SANDY WILLIAMS; PRIMER FOR DECEMBER 6, 2011 APPEAL; SCOTUS BLOG CASE FILE; CASE RAISES RIGHT TO CONFRONT EXPERT WITNESS WHO PERFORMED THE DNA TEST;

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The following case note published on the SCOTUS blog is a useful primer for the William's appeal which raises the important issue as to whether a state rule of evidence allowing an expert witness to testify about the results of DNA testing performed by non-testifying analysts violates the Confrontation Clause, when the defendant has no opportunity to confront the actual analysts.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Plain English Issue: Whether a court violates a criminal defendant's rights under the Confrontation Clause by allowing an expert witness to testify about the results of DNA testing conducted by another analyst who has not appeared as a witness at the trial.

SCOTUSblog Coverage

• Two more cases granted

Briefs and Documents

Merits briefs for the Petitioner

• Brief for Sandy Williams

Amicus briefs in Support of the Petitioner

• Brief for the California Public Defenders Association et al.
• Brief for the Innocence Network
• Brief for Richard D. Friedman
• Brief for Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers

Merits briefs for the Respondent

• Brief for Illinois

Amicus briefs in support of the Respondent

• Brief for the United States
• Brief for National District Attorneys Association et al,
• Brief for the New York County District Attorney's Office and the New York County Office of the Chief Medical Examiner
• Brief for Ohio et al.

Certiorari-stage documents

• Opinion below (Supreme Court of Illinois)
• Petition for certiorari
• Petitioner's reply

• Brief in opposition

The case note can be found at:

http://www.scotusblog.com/case-files/cases/williams-v-illinois/

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:

http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith

PUBLISHER'S NOTE: The

Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:

http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html

Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog; hlevy15@gmail.com;