Prosecutors have dropped the first of two cases the Public Defender argues have been tainted by the troubled state controlled substances lab.
Braahim Reed had been charged with various drug offenses - but evidence presented at Wednesday’s hearing did not match lab figures.
The state lab had counted 598 bags of heroin while a police review tallied 648 and did not classify it as a discrepancy.
The defense for Hakeem Nesbitt argues similar discrepancies were present in his case involving marijuana.
A police review of that evidence did not report the more than 100 gram difference in what was collected.
The hearing continues Thursday afternoon.