Introduction
Julio Manga, his wife and Jonathan Brown dined together at their apartment. Some of the things they were doing included smoking marijuana and other drinks. Since they are all supposedly smoking marijuana, a concerned citizen called the 911 hotline to report the event. The citizen notifies the police that, in addition to smoking marijuana, these individuals have firearms that may or may not be legally held.
Jonathan Brown conceals his weapon between the pillows of his chair to evade arrest after being summoned by the police. According to Criminal Act, Title 5, Controlled Dangerous Substances, Prescriptions, and Other Substances, Jonathan knew that possessing an illegal firearm would lead him to thirty years of life imprisonment. However, the policemen discovered the concealed firearm and three other handguns during their investigation (Saylor & Buchanan, 2021). Additionally, police revealed that these pistols were not registered properly. Also, during the police inquiry, a large amount of marijuana is uncovered.
Issue
Is it true that Jonathan Brown, Julio Manga, and his wife committed any criminal charges in violation of the Maryland Code of Conduct?
Analysis
The Maryland code of conduct is primarily intended to protect the security of the state’s borders and maintain law and order. According to the case study, Julio Manga, Jonathan Brown, and their other companions broke Maryland state law. Undoubtedly, each of these individuals violated a special provision of Maryland’s criminal code. They were charged with two felonies. To begin, the three committed a felony under Title 5, Controlled Dangerous Substances, Prescriptions, and Other Substances, which is a federal crime. Possession of marijuana, an illicit substance, was expressly outlawed under this section of the law, and the three were in breach of this portion of the law. Apart from that, they repealed “subtitle 10—Drug and Alcohol Grants Program and Fund,” which remains a part of “title 5 of chapter five of the penal code.” (Reuters, 2022). As a result, the judicial system must ensure that three citizens are prosecuted for their crimes.
Second, the three citizens were charged with unlawful possession of pistols, a misdemeanor. ‘Weapon and Crime’ is the fourth criminal law that deals with weapons and crime. The second subtitle of the fourth title of this criminal law offers different rules on how public members should behave, particularly while in possession of lawfully registered firearms. By contrast, the law prohibits the possession of any firearm that has not been registered with the relevant government (Schneider et al., 2020).
The state police entered the residence of Julio Manga, and four handguns were discovered. According to officials, all three weapons recovered were not lawfully registered. As a result, the country’s legal system should operate normally in such a circumstance. Additionally, the case study illustrates that the Maryland police department is hyperaware of vulnerability risks and was overly responsive in this circumstance (Crifasi et al., 2019). When such situations are investigated promptly, the police system can recover several instances of criminal conduct from the scene.
Rules
The citizens analyzed in the case act are guilty persons because they have violated several laws. First, Criminal Act, Title 5, Controlled Dangerous Substances, Prescriptions, and Other Substances, was violated because marijuana in the home had no legal basis for use and was illegally in possession. “In Maryland, marijuana is listed as a Schedule I controlled hallucinogenic substance. Simple possession (possession without the intent to distribute) of less than 10 grams in Maryland is a civil offense (fine not exceeding $100 for first-time offenders, $250 for second-time offenders, and $500 for third or subsequent offenders)” (Norml, 2022). Since the rule was not observed, the individual is rightly imputed to the fault. As for weapons, the ‘Weapon and Crime’ law was violated, which prohibits the possession of weapons without a license. “Illegally carrying a firearm in Maryland is a misdemeanor” (Houlon Berman, 2022). Thus, two US laws were violated, respectively two crimes were committed.
Conclusion
The initial study demonstrates that the Maryland Code of Conduct and Laws were enacted to maintain peace and order among the state’s residents. The citizen who reported the case to the police also performed his right to report any case that may risk their lives of the lives of their neighbors. The investigation revealed that Jonathan Brown violated Titles 4 and 5 of the criminal code. He took issue specifically with subtitles two and ten, which he disliked. As a result, the legal system should use extreme prudence in this instance.
References
Braun, M. R. (2018). Re-assessing mass incarceration in light of the decriminalization of marijuana in Maryland. Legal Framework, 49, 24.
Crifasi, C. K., Merrill-Francis, M., Webster, D. W., Wintemute, G. J., & Vernick, J. S. (2019). Changes in the legal environment and enforcement of firearm transfer laws in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Injury Prevention, 25(Suppl 1), i2-i4.
Houlon Berman. (2022). Gun charges in Maryland and their consequences. Web.
Norml. (2022). Maryland laws and penalties. Web.
Reuters, T., 2022. Browse – Maryland Code and Court Rules. Web.
Schneider, K. E., Park, J. N., Allen, S. T., Weir, B. W., & Sherman, S. G. (2020). Knowledge of Good Samaritan Laws and beliefs about arrests among persons who inject drugs a year after policy change in Baltimore, Maryland. Public Health Reports, 135(3), 393-400.
Saylor, E., An, S., & Buchanan, L. B. (2021). The first amendment, religious freedom, and public schools in the south. The Social Studies, 1-12.