HERBERT R. O'CONOR, GOVERNOR. 1989

This enactment would allow Justices of the Peace to try and
determine manslaughter cases where deaths occur through the
operation of vehicles. It would, also, reduce the grade of the
offense from felony to misdemeanor.

The Justices of the Peace do not preside over courts of
record. In a number of the counties the State's Attorney does
not appear to prosecute cases and it might very well happen
that, if this bill were enacted into law, cases in which human
lives would be taken would be handled without counsel appear-
ing for one or both sides.

It would seem that this is a drastic change from the present
practice and I am advised that numerous officials including
judges and State's Attorneys were not apprised of this pro-
posed innovation.

Believing that this matter should be considered fully and
that all interested parties should be invited to submit their
views before such change is effected, I am vetoing the measure.

PAROLE.

SOUSE BILL 539.

AN ACT to repeal and re-enact, with amendments, Sections
74, 75, 76, 78, 82, 83, 84, 85 and 86 of Article 41 of the Anno-
tated Code of Maryland (1939 Edition), title "Governor—
Executive and Administrative Departments", sub-title "Divi-
sion of Parole and Probation", relating to the powers,
duties and employees of the Department of Parole and Pro-
bation, defining Pardons, Commutations of Sentence, Parole
and Probation, and abolishing the Board of Parole and Pro-
bation and establishing a new Board of Parole and Proba-
tion.

This legislative enactment proposes a three-man parole board
with absolute authority over releases from penal institutions.
The proposed law would have permitted the Governor to ap-
point two full time members at a combined salary of f 14, 500
to pass finally upon all parole cases, the third member of the
board being the Chairman of the Board of Correction.

There are several reasons for the vetoing of the bill. The
present Parole Director, F. Murray Benson, informed me that
he could not accept appointment under the terms of the new
law which would require the two members of the Board to
give their full time to parole work. Numerous inquiries were
made as to the availability of outstanding men with experience
in matters affecting criminal justice. However, the efforts did