State v. Meadows

STROUD, Judge.

Defendant was convicted by a jury of possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia. Defendant appeals on the grounds that the trial court erred by admitting expert testimony on the identity of a controlled substance based on the results of a NarTest machine. We find defendant’s argument as to the State’s failure to demonstrate the reliability of the NarTest machine to be dispositive, and we order a new trial.

I. Background

The State’s evidence tended to show that on the evening of 19 May 2007, Detective Jack Edward Springs of the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office was…