Shields v. Warden of Maryland House of Correction

Nathaniel Shields, serving a sentence of five years in the House óf Correction, asked Judge Michael Paul Smith of the Circuit Court for Baltimore County for the writ of habeas corpus and was turned down. He seeks leave to appeal from that denial, basing his right to relief on three grounds.

His first contention is that he was jointly tried with his brother in spite of the fact that he had informed his counsel that he wished to be tried separately. He does not allege that he made this request to the court and, assuming that he did, the denial of a severance goes to the regularity of the…