Opinion ID: 1989296
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 12

Heading: Sufficiency of Charging Document

Text: Collins next asserts that the imposition of the death penalty in his case is unconstitutional under Article 21 of the Maryland Declaration of Rights because the charging document did not specify the statutory aggravating factor upon which the State wished to proceed. [15] The most basic purposes of a criminal charge are to 1) accurately characterize the crime and the particular offense so as to put the accused on notice of what he is called upon to defend and 2) to prevent a future prosecution for the same offense. See, e.g., Lank v. State, 219 Md. 433, 436, 149 A.2d 367, 368 (1959). Generally, the accused must be apprised of the nature of the charges against him. The notice the State is required to serve upon the defendant in a capital case is set forth in Art. 27, § 412(b)(1)(i). [16] This notice includes each aggravating circumstance upon which the State intends to rely in pursuing the death penalty. Art. 21 of the Md. Decl. of Rts. does not require that this statutory notice be attached to the charging document. The proof of the aggravating circumstance(s) is always directly relevant in the sentencing phase of a capital case. We find no merit in Collins' contention regarding the sufficiency of the indictment in this case.