State v. Odom
Supreme Court of New Jersey
560 A.2d 1198 (N.J. 1989)
Relevant factsFree
Police found 18 vials of cocaine in a pillowcase under Ernest Odom's (defendant) bed, with no other drugs or paraphernalia present; Odom claimed the drugs were for personal use. At trial, a narcotics detective was qualified as an expert and, given a hypothetical matching the facts already in evidence (including Odom's name), opined that the drugs were possessed for distribution rather than personal use. Odom was convicted based partly on this testimony; the appellate court reversed, and the State appealed.
IssueFree
Whether a trial court errs by admitting expert testimony giving an opinion as to whether the circumstances of a particular case establish an intent to distribute cocaine.