Court Opinion

ID: 9532511
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 04:21:57.464104+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:28:46.492690
License: Public Domain

Murphy, C. J.,

concurring in part and dissenting in part:

I agree with the Court that in those cases where no written election was made under Rule 735 b, Countess v. State, 286 Md. 444, 408 A.2d 1302 (1979), requires reversal of the convictions for failure to advise the defendant, as required by Rule 735 d, that in order to convict he must be found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. 1 do not agree, however, *294that reversal is required in cases like Ricketts v. State, 46 Md. App. 410, 417 A.2d 465 (1980), where the accused personally executed the written election under Rule 735 b and thereby expressly acknowledged, among other things, that:
"I am aware that before a finding of guilty in a jury trial all 12 jurors must find that I am guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. I am aware that before a finding of guilty in a court trial the judge must find that I am guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”
As to such cases, I adhere to my dissenting view in Countess that because the written election constitutes part of the record before the trial judge, he may, in making the requisite Rule 735 d inquiry, "take into account the fact that the defendant has acknowledged in writing that he knew of his right to be tried by a jury of 12 persons, and was also aware that he could not be convicted unless all 12 jurors found him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” 286 Md. at 472. Thus, in determining whether there was compliance with Rule 735 d, I would consider the substance of the information contained in the written election, together with the responses of the accused to the trial judge’s in-court inquiry, and would not summarily reverse convictions without regard to the evidence of record contained in the written election form.
Judge Rodowsky has authorized me to state that he joins in the views expressed herein.