Boyd v. Warden of Maryland House of Correction

Petitioner was convicted in the Circuit Court for Charles County on the second count of a larceny indictment, and sentenced to five years, later reduced to two years, in the House of Correction. He contends that he was prejudiced by the fact that the trial judge charged the grand jury that they should investigate and put a stop to the many cases of breaking and entering occurring in Charles County. If we assume, without deciding, that the point could be raised on habeas corpus, we find no prejudice. The petitioner did not ask a jury trial, but was tried by the court without a jury. He was…