Opinion ID: 2555770
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 21

Heading: DNA Testing of Blood Sample

Text: In Issue 18, Appellant asserts that the PCRA court erred by denying discovery related to the Commonwealth's handling of a blood sample obtained from Appellant's right sneaker. At trial, Appellant and the Commonwealth stipulated to a report by Cellmark Diagnostics, a DNA laboratory in Maryland that performed DNA analysis on the blood obtained from the sneaker, as well as on blood obtained from Appellant and his four victims. The DNA analysis excluded Appellant and the first three victims as sources of the blood; however, Betty Amstutz could not be excluded. N.T. Trial, 5/14/96, at 1133-35. Appellant now alleges that the Commonwealth did not employ an independent lab for analysis of the blood from the sneaker, but rather relied on a police lab, which used out-of-date and less reliable testing methods. Appellant further states that, when he sought to re-test the blood from the sneaker, he learned that it had been destroyed, and he alleges that the Commonwealth exercised bad faith in failing to preserve the sample. [45] Appellant's Brief at 92. Appellant's motion for discovery related to these allegations was denied by the PCRA court based on failure to show good cause, particularly in light of the fact that he had stipulated to the DNA report from Cellmark Diagnostics. PCRA Court Opinion at 62. The PCRA court also concluded that no evidence had been offered during the PCRA proceedings to support the allegations that the entire sample had been consumed, or, if it had been consumed, that there had been any way to preserve a portion of the sample. In addition, the PCRA court concluded that there was no evidence of bad faith on the part of the Commonwealth, and no evidence that re-testing of the sample could possibly have exculpated Appellant. PCRA Court Supplemental Opinion, dated 8/7/08, at 5-6. Discovery requests in the context of a PCRA petition in a death penalty case are addressed in Pennsylvania Rule of Criminal Procedure 902(E)(2), which provides as follows: (2) On the first counseled petition in a death penalty case, no discovery shall be permitted at any stage of the proceedings, except upon leave of court after a showing of good cause. Pa.R.Crim.P. 902(E)(2). We review the denial of a discovery request in post-conviction proceedings for abuse of discretion. Commonwealth v. Bryant, 579 Pa. 119, 855 A.2d 726, 749-50 (2004). We agree with the PCRA court that Appellant has not come close to making a showing of good cause with respect to his discovery requests related to the analysis of the blood obtained from the sneaker. Appellant fails to mention, much less discuss, Cellmark Diagnostics' DNA analysis and his stipulation to the resulting report. His assertions of out-dated methods of analysis, destruction of the sample, bad faith on the part of the Commonwealth, and exculpatory nature of the evidence are barely explained and entirely unsupported. Bald assertions, unaccompanied by any supporting evidence, do not constitute a showing of good cause, and we hold that the PCRA court did not abuse its discretion in denying Appellant's discovery motion. See Bryant, supra at 750 (stating that mere speculation as to possible errors or potentially exculpatory evidence does not constitute good cause under Rule 902(E)(2)).