New Supreme Court Ruling on Scientific Evidence
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued two important rulings in the last three years on issues concerning the admissibility of laboratory results in criminal cases: Melendez-Diaz vs. Massachusetts and Bullcoming vs. New Mexico. These opinions have built on and support the standard that has previously been set in Crawford. The Supreme Court is now being asked to address some of the detail regarding how the right to confrontation is met without clogging the courts with scientific witnesses or emptying laboratories. These questions include the issues of how to define an “analyst” and what different people involved at various stages of the analysis can testify to. In December 2011 the Supreme Court will hear arguments in the case of Williams vs. Illinois, a decision which will provide further clarity concerning who will be allowed to testify to what.
Source: American Bar Assoc.
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