Quasimodo

Jun 25 2009, 12:43 PM

In what was the court's next to last day in issuing decisions from the 2008-2009 term, the justices also:

-- Ruled 5 to 4 that forensic reports prepared for criminal trials are the same as testimony for the prosecution and that those who prepare them must be available for cross-examination by defense lawyers. The dissenters said such a requirement was a dramatic change in criminal proceedings and could have a debilitating impact on the criminal justice system.