Johnson v. State

ELDRIDGE, Judge.

We granted a petition for a writ of certiorari in this case to decide if the Circuit Court for Talbot County erred in allowing the State to amend a criminal information, charging violations of the controlled dangerous substances laws, by substituting “cocaine” for “marijuana” when the defendant did not consent to the amendment.

I

The petitioner, Steve Eugene Johnson, was arrested on June 20, 1997, by Officer Mark Waltrup of the Easton Police Department. According to Officer Waltrup, he observed Johnson approach a motor vehicle, while clasping something in his right hand which…