Justin Brower

Justin Brower testified for the Commonwealth on Day 7 about medication testing he reviewed as a forensic toxicologist at NMS Laboratories. He explained that the laboratory performed targeted testing for four requested drugs rather than a broad panel, and that his role was to review the laboratory data and report for completeness and accuracy.

Brower reported lamotrigine at 6.1 micrograms per milliliter, mirtazapine at 200 nanograms per milliliter, quetiapine at 1,800 nanograms per milliliter, and trazodone at 0.44 micrograms per milliliter. He characterized the results as therapeutic except for potentially elevated quetiapine and compared that result with concentrations seen in suicide cases. Buckingham's comparison question used 800 rather than 1,800 nanograms per milliliter, a discrepancy that was not clarified. Interpreting Exhibit 183, Brower described diazepam as subtherapeutic and lorazepam as potentially therapeutic or lower, depending on dose.

Brower distinguished concentration comparisons from conclusions about an individual's behavior or breathing. He described possible sedating and respiratory-depressant effects but said an individualized assessment required clinical information. He also explained that Narcan would not counteract the drugs discussed because it acts on opioid receptors. Under Reddington's cross-examination, he acknowledged lacking prescription and other background information. He described mirtazapine as probably consistent with prescribed use, without knowing whether prescriptions existed, and said the quetiapine concentration was not necessarily toxic or lethal.

The court admitted the NMS laboratory report as Exhibit 206 during cross-examination. On redirect, Brower confirmed that he had authored a corrected report after receiving the case for review. The Commonwealth offered that report, and the court admitted it without defense objection. Neither side asked further questions, and Brower was released.