Baking Powder

A man was charged with selling heroin to an undercover officer twice, two days apart. After his arrest, police questioned him without the warnings the law requires, and he made statements. At trial he took the stand. He denied the first sale. He admitted the second deal but said the bags held only baking powder, a scheme to cheat the buyer. The prosecutor then read the jury his earlier unwarned statements, which told a different story, to attack his credibility. The jury acquitted him of the first sale and convicted him of the second.