1074 LAWS OF MARYLAND. [CH. 562

Police Justices the power heretofore conferred upon
them, to hear and determine cases, and to the Grand Jury
to hear, present and indict when deemed desirable by
that Body, and providing that nothing in this Act shall
apply to cases of misdemeanors which may be punishable
with death.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of
Maryland, That a new section be and is hereby added to
Article 27 of the Annotated Code of Maryland (1924 Edi-
tion), title "Crimes and Punishments, " sub-title "Jurisdic-
tion, Procedure and Sentence, " to follow immediately after
Section 549 and to be designated as Section 549a of said
Article, said new section to provide for the filing of Crim-
inal Informations by the State's Attorneys of the various
counties of the State and of the City of Baltimore, in cases
where defendants, charged with a misdemeanor or misde-
meanors, make known their desire to enter a plea of guilty
to such charge, and eliminating the necessity of having an
indictment returned by the Grand Jury in such case or
cases, and providing that nothing in the Act shall apply to
cases of misdemeanors which may be punishable with
death, and to read as follows:

549A. That whenever hereafter in any County of this
State, or in the City of Baltimore, any person is charged
with the commission of any misdemeanor or misdemeanors,
and such person, before indictment by the Grand Jury of
said County or City of Baltimore, makes known his desire
to enter a plea of guilty to such charge or charges in the
Circuit Court of the County or in the Criminal Court of
the City of Baltimore, wherever the said crime is alleged
to have occurred, no indictment or indictments charging
such offense or offenses shall be necessary to be returned
by the Grand Jury of the said County or City of Baltimore;
but the State's Attorney of said County or City of Balti-
more may prepare a Criminal Information or Informations
setting forth the charge or charges, and the defendant shall
have the right to enter a plea of guilty thereon and the
Circuit Court of the Counties and the Criminal Court of
Baltimore City, having jurisdiction thereof, shall thereupon
proceed to hear any evidence desired by the said Court and
shall pass judgment for the offense or offenses in the said
case or cases.

Provided, however, that nothing in this section shall be
construed as to relate to or change the proceedings in cases
of misdemeanor which may be punishable with death and