COMMONWEALTH v. MELENDEZ-DIAZ, February 3, 2010, Appeals Court
Controlled substances, Evidence, Confrontation of witnesses, Certificate of drug analysis
The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the judgment of the Appeals Court and remanded the case to consider whether the admission of the drug analysis was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. The Appeals Court agreed with the defendant that the error was not harmless because the analysis provided the only material evidence that the substance was cocaine.