Allegations of Drug Possession Arise from Police Response to Shots Fired
An individual faces charges for drug possession linked to a police response. Toxicology analysis may influence the case's outcome.
Published on
Case Overview
This case involves an individual charged with unlawful possession of heroin and carfentanil following a police response to reports of gunfire at a residential property. The police discovered multiple plastic bags containing significant quantities of these controlled substances during their search. Notably, the individual was not present at the scene, yet law enforcement alleged that the drugs belonged to them. To support the defense's argument, an expert in toxicology has been sought to analyze the drug samples and determine their level of purity, which may be crucial in establishing the nature of the substances involved and the implications for the individual’s culpability.
Questions to the Toxicology expert and their responses
How often are you involved in determining the level of purity of drugs such as heroin or carfentanil?
I am a Chief Toxicologist that oversees toxicological testing of opioids such as heroin and carfentanil on a regular (daily) basis.
If retained, are you able to test the samples in your own laboratory in the coming weeks?
I would be able to testify at trial in-person in northern Ohio (if required).
About the expert
This expert has over a decade of experience in the field of toxicology and pharmacology. He earned his BS from Brescia University and his MSFS and his PhD in pharmacology and toxicology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Today, he is board certified in forensic toxicology and is a certified drug recognition expert and standardized field sobriety test instructor. He is a member of the Society of Forensic Toxicologists and the International Association for Chemical Testing. This expert previously served as the driving under the influence of drugs coordinator and section chief of toxicology for the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences and as an adjunct professor of justice sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Currently, he is the chief toxicologist at a state crime lab in Alabama, an adjunct professor of criminal justice at a university in Alabama, and an adjunct professor of forensic science at a university in Oklahoma.
E-062367
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