MD - Elizabeth Metzler, 10, abducted & murdered, Anne Arundel County, 6 Dec 1971
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Baltimore Sun Article June 11, 2003
Life sentence upheld in 1971 killing of child Judge didn't need to say suspended term was possible, court rules
By Andrea F. Siegel
The state's highest court upheld yesterday the life sentence of an Odenton man convicted of murder in the death of a child who was walking home from school, a 1971 crime that led to one of the most intense searches in Anne Arundel County history.
The Maryland Court of Appeals ruled that the judge who sentenced Richard Miles Chaney was presumed to have known that he could have suspended part of the sentence, even though he did not say so in court. To prevail, Chaney would have had to prove that the judge made an error, the court said.
Richard Miles Chaney | Life sentence upheld in 1971 killing of child - Baltimore Sun
LINK
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2003-06-11/news/0306110348_1_chaney-sentence-court-of-appeals
Life sentence upheld in 1971 killing of child Judge didn't need to say suspended term was possible, court rules
By Andrea F. Siegel
The state's highest court upheld yesterday the life sentence of an Odenton man convicted of murder in the death of a child who was walking home from school, a 1971 crime that led to one of the most intense searches in Anne Arundel County history.
The Maryland Court of Appeals ruled that the judge who sentenced Richard Miles Chaney was presumed to have known that he could have suspended part of the sentence, even though he did not say so in court. To prevail, Chaney would have had to prove that the judge made an error, the court said.
Richard Miles Chaney | Life sentence upheld in 1971 killing of child - Baltimore Sun
LINK
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2003-06-11/news/0306110348_1_chaney-sentence-court-of-appeals
Cheney appealed his origional sentence of murder in 1979. Here is some of the text of the decision which denied that appeal, and a link to the entire decision.
------------------------------
Decided: June 7, 1979.
RICHARD MILES CHANEY
v.
STATE OF MARYLAND
Appeal from the Circuit Court for Calvert County; Bowen, J.
Moylan, Mason and MacDaniel, JJ. Moylan, J., delivered the opinion of the Court.
A criminal justice system, by its very nature, frequently involves the delicate balancing of competing interests. A society dedicated to human liberty must be ever vigilant that a suspect never be compelled to incriminate himself. That same society, legitimately concerned with protecting itself from its predators, must also be sensitive to the value of an admission or confession, properly obtained, as sometimes indispensable evidence of guilt. But for the confession in the case at bar, a brutal sexual assault and strangulation of a ten-year-old girl might have gone forever unredressed.
On December 6, 1971, ten-year-old Elizabeth Ann Metzler failed to return from school to her home in northern Anne Arundel County. On the next day, her lifeless body was found in the woods several miles from home. She had been sexually molested and strangled. Although suspicion centered on the appellant, Richard Miles Chaney, the evidence of guilt was not sufficient to bring charges. Instead of relegating this senseless murder to the dustbin of "unsolved crimes," the Anne Arundel County police bided their time and with patient diligence maintained the investigation. It ultimately bore fruit with the indictment of the appellant 5 1/2 years later. The appellant, following a removal, was ultimately found guilty by a Calvert County jury, presided over by Judge Perry G. Bowen, Jr., of murder in the first degree. Although bits and pieces of the case for the State were put together from a variety of sources over the course of the years, the capstone was the appellant's confession. The prime thrust of this appeal is his challenge to its admissibility. ...
...
Disposition
Judgment affirmed; costs to be paid by appellant.
LINK:
http://md.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19790607_0040215.MD.htm/qx
------------------------------
Decided: June 7, 1979.
RICHARD MILES CHANEY
v.
STATE OF MARYLAND
Appeal from the Circuit Court for Calvert County; Bowen, J.
Moylan, Mason and MacDaniel, JJ. Moylan, J., delivered the opinion of the Court.
A criminal justice system, by its very nature, frequently involves the delicate balancing of competing interests. A society dedicated to human liberty must be ever vigilant that a suspect never be compelled to incriminate himself. That same society, legitimately concerned with protecting itself from its predators, must also be sensitive to the value of an admission or confession, properly obtained, as sometimes indispensable evidence of guilt. But for the confession in the case at bar, a brutal sexual assault and strangulation of a ten-year-old girl might have gone forever unredressed.
On December 6, 1971, ten-year-old Elizabeth Ann Metzler failed to return from school to her home in northern Anne Arundel County. On the next day, her lifeless body was found in the woods several miles from home. She had been sexually molested and strangled. Although suspicion centered on the appellant, Richard Miles Chaney, the evidence of guilt was not sufficient to bring charges. Instead of relegating this senseless murder to the dustbin of "unsolved crimes," the Anne Arundel County police bided their time and with patient diligence maintained the investigation. It ultimately bore fruit with the indictment of the appellant 5 1/2 years later. The appellant, following a removal, was ultimately found guilty by a Calvert County jury, presided over by Judge Perry G. Bowen, Jr., of murder in the first degree. Although bits and pieces of the case for the State were put together from a variety of sources over the course of the years, the capstone was the appellant's confession. The prime thrust of this appeal is his challenge to its admissibility. ...
...
Disposition
Judgment affirmed; costs to be paid by appellant.
LINK:
http://md.findacase.com/research/wfrmDocViewer.aspx/xq/fac.19790607_0040215.MD.htm/qx
Frankie Hellis
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I was also Elizabeth's age and living in Maryland at the time of her disappearance. I can remember riding past wooded areas and wondering if they were the woods in which she was found. They weren't, but I was too young to understand completely. All I knew was that something awful had happened to someone just like me and whoever did it might get me too.
I have searched online for years but I thought her last name was Metzgar, so I have never been able to find anything until tonight when I suddenly typed in Metzler, like it was in the back of my mind all along.
Court of Appeals of Maryland.
STATE of Maryland v. Richard Miles CHANEY.
No. 89, Sept. Term, 2002.
Decided: June 10, 2003
... On 19 April 1978, Richard Miles Chaney was convicted by a jury in the Circuit Court for Calvert County of first degree murder. On the same day as the verdict was rendered, Chaney was sentenced by the trial judge to life imprisonment. On direct appeal, his conviction was affirmed by the Court of Special Appeals. Chaney v. State, 42 Md.App. 563, 402 A.2d 86, cert. denied, 286 Md. 745 (1979).
The present case arises from the Circuit Court's 12 September 2000 denial of Chaney's pro se “Motion for Appropriate Relief (To Grant Post-Conviction Relief, Habeas Corpus Relief, To Correct Illegal Sentence, or to Reconsider Sentence).” Chaney averred that the sentence imposed was illegal or irregular because the sentencing judge did not consider, as an option at sentencing, the suspension of all or some part of his life sentence. The motions judge in the Circuit Court, in denying Chaney's motion without hearing, treated it as a Petition for Post-Conviction Relief.
Chaney filed with the Court of Special Appeals an Application for Leave to Appeal the denial of his motion. Thereafter, he retained counsel who filed a Motion to Treat the Application for Leave to Appeal as a Notice of Appeal, on the basis that Chaney's motion in the trial court actually was a motion to correct illegal sentence. The Court of Special Appeals granted Chaney's appellate counsel's motion, and transferred the case to its regular docket. On 6 August 2002, after briefing and oral argument, the Court of Special Appeals filed an unreported decision reversing the decision of the Circuit Court and remanding the case for a new sentencing hearing. The State then filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari, which we granted. State v. Chaney, 372 Md. 132, 812 A.2d 288 (2002)....
LINK:
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/md-court-of-appeals/1364265.html
STATE of Maryland v. Richard Miles CHANEY.
No. 89, Sept. Term, 2002.
Decided: June 10, 2003
... On 19 April 1978, Richard Miles Chaney was convicted by a jury in the Circuit Court for Calvert County of first degree murder. On the same day as the verdict was rendered, Chaney was sentenced by the trial judge to life imprisonment. On direct appeal, his conviction was affirmed by the Court of Special Appeals. Chaney v. State, 42 Md.App. 563, 402 A.2d 86, cert. denied, 286 Md. 745 (1979).
The present case arises from the Circuit Court's 12 September 2000 denial of Chaney's pro se “Motion for Appropriate Relief (To Grant Post-Conviction Relief, Habeas Corpus Relief, To Correct Illegal Sentence, or to Reconsider Sentence).” Chaney averred that the sentence imposed was illegal or irregular because the sentencing judge did not consider, as an option at sentencing, the suspension of all or some part of his life sentence. The motions judge in the Circuit Court, in denying Chaney's motion without hearing, treated it as a Petition for Post-Conviction Relief.
Chaney filed with the Court of Special Appeals an Application for Leave to Appeal the denial of his motion. Thereafter, he retained counsel who filed a Motion to Treat the Application for Leave to Appeal as a Notice of Appeal, on the basis that Chaney's motion in the trial court actually was a motion to correct illegal sentence. The Court of Special Appeals granted Chaney's appellate counsel's motion, and transferred the case to its regular docket. On 6 August 2002, after briefing and oral argument, the Court of Special Appeals filed an unreported decision reversing the decision of the Circuit Court and remanding the case for a new sentencing hearing. The State then filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari, which we granted. State v. Chaney, 372 Md. 132, 812 A.2d 288 (2002)....
LINK:
http://caselaw.findlaw.com/md-court-of-appeals/1364265.html
I cannot find Chaney in the Maryland Inmate Locator. Does anyone know if he has completed his life prison term?
Also, Chaney was serving time in a Maryland Prison in 1977 when he confessed to killing Elizabeth Ann Metzler. He was serving a sentence for raping his own 5 year old daughter. Does anyone know when he was first put in prison? I am trying to determine what dates he may have been free to injure or attack other children.
Also, Chaney was serving time in a Maryland Prison in 1977 when he confessed to killing Elizabeth Ann Metzler. He was serving a sentence for raping his own 5 year old daughter. Does anyone know when he was first put in prison? I am trying to determine what dates he may have been free to injure or attack other children.
"In 1977, Chaney was serving a four-year sentence for incest when he told Anne Arundel police that he wanted to speak with them and confessed to killing Elizabeth."
I don't know if that helps narrow it down at least a little for you.
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2003-06-11/news/0306110348_1_chaney-sentence-court-of-appeals
I don't know if that helps narrow it down at least a little for you.
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2003-06-11/news/0306110348_1_chaney-sentence-court-of-appeals
callou2131
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Chaney is currently being held at Jennifer road detention center in Annapolis md. Due to his failing health, the prison sent him there. They could not deal with his health issues.
JusticeForAll
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[h=5]He is no longer showing up on Maryland Inmate locator. He has been released from prison. This monster should have never been let out and should have died in prison. The whole court record is too long to post, but can be seen on Maryland Judiciary Case Search.
Defendant Information[/h][h=5]Defendant[/h]
[TD="class: TDFirstColumnPrompt"]Address:[/TD]
[TD]Institution[/TD]
Defendant Information[/h][h=5]Defendant[/h]
| Name: | Chaney, Richard Miles |
| Race: | White Sex:Male Height:5'11" Weight:200 |
| HairColor: | EyeColor: |
| DOB: | 11/19/1939 |
| Anne Arundel Cty. Detent. Ctr.-Annap. | |
| City: | AnnapolisState:MDZip Code:21401 |
[TD="class: TDFirstColumnPrompt"]Address:[/TD]
[TD]Institution[/TD]
| File Date: | 03/02/2016Close Date: |
| Filed By: | |
| Document Name: | Competency Evaluation Received From |
| File Date: | 03/03/2016Close Date: |
| Filed By: | |
| Document Name: | Directive |
| File Date: | 03/08/2016Close Date: |
| Filed By: | |
| Document Name: | Hearing Sheet / Open Court Proceedings |
| File Date: | 03/08/2016Close Date:03/08/2016 |
| Filed By: | |
| Document Name: | Order - Competency Evaluation |
| File Date: | 03/08/2016Close Date: |
| Filed By: | |
| Document Name: | Miscellaneous Document |
| File Date: | 03/09/2016Close Date: |
| Filed By: | |
| Document Name: | Release From Commitment |
| File Date: | 03/09/2016Close Date: |
| Filed By: | |
| Document Name: | Miscellaneous Document |
Schipperke
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Careful, you will be labeled a "conspiracy theorist." LOL-TKFC (to keep from crying--nothing funny about this! Just shows sickness and depravity in the world we live in.
I am thinking this may have been a release based on "pending death from illness," but I have no way of knowing what the truth is because of the "secrecy." Reminds me of the UK's release of the middle eastern bomber because they said he was dying. The state of Maryland probably knew if they made a public statement about this, it would set a firestorm. Nothing makes it right! Nothing! AND THERE IS NOTHING, NOTHING TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN IN ANY OTHER CASE OR IN ANY STATE!
A 10-year-old child was murdered more than 40 years ago, and the State of Maryland releases the murderer! Time does not heal everything!
I am thinking this may have been a release based on "pending death from illness," but I have no way of knowing what the truth is because of the "secrecy." Reminds me of the UK's release of the middle eastern bomber because they said he was dying. The state of Maryland probably knew if they made a public statement about this, it would set a firestorm. Nothing makes it right! Nothing! AND THERE IS NOTHING, NOTHING TO STOP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN IN ANY OTHER CASE OR IN ANY STATE!
A 10-year-old child was murdered more than 40 years ago, and the State of Maryland releases the murderer! Time does not heal everything!
I don't think there is a conspiracy in THIS case, although we know there is a conspiracy in the <modsnip> case. I have not seen any posts disappear from this thread. What I find concerning with this case is that there has been no communication, no transparency, no accountability of the courts to the public. I guess they thought they would release this murderer and hope nobody noticed.
btw, the Muslim bomber (yes, he was Muslim, Hillary) who brought down the Libyan flight over Scotland lived for almost 3 years out of prison before he had the decency to exit this world.
JusticeForAll
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I attended church with Elizabeth. We were the same age and in CCD class together, at the time she was murdered. Her murdered opened my eyes to the evil that exists in the world. I had a really hard time understanding why anyone would hurt a child.
My parents are buried nearby in the same cemetery as Elizabeth. I pay my respects to her every time I visit the cemetery.
I have kept track of Richard Miles Chaney, over the years through the Maryland Inmate Locator. When his name did not show up, I was hoping he had died. So, I searched Maryland Judiciary Case records and found he was released.
I doubt the family was ever notified. I searched, but could not find any public information about his release. The family still lives in the area.
My parents are buried nearby in the same cemetery as Elizabeth. I pay my respects to her every time I visit the cemetery.
I have kept track of Richard Miles Chaney, over the years through the Maryland Inmate Locator. When his name did not show up, I was hoping he had died. So, I searched Maryland Judiciary Case records and found he was released.
I doubt the family was ever notified. I searched, but could not find any public information about his release. The family still lives in the area.
Schipperke
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Maybe the governor should be notified about what happened. Dept of Corrections should (I would think) take the lead inmaking sure that all the required persons are notified before a release. If that did not happen, the governor might want to hace his department head make sure it does not happen the same way again.
Frankie Hellis
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Am I reading that right, that he was released just six weeks ago? I am looking at the Maryland Judiciary Court Search records.
Richard Miles Chaney is dead, although you won't find it in an obituary.
| Court System: | Circuit Court For Anne Arundel County - Criminal |
| Location: | Anne Arundel Circuit Court |
| Case Number: | 02-K-14-001754 |
| Title: | State of Maryland vs Richard Miles Chaney |
| Case Type: | Criminal Indictment |
| Filing Date: | 08/01/1977 |
| Case Status: | Closed |
[h=5]Charge and Disposition Information[/h]
| Charge No: | 1CJIS Code:2-0900Statute Code:27.407 |
| Charge Description: | Murder-First DegreeCharge Class:Felony Circuit Court |
| Probable Cause: |
| Offense Date From: | 12/06/1971To: |
| Agency Name: | Officer ID: |
| Disposition: | Abated by Death Disposition Date:07/01/2016 |