Opinion ID: 1936916
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 13

Heading: Statutory Framework of DNA Testing Act

Text: The factual findings of the district court are not disputed by the parties. Rather, the parties disagree about the legal significance of those findings. Buckman's motions for relief are brought pursuant to § 29-4123, which provides: (1) The results of the final DNA or other forensic testing ordered under subsection (5) of section 29-4120 shall be disclosed to the county attorney, to the person filing the motion, and to the person's attorney. (2) Upon receipt of the results of such testing, any party may request a hearing before the court when such results exonerate or exculpate the person. Following such hearing, the court may, on its own motion or upon the motion of any party, vacate and set aside the judgment and release the person from custody based upon final testing results exonerating or exculpating the person. (3) If the court does not grant the relief contained in subsection (2) of this section, any party may file a motion for a new trial under sections 29-2101 to 29-2103. Our disposition of this appeal is governed by the principles we recently articulated in State v. Bronson, ante p. 103, 672 N.W.2d 244 (2003). At oral argument, however, Buckman took issue with our holding in Bronson . Because Buckman's appearance at oral argument was his only opportunity to address our decision in Bronson, we choose to consider and respond to his arguments in that regard. See State v. Mata, 266 Neb. 668, 668 N.W.2d 448 (2003). Buckman argues that Bronson interpreted the DNA Testing Act too restrictively, making it too difficult for a movant under the DNA Testing Act to obtain relief based on the results of DNA testing. Buckman's argument, as we understand it, is that a movant should be entitled to have his conviction vacated and set aside whenever the results of DNA testing show a reasonable probability that had the DNA evidence been available at trial, the result of the proceeding would have been different. Compare Brady v. Maryland, 373 U.S. 83, 83 S. Ct. 1194, 10 L. Ed. 2d 215 (1963) (establishing standard for when constitutional due process is violated by prosecutorial failure to disclose evidence favorable to accused). However, Buckman's argument is not consistent with the legislative scheme established by the DNA Testing Act and does not account for the Legislature's express provision of separate remedies based upon differing results of DNA testing. The initial step toward obtaining relief under the DNA Testing Act is for a person in custody to file a motion requesting forensic DNA testing of biological material. See § 29-4120. Forensic DNA testing is available for any biological material that is related to the investigation or prosecution that resulted in the judgment; is in the actual or constructive possession of the state, or others likely to safeguard the integrity of the biological material; and either was not previously subjected to DNA testing or can be retested with more accurate current techniques. See id . Once these thresholds are met, the court may order testing upon a determination that such testing was not effectively available at the time of trial, that the biological material has been retained under circumstances likely to safeguard its integrity, and that the testing may produce noncumulative, exculpatory evidence relevant to the claim that the person was wrongfully convicted or sentenced. See id . See, generally, State v. Poe, 266 Neb. 437, 665 N.W.2d 654 (2003). The most significant part of this process, for purposes of the current analysis, is the requirement that the testing may produce noncumulative, exculpatory evidence relevant to the claim that the person was wrongfully convicted or sentenced. See § 29-4120(5). Exculpatory evidence is defined as evidence favorable to the person in custody and material to the issue of the guilt of the person in custody. § 29-4119. Contrary to Buckman's suggestion, this requirement is relatively undemanding for a movant seeking DNA testing and will generally preclude testing only where the evidence at issue would have no bearing on the guilt or culpability of the movant. See, generally, State v. Lotter, 266 Neb. 758, 669 N.W.2d 438 (2003). Once DNA testing is conducted, and results are obtained, the question is whether the evidence obtained exonerates or exculpates the movant. Based on the test results, the movant may obtain relief in one of two ways, each of which requires a different quantum of proof. As previously noted, when the test results exonerate or exculpate the movant, the court may vacate and set aside the judgment and release the person from custody. § 29-4123(2). However, if the court does not vacate and set aside the judgment, the movant may file a motion for new trial based upon newly discovered exculpatory DNA or similar forensic testing obtained under the DNA Testing Act. See § 29-2101(6). [1] It would make little sense to conclude that the Legislature provided two separate remedies, but intended those remedies to be redundant. In construing a statute, a court must attempt to give effect to all of its parts, and if it can be avoided, no word, clause, or sentence will be rejected as superfluous or meaningless. State v. Hamik, 262 Neb. 761, 635 N.W.2d 123 (2001). Rather, the Legislature explained that the DNA Testing Act is intended to respond to two different circumstances. Because of its scientific precision and reliability, DNA testing can, in some cases, conclusively establish the guilt or innocence of a criminal defendant. In other cases, DNA may not conclusively establish guilt or innocence but may have significant probative value to a finder of fact. (Emphasis supplied.) § 29-4118(2). The Legislature further explained that DNA testing can in some circumstances prove that a conviction which predated the development of DNA testing was based upon incorrect factual findings, but in other circumstances, can provide a more reliable basis for establishing a correct verdict than any evidence proffered at the original trial. § 29-4118(4). [2-4] In construing a statute, an appellate court should consider the statute's plain meaning in pari materia and from its language as a whole to determine the intent of the Legislature. Premium Farms v. County of Holt, 263 Neb. 415, 640 N.W.2d 633 (2002). A preamble or policy statement in a legislative act is not generally self-implementing, but may be used, if needed, for assisting in interpreting the legislative intent for the specific act of which the statement is a part. See Southern Neb. Rural P.P. Dist. v. Nebraska Electric, 249 Neb. 913, 546 N.W.2d 315 (1996). When read in pari materia, both the language and expressed intent of the DNA Testing Act support the conclusion that the Legislature provided (1) an extraordinary remedy, vacation of the judgment, for the compelling circumstance in which actual innocence is conclusively established by DNA testing and (2) an ordinary remedy, a new trial, for circumstances in which newly discovered DNA evidence would have, if available at the former trial, probably produced a substantially different result. See State v. Bronson, ante p. 103, 672 N.W.2d 244 (2003). [5,6] Section 29-4123(2) provides that a court may vacate and set aside a judgment based on test results that exonerate or exculpate an accused. This is a greater remedy than merely granting a new trial and is logically intended to apply to those cases in which DNA test results conclusively establish the guilt or innocence of a criminal defendant. See § 29-4118(2). This is reflected in the Legislature's use of the word exonerate, which means to relieve[,] esp. of a charge, obligation, or hardship . . . clear from accusation or blame. Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged 797 (1993). Accord 5 The Oxford English Dictionary 548 (2d ed. 1989) (to exonerate is to free from blame). Clearly, the Legislature expected that a judgment would be vacated and set aside only where the results of DNA testing either completely exonerated the movant or were highly exculpatory. In order to effectuate the Legislature's intent, we held in Bronson, supra, that the court should set aside and vacate a conviction only where (1) the DNA testing results exonerate or exculpate the person and (2) the results, when considered with the evidence of the case which resulted in the underlying judgment, show a complete lack of evidence to establish an essential element of the crime charged. [7] But as the Legislature noted, in other cases, DNA may not conclusively establish guilt or innocence but may have significant probative value to a finder of fact. See § 29-4118(2). For those cases, where the evidence obtained is merely exculpatory, the Legislature provided a lesser but still effective remedy: a motion for new trial under § 29-2101 et seq. Section 29-2101 is the operative version of the statute governing new trials in criminal cases that has been in effect for well over a century. Compare Gen. Stat. ch. 58, § 490, p. 831 (1873). It is equally well established that a criminal defendant who seeks a new trial on the basis of newly discovered evidence must show that if the evidence had been admitted at the former trial, it would probably have produced a substantially different result. See, e.g., State v. Atwater, 245 Neb. 746, 515 N.W.2d 431 (1994). Compare Ogden v. The State, 13 Neb. 436, 438, 14 N.W. 165, 166 (1882) (general rule as to newly discovered evidence may be stated thus: That if, with the newly discovered evidence before them, the jury should not have come to the same conclusion, a new trial will be granted). [8,9] At the same time it enacted the DNA Testing Act, the Legislature amended § 29-2101 to provide that [a] new trial, after a verdict of conviction, may be granted, on the application of the defendant based upon (6) newly discovered exculpatory DNA or similar forensic testing evidence obtained under the DNA Testing Act. When legislation is enacted which makes related preexisting law applicable thereto, it is presumed that the Legislature acted with full knowledge of the preexisting law and judicial decisions of the Supreme Court construing and applying it. In re Guardianship of Rebecca B. et al., 260 Neb. 922, 621 N.W.2d 289 (2000); SID No. 1 v. Nebraska Pub. Power Dist., 253 Neb. 917, 573 N.W.2d 460 (1998). See, also, Dalition v. Langemeier, 246 Neb. 993, 524 N.W.2d 336 (1994). Because the Legislature specifically provided that motions for new trial based on newly discovered exculpatory DNA evidence were to be brought under § 29-2101, we presume that the Legislature intended for our long-established interpretation of § 29-2101 to apply to those motions. Consequently, we held in State v. Bronson, ante p. 103, 672 N.W.2d 244 (2003), that to warrant a new trial, the district court must determine that newly discovered exculpatory evidence obtained pursuant to the DNA Testing Act must be of such a nature that if it had been offered and admitted at the former trial, it probably would have produced a substantially different result. [10] In short, the DNA Testing Act, and our decision in Bronson, supra, establish a clear procedural framework for movants seeking relief pursuant to the DNA Testing Act. First, a movant may obtain DNA testing if, inter alia, the testing may produce noncumulative, exculpatory evidence relevant to the claim that the person was wrongfully convicted or sentenced. See § 29-4120(5). Second, the court may vacate and set aside the judgment in circumstances where the DNA testing results are either completely exonerative or highly exculpatorywhen the results, when considered with the evidence of the case which resulted in the underlying judgment, show a complete lack of evidence to establish an essential element of the crime charged. See, § 29-4123(2); Bronson, supra . This requires a finding that guilt cannot be sustained because the evidence is doubtful in character and completely lacking in probative value. Third, in other circumstances where the evidence is merely exculpatory, the court may order a new trial if the newly discovered exculpatory DNA evidence is of such a nature that if it had been offered and admitted at the former trial, it probably would have produced a substantially different result. See, §§ 29-4123(3) and 29-2101(6); Bronson, supra . Having considered Buckman's arguments, we decline his invitation to reconsider our holdings in Bronson, supra, and conclude that the principles articulated in Bronson are controlling in the instant case. Based on those principles, we in turn address Buckman's arguments with respect to each of his motions in the district court.