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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Com v Pimental, Appeals Ct, 2/3/10

COMMONWEALTH v. PIMENTAL, FEBRUARY 3, 2010, APPEALS COURT

Controlled substances, Evidence, Confrontation of witnesses, Certificate of drug analysis

Admission of drug analysis certificates violated the defendant’s confrontation rights at trial. The error was not harmless beyond a reasonable doubt because the certificates provided significant evidence of the nature of the substance as heroin.