Stokes v. State

RAKER, Judge.

This criminal case presents issues relating to a defendant’s right to a trial by a jury of twelve jurors and the treatment of alternate jurors in a case in which the defendant has entered a plea of not criminally responsible and requests a bifurcated trial. In the guilt/innocence stage of the trial, the Circuit Court for Baltimore City retained the four alternate jurors and permitted them to participate in the juror deliberations. Appellant’s argument is that the trial court committed revers ible error by permitting sixteen jurors to enter the jury room and deliberate on the…