The Burglary of a Research Facility
Burglarizing a research facility might seem like a fairly obscure offense, one that might be punishable under the general burglary provisions. As the old adage goes if they have to go through the trouble to pass a law against it, there must be a problem. A research facility is defined as:
“means an enclosure or separately secured yard, pad, pond, laboratory, pasture, or pen used to conduct research, house research subjects, or store supplies, records, data, prototypes, or equipment necessary to or derived from research”
Source: Section 6-208 of the Criminal Law Article.
Your experienced Baltimore criminal defense lawyer Attorney Eric T. Kirk will tell you that burglarizing a research facility it punishable by 5 years in prison, and a hefty fine. The intent that the State must prove to obtain a conviction is different, and far more specific, than under the other burglary provisions in Maryland. To convict, the State must prove beyond a reasonable doubt the defendant broke into a research facility with the intent to:
- obtain unauthorized control over research property
- alter or eradicate research property
- damage or deface research property
- move research property in a manner intended to cause harm to it
- destroy or remove research property
- engage in conduct that results in the removal of research property.
Source: Section 6-208 of the Criminal Law Article.
