People v. Aston

Opinion

BIRD, C. J.

The primary issue in this case is whether D-cocaine, a synthetic form of cocaine, was a controlled substance under Health and Safety Code section 11055, subdivision (b)(4) at the time appellants committed their crime.

I

During the early months of 1980, law enforcement officers from the California Department of Justice and local police and sheriff departments conducted an extensive investigation of narcotic sales in Siskiyou County. As part of that investigation, a narcotics buy program was instituted which utilized the services of a paid narcotics assistant, Phillip Smith.

As a…