Gardner v. State

Henry Kravetz, a taxicab driver, was shot and killed in an attempt to rob him. William Gardner was arrested and while in custody made an inculpatory verbal statement as to the homicide and attempted robbery. He was charged with the murder and attempted robbery with a deadly weapon of Kravetz and also with the robbery with a deadly weapon of another taxi driver, Edward Balcer. He went to trial before a jury in the Criminal Court of Baltimore. His statement was offered by the State over challenge and upon evidence adduced out of the jury’s presence the court made the required preliminary…