Justices Struggle With Expert Testimony in Criminal Trials (1)

The US Supreme Court is likely to provide long-anticipated clarity on the use of forensic analysis in criminal trials while leaving a persistent problem unresolved.

The case argued on Wednesday centers on the Sixth Amendment’s Confrontation Clause, which seeks to guarantee a fair trial by ensuring that defendants are able to confront the witnesses against them.

The court has long struggled with how that right applies when prosecutors try to use forensic analysis in court.

Jason Smith says state prosecutors went too far when they had one analyst testify to the work of another, without making both available at trial. ...