The Maryland Jury Instruction — Pinkerton Instruction is a crucial legal guideline provided to juries in Maryland during criminal trials. It pertains to the concept of accomplice liability, specifically in cases involving the Pinkerton doctrine. The Pinkerton Instruction is primarily based on a United States Supreme Court decision, Pinkerton v. United States (1946). It holds that individuals involved in a conspiracy can be held responsible for the foreseeable criminal acts committed by their co-conspirators while pursuing the shared goal of the conspiracy. In Maryland, the Pinkerton Instruction provides clear guidance to juries regarding the liability of defendants in conspiracy cases. It explains that if the defendant was involved in a conspiracy and the criminal act committed by a co-conspirator was a foreseeable consequence of the conspiracy, the defendant can be held accountable for that act as well. The Maryland Jury Instruction distinguishes between two types of defendants in the Pinkerton context: the "principal" and the "accomplice." The principal is the individual who directly commits the criminal act, while the accomplice is one who conspires with the principal and aids or abets the commission of the crime. In cases where the principal commits a crime that was within the scope of the conspiracy, the Pinkerton Instruction allows the jury to find the defendant accomplice guilty of that crime as well. However, the instruction also clarifies that the defendant must have had knowledge of the criminal act or acts committed by the co-conspirator(s) and that those acts were reasonably foreseeable. Additionally, Maryland recognizes that the defendant's withdrawal from the conspiracy before the criminal act was committed can absolve them from Pinkerton liability. The jury instruction highlights that if the defendant effectively communicated their withdrawal from the conspiracy and took action to prevent the crime, they cannot be held liable for subsequent criminal acts committed by their former co-conspirators. Overall, the Maryland Jury Instruction — Pinkerton Instruction aims to ensure a fair and just evaluation of a defendant's involvement and liability in conspiracy cases. By providing juries with comprehensive guidance on the Pinkerton doctrine and its applicability, it aids in their decision-making process to uphold the principles of justice and accountability.