Case Title: Jones v. State

Citation: 

Docket Number: 358, 2000

State: delaware

Court: Delaware Supreme Court

Date: 2001-05-03T00:00:00Z

Document:
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE
STEPHEN D. JONES,
)
)
No. 358, 2000
Defendant Below,
)
Appellant,
)
Court Below – Superior Court
)
of the State of Delaware, in
v.
)
and for Kent County
)
STATE OF DELAWARE,
)
Cr.A. Nos. IK99—0-0432,0434
)
through 0437 and 0440
Plaintiff Below,
)
Appellee.
)
Cr.ID No. 9907019249
Submitted:  April 24, 2001
Decided:  May 3, 2001
Before WALSH, BERGER and STEELE, Justices.
O R D E R
This 3rd day of May, 2001, upon consideration of the briefs of the parties, it
appears to the Court that:
1.
The Superior Court correctly determined that chain of custody
arguments are uniquely factual and for a jury to resolve.
2.
The State’s evidence showed that from May 7 until June 11 the
substance packaged by the Milford Police after being purchased from the
defendant was in their evidence locker subject to limited access – a controlled
environment.  There is no standard that requires daily checking to see if a
substance logged in as evidence is still there or has been compromised in some
2
way.  A jury could reasonably conclude that the substance seized and that
examined and admitted were the same.
3.
Accordingly, the Superior Court properly admitted the substance
identified as cocaine.
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the judgment of the Superior
Court is AFFIRMED.
BY THE COURT:
/s/ Myron T. Steele___________________
Justice