Michael Ackerman v. State of Indiana

On Direct Appeal from a Sentence of Life Imprisonment With the Possibility of Parole

David, Justice.

This case raises an issue of first impression in Indiana and has divided both state and federal jurisdictions. Under the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, “[i]n all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right ... to be confronted with the witnesses against him.” The primary question is whether the admission of an autopsy report into evidence violates the defendant’s constitutional rights under the Confrontation Clause, where it has been demonstrated that the…