Attempting suicide is not a crime under Maryland law. But an Eastern Shore man was convicted of it
Now this just a little bit crazy:
"An Eastern Shore man was convicted this week on rare criminal charges of attempting suicide and given a sentence that could land him in jail.
The 56-year-old man pleaded guilty Thursday in Caroline County District Court to one count of “attempted suicide” and was sentenced to a three-year suspended jail sentence, and two years of probation. The Sun typically does not name people involved in suicides.
Caroline County’s interim top prosecutor Joe Riley told The Sun the charge was “not something I’ve seen before” and said he would not pursue it in the future.
“It’s not like we’re trying to put this guy in jail or anything,” Riley said. “We’re trying to get him into mental health treatment.”
David Jaros, a law professor at the University of Baltimore, said the case struck him as a “poor use of discretion.”
“I find it hard to believe saddling this guy with a record and probation that could result in jail time is the best way to resolve what is clearly a mental health problem,” Jaros said. “This is a classic example of how the criminal justice system can ultimately create hurdles for a person trying to get the help they need.”"
"The charges apparently derive from English common law, rules that were in place when America declared its Independence from the British in 1776. The state legislature has since enacted its own laws, but Maryland continues to recognize common law crimes. Some charges frequently brought, like “misconduct in office,” are common law crimes with no specific penalty, leaving it up to the judge."
Now this just a little bit crazy:
"An Eastern Shore man was convicted this week on rare criminal charges of attempting suicide and given a sentence that could land him in jail.
The 56-year-old man pleaded guilty Thursday in Caroline County District Court to one count of “attempted suicide” and was sentenced to a three-year suspended jail sentence, and two years of probation. The Sun typically does not name people involved in suicides.
Caroline County’s interim top prosecutor Joe Riley told The Sun the charge was “not something I’ve seen before” and said he would not pursue it in the future.
“It’s not like we’re trying to put this guy in jail or anything,” Riley said. “We’re trying to get him into mental health treatment.”
David Jaros, a law professor at the University of Baltimore, said the case struck him as a “poor use of discretion.”
“I find it hard to believe saddling this guy with a record and probation that could result in jail time is the best way to resolve what is clearly a mental health problem,” Jaros said. “This is a classic example of how the criminal justice system can ultimately create hurdles for a person trying to get the help they need.”"
"The charges apparently derive from English common law, rules that were in place when America declared its Independence from the British in 1776. The state legislature has since enacted its own laws, but Maryland continues to recognize common law crimes. Some charges frequently brought, like “misconduct in office,” are common law crimes with no specific penalty, leaving it up to the judge."
