Methadone Possession Results in 40 Year Sentence:
In a nutshell: a man is stopped for a traffic violation, consents (!) to have his car searched. Is found to have a baggie and a scale with trace amounts of amphetamine/cocaine – and also a bottle with “three wafers of methadone” said to weight 5.14 grams (yes, grams). The “wafers” were in a bottle with a label indicating they had been prescribed for an acquaintance – the named acquaintance testified she dropped the medication in defendant’s car and forgot to take it with her when she left; this is same story defendant told. Appeal based (as far as I can tell) entirely on the admissability of the trace amts amphetamine/cocaine to indicate to jury defendant’s “character” and likelihood that the methadone “contraband” was there knowingly and with criminal intent. Conviction and resulting sentence are for the methadone possession – [...]