Harris v. State

We issued a writ of certiorari in this criminal case to decide whether a trial court erred by denying a defendant’s motion for a new trial where the guilty verdicts were rendered by a jury which had never been sworn.

I

On November 22, 2003, Michael Edwards was struck and killed by an automobile allegedly driven by Chester Harris. The State charged Harris with vehicular manslaughter under Maryland Code (2002), § 2-209 of the Criminal Law Article, and several related offenses. Harris’s trial in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City commenced on October 28, 2004.

After the judge conducted voir dire…