Stokes v. State

BLOOM, Judge.

A jury in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City acquitted appellant, Vincent S. Stokes, of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, simple possession of cocaine and possession of controlled paraphernalia, but convicted him of unauthorized use of an automobile. The court imposed the maximum sentence, a prison term of four years.

Appellant contends that the trial judge erred when, sua sponte, he substituted an alternate juror for a designated juror during the trial. He also contends that the judge erred in refusing to give the jury a proper instruction requested by appellant…