Cornish v. State

The single issue before us is whether, under the particular circumstances of this criminal case, the retrial of the defendant-appellant following the trial judge’s sua sponte declaration of a mistrial would violate the double jeopardy prohibition of the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.

On August 18, 1972, the appellant Trent William Cornish was indicted by the Grand Jury of Baltimore City for the murder of one John Gerald Bullock. The indictment also charged Cornish with assault with intent to murder Bullock and with assault upon Bullock. The trial was originally scheduled…