Gatewood v. State

Gatewood, convicted on his guilty plea of possession of controlled dangerous substances, heroin and marijuana, and sentenced to four years’ confinement, understandably takes umbrage at an order of the Baltimore City Court forfeiting to the State of Maryland, to the use of the police commissioner of Baltimore City, an amount of $1,862.10 in United States coin and currency found in close proximity to the controlled dangerous substances incident to the execution of a valid search warrant. 1 This appeal is from that order.

A brief summary of the relevant facts will suffice. On 13 September 1971,…