2326                                    LAWS OF MARYLAND                                 Ch. 576

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
shall take effect July 1, 1981.

Approved May 19, 1981.

CHAPTER 577

(Senate Bill 862)

AN ACT concerning

Criminal Law - Evidence

FOR the purpose of providing that a confession of a criminal
defendant may not be excluded from evidence solely
because the defendant was not taken before a judicial
officer within a specified time; and providing that
failure to comply with certain rules of court is only
one factor, among others, to be considered in
determining the voluntariness and admissibility of a
confession.

BY adding to

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

Section 10-912

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1980 Replacement Volume and 1980 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article - Courts and Judicial Proceedings

10-912.

(A)  A CONFESSION MAY NOT BE EXCLUDED FROM EVIDENCE
SOLELY BECAUSE THE DEFENDANT WAS NOT TAKEN BEFORE A JUDICIAL
OFFICER AFTER ARREST WITHIN ANY SPECIFIED TIME PERIOD
SPECIFIED BY THE MARYLAND DISTRICT RULES.

(B)  FAILURE TO STRICTLY COMPLY WITH THE PROVISIONS OF
THE MARYLAND DISTRICT RULES PERTAINING TO TAKING A DEFENDANT
BEFORE A JUDICIAL OFFICER AFTER ARREST IS ONLY ONE FACTOR,
AMONG OTHERS, TO BE CONSIDERED BY THE COURT IN DECIDING THE
VOLUNTARINESS AND ADMISSIBILITY OF A CONFESSION.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act
shall take effect July 1, 1981.

Approved May 19, 1981.