Commonwealth v. Hines

After a jury trial, the defendant, James W. Hines, was convicted of trafficking in an opium derivative, G. L. c. 94C, § 32E(c ) ; trafficking in an opium derivative in a drug-free school zone, G. L. c. 94C, § 32J ; and unlawful possession of an electric stun gun, G. L. c. 140, § 131J. On appeal, the parties agree that the defendant is entitled to a new trial because the defendant's confrontation rights were violated when a substitute chemist read language from drug certificates prepared by another chemist into the record at trial. Having determined that the defendant's confrontation rights…