Tingler v. State

Thompson, J., delivered the opinion of the Court. Donald Lee Tingler and Harry Lee Wright, the appellants, complain of a conviction for larceny after trust by the Criminal Court of Baltimore, sitting without a jury, alleging (a) the evidence was insufficient to support their convictions and (b) that they were denied due process of law because a police officer was allowed to> correct his testimony after the State had rested its case. Around noon on February 8, 1966, Tingler and Wright went to the used car lot of Sandy Lane Motors, on Harford Road, in the City of Baltimore. When they showed an interest in purchasing a 1963 Ford automobile, the manager put license tags on it and gave them permission to drive it around the block to see if they liked it.

When the car was not returned three or four hours later the manager notified the police. Officer Norman Jordan, of the Anne Arundel County Police Department, stopped the car in Glen Burnie at about 5:30 A.M. the next morning for a routine check. He asked specifically about the used car plates, and Wright, the driver, informed him that he was an employee of the used car company. A check revealed that the car was missing and the appellants were held for the Baltimore Police.

A set of Ohio license tags ³⁹¹ was found in the automobile; all of the car’s hubcaps and the inspection sticker were missing. The door panel had been dented. No explanation for the damage or missing items was offered by the appellants and no explanation was given as to the Ohio license tags. Donald Lee Tingler and Dennis Tingler, a brother, were also in the automobile at the time it was recovered but Dennis was acquitted by the trial judge.

Wright testified that instead of driving around the block, he drove Tingler home and then took the car out on the beltway, ending up in Glen Burnie which was 15 to 20 miles from the used car lot. He stated that at or about 2:00 or 2:30 P.M. he ran into a snowbank on a side street and when he was unable to remove the car, he took a taxi to Baltimore. At or about 7:00 P.M.