DORTCH v. STATE

[No. 98, September Term, 1980.] [No. 99, September Term, 1980.]

290 Md. 229 (1981)

428 A.2d 1220

TERRY EUGENE DORTCH v. STATE OF MARYLAND HOWARD JOSEPH COHEN v. STATE OF MARYLAND

Court of Appeals of Maryland.

Decided May 1, 1981.


Attorney(s) appearing for the Case

Michael R. Braudes, Assistant Public Defender, with whom was Alan H. Murrell, Public Defender, on the brief, for appellants.

Stephen Rosenbaum, Assistant Attorney General, with whom were Stephen H. Sachs, Attorney General, and Ray E. Stokes, Assistant Attorney General, on the brief, for appellee.

The cause was argued before MURPHY, C.J., and SMITH, DIGGES, ELDRIDGE, COLE, DAVIDSON and RODOWSKY, JJ.


MURPHY, C.J., delivered the opinion of the Court.

The sole issue in these consolidated criminal appeals is whether, for an election of a court trial to be "voluntary" within the contemplation of Maryland Rule 735, the trial judge must make a specific inquiry of the accused on the record to determine if his decision to waive trial by jury was improperly induced by promises or by physical or mental coercion.

Maryland Rule 735 a requires that the defendant in...

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