Opinion ID: 2161601
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 8

Heading: Violation of Interstate Agreement on Detainers

Text: It is next contended that because he was not tried within 120 days of being returned to Maryland, the State violated Maryland Code, Art. 27, § 616E, and thus the indictment against him must be dismissed. Grandison argues that he was brought to the Circuit Court for Baltimore County several times for matters in connection with this case. It appears that at these times he was in federal custody in New York, and upon completion of the hearings on motions and other matters, he was returned to New York by the federal authorities. As this motion was heard by the court on argument without any testimony being taken, the record is not entirely clear. Nevertheless, we glean that whenever it was necessary to have Grandison in attendance at court for matters connected to this case a writ of habeas corpus ad prosequendum was obtained and served. Thereupon federal marshals escorted Grandison to court and stayed with him until the court business was completed. Grandison was then escorted back to New York by the federal marshal, where he was being held in a pre-trial detention facility. It also appears that during this period Grandison was not serving a period of incarceration, only pre-trial detention. The trial judge concluded that he was not satisfied that Grandison was serving a sentence in the Federal Court, that no detainer was filed, and that Grandison never left the custody of the federal marshal. Article 27, § 616E(a) [10] contains certain triggering events which, as argued by the State, were not met here. First, there needs to be a detainer which was lodged against Grandison. While the record is less than clear as to what was filed, the trial judge found that it fell short of being a detainer. Second, there is doubt that the requirement in § 616E(a) that Grandison was serving a term of incarceration was met; the trial judge did not think so. Finally, § 616E(a) requires that custody be obtained by the State; it was not here, as noted by the trial judge. We do not believe the trial judge erred; he heard the argument and saw what was presented to him. We find no merit to this contention.