The South Dakota Supreme Court has upheld the drug conviction of a man who argued he had valid prescription for the drug.

Zacharia Palmer Ryan was convicted of possession of a controlled substance, hydrocodone, and possession of paraphernalia after a traffic stop in Sisseton.  Ryan argued he had a prescription for the drug, but the Supreme Court says prosecutors presented sufficient evidence to show Ryan possessed pills of a strength higher than what had been prescribed.

The high court also upheld the trial judge's finding that the state had nonracial reasons for excusing some Native Americans from the jury pool.