Varriale v. State

The State charged George Varriale, appellant, with two counts of second-degree burglary, theft over $1,000, and malicious destruction of property, in connection with a 2008 burglary in Glen Burnie, Maryland. The charges were based solely on DNA evidence from a sample that Varriale had voluntarily given in an earlier, successful effort to clear himself of unrelated rape charges.

In pre-trial proceedings in the burglary prosecution, Varriale moved to suppress the DNA evidence. The trial court held a hearing on Varriale’s motion to suppress and, ultimately, denied the motion. Thereafter, Varriale…