Opinion ID: 2336124
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Blood Serum versus Whole Blood.

Text: Blood serum occurs when the solid cellular material in whole blood is precipitated out, leaving only the liquid portion called serum. When this serum is tested for alcohol a higher BAC often results as more alcohol is concentrated in the liquid serum. Thus, Appellant argues that the hospital's test of his blood serum should have been excluded as it did not accurately depict Appellant's level of intoxication at the time of either the testing or the accident. Additionally, Appellant notes that the definition of alcohol concentration in KRS 189A.005(1) does not include blood serum, and that a Daubert hearing was not held to determine the scientific validity of blood serum. Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579, 113 S.Ct. 2786, 125 L.Ed.2d 469 (1993). A trial judge's decision with respect to relevancy of evidence under KRE 401 and 403 is reviewed under an abuse of discretion standard. Commonwealth v. English, Ky., 993 S.W.2d 941, 945 (1999); Barnett v. Commonwealth, Ky., 979 S.W.2d 98 (1998). There was no abuse of discretion in admitting evidence that made a determination of Appellant's intoxication more probable than not. KRE 401. Appellant's concerns go to the weight of the evidence, not its admissibility. Both sides presented expert testimony as to BAC amplification in blood serumanywhere from 10 to 35 percent. From this evidence, the jury could evaluate the results and determine what weight to give to the serum. [1] Nor is it dispositive that KRS 189A.005(1) does not mention blood serum in the definition of alcohol concentration. Like the urine sample discussed supra, the failure of the statute to mention blood serum does not render the evidence inadmissible. Nor do we need to determine whether a jury could find a defendant guilty under KRS 189A.010(1)(a) based solely on the BAC of his blood serum. It was permissible for the jury to consider this evidence when attempting to decide whether Appellant was driving a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol under KRS 189A.010(1)(b). Appellant's argument that the trial court was required to conduct a Daubert hearing with respect to the blood serum evidence was not preserved for appellate review. At trial, Appellant's objection to the evidence was premised upon relevancy, KRE 401, not scientific reliability, KRE 702. He did not assert that blood serum tests rest upon an unreliable foundation, Daubert, 509 U.S. at 597, 113 S.Ct. at 2799, but that blood serum test results do not accurately reflect the BAC necessary to convict under KRS 189A.010(1)(a) as evinced by the contradictory expert testimony on the subject. In fact, the word  Daubert  was never uttered during either the suppression hearing or the trial. At trial, Appellant offered his own expert witness on the subject of blood serum, and even he did not testify that blood serum testing was scientifically unreliable, but only that the test results would produce a higher BAC level than test results on whole blood. Additionally, numerous other jurisdictions allow the admission of blood serum evidence, without requiring a Daubert hearing, so long as the jury is provided appropriate whole blood conversion information. See Domino's Pizza v. Gibson, 668 So.2d 593 (Fla.1996); People v. Green, 294 Ill.App.3d 139, 228 Ill.Dec. 513, 689 N.E.2d 385 (1997); Commonwealth v. Michuck, supra, note 1; Reidweg v. Texas, 981 S.W.2d 399 (Tex.Crim.App.1998).