State of Maine v. Clifton Thomas

Summary

The court affirmed the denial of Thomas’s suppression motions and upheld the discovery rulings, concluding that the warrant established probable cause for the domestic-violence-related search and that the drugs were lawfully discovered in plain view. It nevertheless held that admitting Chemist Two’s testimony, which conveyed the truth of Chemist One’s testimonial forensic notes and worksheet, violated the Confrontation Clause. Because the State did not establish that the error was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt, the court vacated the convictions and remanded.