction does — that the affray be to the terror of the public, because that issue was not raised by the appellant.
Hickman (quoting Baltimore & O. R. Co. v. Cain, 81 Md. 87, 100 (1895).

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