Justia Maryland Supreme Court Opinion Summaries

Petitioner Erik Stoddard was convicted by a jury of child abuse resulting in the death of a child and manslaughter. The Court of Appeals affirmed, holding (1) the trial court erred by placing an impermissible restriction on Petitioner's right against self-incrimination and infringing his right to due process when it required him to testify prior to the completion of the defense case or to forgo testifying at all, but this error was harmless under the circumstances of this case and did not prejudice Petitioner; and (2) the trial court did not err in admitting evidence of prior bad acts and a question implying that Petitioner posed a threat to another child. View "Stoddard v. State" on Justia Law