An attorney for a convicted drug dealer told the Delaware Supreme Court last week that his client was merely a drug addict and the Superior Court violated his client’s constitutional rights by barring the testimony of a police officer who could verify the defendant’s addiction.
Bernard J. O’Donnell of the state Public Defender’s Office argued before the Supreme Court that Nicole Hansley was a cocaine addict and prostitute, but not a drug dealer. He had planned to introduce the testimony of a Wilmington police officer who arrested Hansley several times on prostitution and drug possession offenses. The officer was expected to claim drug dealers wouldn’t have trusted Hansley with either the drugs or money in the room because of her addiction.
