Nelson v. State

Phipps, Presiding Judge.

After a jury trial, Thomas Nelson was convicted of trafficking in cocaine. Nelson appeals from the denial of his motion for a new trial, contending that the trial court erred in: admitting evidence police found in his pants pocket during a traffic stop; allowing an expert witness to identify the substance seized from his pocket as cocaine when the substance had allegedly been seized in violation of the Fourth Amendment; denying his motion for a mistrial after the trial judge allegedly stated his opinion as to what had been proved; and permitting the state to ask him on…