Gupta v. State

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After a jury trial, Petitioner was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The Court of Special Appeals affirmed. Petitioner appealed, inter alia, the denial of his motion to suppress the statements he made to police officers during his interrogation, arguing that they were obtained in violation of his Miranda right to counsel. The Court of Appeals affirmed, holding (1) the trial judge violated Maryland Rule 4-326(D)(2) by communicating an ex parte answer to a juror’s question without disclosing it to the defendant or any lawyer, but the error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt; and (2) Petitioner did not invoke his Miranda right to counsel by demanding to see a lawyer from his holding cell before being interrogated, and therefore, the circuit court did not err in denying Petitioner’s motion to suppress the statements he made to detectives during his interrogation. View "Gupta v. State" on Justia Law