State v. Fennell
Annotate this CaseDefendant was charged for multiple criminal offenses. Prior to the conclusion of jury deliberations during trial, the jury sent a completed verdict sheet to the trial judge indicating that the jury voted to acquit Defendant on charges of first degree assault, conspiracy to commit first degree assault, and conspiracy to commit robbery. The jury sheet indicated further, however, that the jury had not agreed as to disposition of the charge of robbery and second degree assault. The jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict regarding the counts as to which it was undecided. The judge declared a mistrial as to all counts. Defendant filed a motion to bar retrial on the charges for which he believed the first jury acquitted him. The motion was denied. The court of special appeals reversed, determining that there was no manifest necessity for a mistrial and that retrial on the three counts for which the jury indicated a unanimous vote on the verdict sheet was barred by double jeopardy. The Court of Appeals affirmed after noting that Maryland law permits partial verdicts under the circumstances present here, holding that retrial of Defendant on the three disputed charges was prohibited by principles of double jeopardy.
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