Opinion ID: 1241760
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Tainted Evidence

Text: According to Ramsey, the police investigators mishandled all of the evidence in this case and committed classic violations of evidence preservation. Specifically, pieces of evidence were taken from one crime scene to another. For example, the blood evidence was taken from the murder scene, to the Flamingo, and finally to Ramsey's home. The police investigators also took the striped sweater from the murder scene to the Flamingo where they removed hairs. Finally, the bloody footprint casts were taken from the murder scene to Ramsey's home where they were washed. According to Ramsey's expert witness, Donald Girndt (Girndt), a former SLED agent and crime scene investigator, the blood on the boot could have been contaminated because the victim's blood from the casts may have splashed onto the boot while they were being washed. Girndt maintained the evidentiary value of the blood on the boot under these circumstances was virtually zero. DNA evidence may be admitted in judicial proceedings in this State in the same manner as other scientific evidence, such as fingerprint analysis and blood tests. Ford, supra . However, the admissibility of DNA evidence remains subject to traditional attack, such as attacks based on relevancy or prejudice. Id. According to this Court in Ford, traditional challenges to the admissibility of [DNA] evidence such as the contamination of the sample or chain of custody questions may be presented. These issues relate to the weight of the evidence. The evidence may be found to be so tainted that it is totally unreliable and, therefore, must be excluded. Id. at 490, 392 S.E.2d at 784. We find the DNA evidence in this case is not so tainted that it is totally unreliable. Two conflicting theories were offered at trial as to how the evidence was collected and its potential for contamination. Ramsey maintains the blood on the boot could be contaminated, while the police officers testified they were careful and complied with procedures. We find these issues relate to the weight of the evidence.