Downes v. State

THE MISDEMEANOR OF BEING A ROGUE AND VAGABOND

On 13 January 1969 the Court of Appeals decided Crossland v. State, 252 Md. 70. On grant of certiorari it reversed a judgment of the Criminal Court of Baltimore which this Court had affirmed on direct appeal. The judgment was rendered by the lower court at a bench trial upon a verdict that Crossland was guilty of being a rogue and vagabond. Since the Crossland decision, many of those coming before us on direct appeal standing convicted of being a rogue and vagabond have sought to have the conviction set aside by applying the Crossland holding. The…