Court says dying witness statement OK at trial

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court has ruled against a defendant in a murder trial who wanted to exclude the victim’s identifying statements because the accused shooter had no chance to cross-examine the victim.

The court voted 6-2 Monday that when the statements are made to police officers who are trying to deal with an “ongoing emergency,” they can be admitted at trial without violating the Constitution’s mandate that the accused have the chance to confront the witnesses against them.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the court’s majority opinion over a furious dissent from Justice Antonin Scalia.