Knotts v. State

Appealing from a judgment and sentence of six years’ confinement in the Penitentiary, the appellant claims the trial court committed three errors: (1) that the court should not have permitted the State to amend the indictment, but should have granted the appellant’s motion to dismiss; (2) that certain articles taken from his automobile should not have been admitted into evidence; and (3) that his oral confession was not admissible.

On November 23, 1963, a man, armed with a shotgun, entered a restaurant located on Route 50 in Garrett County. Olive Teets Smith, the wife of the proprietor, and…