ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) - Maryland's highest court has overturned the murder convictions in a double slaying in 2003 because a judge replaced a juror without notifying the defendant.
The Court of Appeals on Wednesday also overturned the life sentence given to Jaron Tyree Grade in the shooting deaths of Broadus Funderburk and Ricardo Cabera in Essex.
The court ruled unanimously that Grade's right to a fair trial was violated when the judge replaced a juror with an alternate without first notifying the defendant.
The judge was told a juror had an emergency and would be late. The judge replaced the juror with an alternate and deliberations started.
Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger tells The Daily Record that his office will review the case to see if a new trial will be conducted.
