Opinion ID: 2323099
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Evidence related to the guilt phase

Text: The postconviction proceedings revealed that defense counsel had intended to call Regina Pineda, the DNA analyst who had authored the report that analyzed the blood samples taken from the Warren home and Kenneth's pants. Defense counsel did not speak with Pineda until after the defense's opening statement. Then, during the trial, the prosecutor told defense counsel that Pineda had told him that the report was erroneous and that he could no longer exclude Swan as a contributor. Defense counsel contacted Pineda, who explained that she could not exclude Swan as a contributor so long as one assumed that there was a third contributor to the sample. Based on that conversation, defense counsel decided not to call Pineda as a witness. At the postconviction proceedings, two witnesses testified about the DNA evidence. First, Pineda testified that her reports were not erroneous. Then, Pineda explained that she could not exclude Swan if there was a third contributor, but that the possibility of a third contributor was not scientifically supportable. Pineda further explained that even if there was a third contributor, no conclusionexculpatory or inculpatorycould be drawn. Dr. Richard Shalera forensic science specialistalso testified for Swan. Shaler agreed with Pineda that there was no scientific evidence to support the conclusion that there was a third contributor to the sample. Swan also introduced his Texas prison records from four years before the crime. Those records were not introduced at trial, even though they revealed that Swan had a preexisting left shoulder deformity that suggest[ed] previous trauma or surgical removal. At the postconviction hearing, defense counsel acknowledged that any information that would have indicated to us what caused Mr. Swan's scar on his shoulder would have been helpful. Adam Norcross also testified at the postconviction proceedings. Norcross claimed that he had committed the crimes with the help of a friend named Wayne and that Swan was not involved. Norcross stated that he used Swan's car on the evening of the murder, dropping him off at his kick boxing gym before leaving for Clayton, Delaware. Norcross testified that Wayne was injured during the crimes but was afraid to go to the hospital. Norcross recalled that Wayne appeared to be dying so Norcross pulled the car to the side of the road and shot and killed Wayne to stop his pain. Norcross denied ever having attributed the crime to Swan and stated that Matthew Howell and Bridget Phillips either lied or combined Norcross's statements with newspaper stories to supply their testimony at trial. Norcross testified that he feared that Swan would turn him in for the crime. The postconviction judge found that Norcross's testimony was not credible and that it would not have been believed by the jury or raised a reasonable doubt as to Swan's guilt. [13]