Eldridge v. State

Per Curiam. Cherry Auston Eldridge was convicted of manslaughter by a jury in the Criminal Court of Baltimore, and was sentenced to ten years’ confinement therefor. He raises two contentions: (1) he claims there was not sufficient corroboration of the testimony of his two accom ¹² plices to justify having submitted his case to the jury; and (2) that the trial court erred in failing to instruct the jury properly as to the weight and consideration that should be given to the testimony of accomplices. I The appellant and two codefendants (sometimes hereinafter referred to as “the accomplices”) were jointly indicted for the murder of one Robert Mayer (the deceased or victim).

Appellant was tried alone prior to the trial of his co-defendants, he having selected a jury trial and the others a trial by the court. At his trial, the appellant’s accomplices testified against him. Briefly stated, their testimony was that a few days before the homicide the accomplices had stolen some articles of wearing apparel and desired to sell them. The deceased said be knew someone who would purchase the clothing.

The deceased and the accomplices (using appellant’s automobile for which he was to receive one-half of the money realized from the sale of the clothing) drove to an address suggested by the deceased. The deceased took the clothes and entered a private home, where he, presumptively, sold them, and (disregarding the time-honored adage that there should be a reasonable amount of “honesty among thieves”) left the house by the back door. Several days later, the appellant and the accomplices found the deceased in a poolroom shooting pool with one Lester Bryant. The deceased immediately stopped the pool game, walked down the street with the appellant and the accomplices, and got into appellant’s car with them.

They drove across a viaduct, and proceeded up an alley. The appellant and deceased were “arguing about money.” The car was stopped in the alley and a fight, in which all four participated, ensued. The victim managed to break away and ran up the alley, with the others in pursuit. One of the accomplices struck the deceased and he cried out, “Help, Police,” whereupon the accomplices returned to the car.

Shortly thereafter, the appellant returned and said that he had stabbed the victim in the back. They then went to the appellant’s home, and proceeded from there to 1121 Darley Ave., where three women were living. ¹³ The appellant denied having participated in any manner in the killing. The deceased made a dying declaration in which he said that one of the accomplices had done the stabbing. The State called Lester Bryant and he testified that the accomplices were looking for a “fence” on October 19, 1959 (the homicide occurred on October 22, 1959), that the victim told the accomplices that he thought he knew one, and the accomplices and the deceased