State v. Melendez

The opinion of the Court was delivered by

*50CLIFFORD, J.

We granted certification, 126 N.J. 328, 598 A.2d 887 (1991), to review the Appellate Division’s affirmance, in an unreported opinion, of the conviction of defendant, Alejandro Melendez, for distribution of cocaine, a violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(l), and for distribution within 1,000 feet of school property, proscribed by N.J.S.A. 2C:35-5a(l) and 2C:35-7. Defendant was tried with a co-defendant, Juan Fortuna, who, however, failed to return to court the day after the State had rested its case. The trial court denied Melendez’s motion for a…