Christian v. State

ADKINS, Judge.

This appeal requires us to decide whether a trial judge who suspends the execution of a sentence and places the defendant on probation may impose, by subsequent extensions of the probationary period, a total probationary term in excess of five years. On the facts of the present case, we hold this to be impermissible. We reverse the judgment below.

On May 24, 1978, the Criminal Court of Baltimore found appellant, Frederick A. Christian, guilty of being a rogue and a vagabond. It sentenced him to three years of incarceration, suspended in favor of three years of supervised…