State v. Williams

WYNN, Judge.

In North Carolina, the “general rule is that in a criminal prosecution evidence of the reputation of a place or neighborhood is ordinarily inadmissible hearsay.” State v. Weldon, 314 N.C. 401, 408, 333 S.E.2d 701, 705 (1985). In this case, the trial court erroneously allowed testimony indicating Defendant was in a neighborhood known as an “open air market for drugs.” Because we conclude that had this error not been committed, there is a reasonable possibility that a different result would have been reached at trial, we grant Defendant a new trial.

The underlying facts tend to show…