Venable v. State

MURPHY, Judge.

In the Circuit Court for Baltimore City, a jury convicted Marlene Venable, appellant, of distribution of cocaine and related offenses. Her appeal presents us with but one question:

Did the trial court err in permitting the State to call defense counsel as a rebuttal witness?

We answer “yes” to that question, reverse the judgments of conviction, and remand this case for a new trial.

Background

In the early morning of September 17, 1993, Officers Roundtree and Wells of the Baltimore Housing Authority Police conducted a surveillance of the Somerset Projects, and observed appellant…