Shotkosky v. State

William Joseph Shotkosky, the appellant, was convicted of second-degree murder in a jury trial before Judge Solomon Liss in the Criminal Court of Baltimore and sen tenced to a term of twenty-five years. On appeal he contends: (1) the trial court erred in denying his motion for a mistrial; (2) in not admitting expert testimony from a police officer; (3) in allowing the jury to consider first degree murder as a possible verdict; (4) in making a plain error in the instructions; and (5) in improperly excluding from the jury’s consideration a statement given by a defense witness.

On Saturday,…