Sullivan v. Louisiana

Holding that a constitutionally deficient reasonable doubt instruction constitutes structural error as the deprivation of the right to trial by jury has "necessarily unquantifiable and indeterminate" consequences and "unquestionably qualifies as ‘structural error’ "

Ake v. Oklahoma

Holding that when the State presents aggravating psychiatric evidence during a capital sentencing proceeding, the defendant has a due process right to the assistance of a psychiatrist

State v. Henderson

Holding a jury instruction on cross-racial identification should be given whenever cross-racial identification is in issue at trial

Baldwin v. New York

Holding that "no offense can be deemed 'petty' for purposes of the right to trial by jury where imprisonment for more than six months is authorized"

People v. LeGrand

Holding that there was insufficient evidence to confirm that the principles expounded by the defense expert witness on weapon focus were generally accepted by the relevant scientific community

State v. Guilbert

Holding that defendant should be permitted to offer expert testimony if state relies on eyewitness identification, deeming comprehensive jury instructions inadequate substitute

State v. Lawson

Holding that witnesses’ identifications were proper because they were based on prior untainted observations and not the result of a later unduly suggestive procedure

State v. Copeland

Finding error where trial court prohibited expert testimony on reliability of eyewitness identification

State v. Ramirez

Holding that appellate court cannot assume trial court would have found facts to support its decision when ambiguity of facts makes such an assumption unreasonable

Commonwealth v. Gomes

Concluding that "there are scientific principles regarding eyewitness identification that are ‘so generally accepted’ that it is appropriate in the future to instruct juries regarding these principles"

Section 500.1 - General requirements