Case Title: Brisco v. State

Citation: 

Docket Number: 307, 2017

State: delaware

Court: Delaware Supreme Court

Date: 2018-05-10T00:00:00Z

Document:
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE 
 
JOHN BRISCO, 
§ 
 
 
 
 
 
 
§ 
 
Defendant Below, 
§ 
No. 307, 2017 
 
Appellant, 
§ 
 
 
§ 
Court Below: Superior Court 
v. 
§ 
of the State of Delaware 
 
 
§ 
STATE OF DELAWARE, 
§ 
Cr. ID No. 1502007987 
 
 
§ 
 
Plaintiff Below, 
§ 
 
Appellee. 
§ 
 
Submitted: May 2, 2018 
Decided: 
May 10, 2018 
 
Before STRINE, Chief Justice; VAUGHN and TRAYNOR, Justices. 
 
O R D E R 
 
In this appeal, the sole issue is whether a probation officer gave impermissible 
expert testimony about the precision with which a GPS ankle monitor on the 
defendant was accurate.  This is a close question in view of the evident purpose 
behind the prosecutor’s questions that led to the testimony.  In our view, we need 
not reach it as the defendant does not challenge the general accuracy of the GPS 
monitor on appeal (and instead contends that the monitor is exactly, not 
approximately, accurate),1 and even more important, there is overwhelming 
                                                 
1 At oral argument, counsel for Brisco argued that the report should be taken as exactly correct, 
and not described as an approximation unless by a witness with the relevant scientific background.  
But counsel for Brisco was also candid in admitting that the same exhibit showed Brisco at a close, 
but different address than his home, at a time when he admits Brisco was at his home. 
2 
 
evidence other than the officer’s testimony that placed the defendant in the vicinity 
of the murder at the relevant time.2  For that reason, we find that any error was 
harmless. 
NOW, THEREFORE, IT IS ORDERED that the verdict and sentencing order 
of the Superior Court is hereby AFFIRMED.3 
 
 
 
 
 
BY THE COURT:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
/s/ Leo E. Strine, Jr. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chief Justice  
 
                                                 
2 Answering Br. at 3–5 (summarizing evidence presented placing Brisco in the vicinity of the 
murder at the time it occurred, including statements of Jakeem Broomer and Corvan Hammond 
presented to the jury under 11 Del. C. § 3507, and trial testimony of Kina Madric). 
3 State v. Brisco, Cr. ID No. 1502007987 (Del. Super. July 21, 2017).