Adams v. State

Judge J. Frederick Sharer, long-time trial and then appellate judge, writing for the Court of Special Appeals in this case, emphasized the importance of deferring to the trial court’s discretion in matters like this one:

This Court discussed the discretionary nature of items taken into the jury room in Jackson v. State, 164 Md.App. 679, 884 A.2d 694 (2005). In that case, the jury asked to hear the testimony of a witness again. ■ The trial court refused the request because the court reporter would have had to transcribe the testimony, which the trial court believed would take too long. Jackson…