Opinion ID: 1236539
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Smith's Fingerprint Expert

Text: Smith first argues that the district court erred in denying his motion seeking fingerprint exemplars of the investigators and potential suspects and requesting access to the bomb components. He contends that the presence of only a single thumb print on the plastic bag is inconsistent with the way that a person holds a plastic bag and thus indicates that someone might have planted this evidence to frame him. He asserts that access to the bomb components and exemplars was necessary to help him advance his theory and that the district court's ruling effectively denied him access to a fingerprint expert. We review for abuse of discretion a district court's denial of a defendant's request for expert services. See United States v. King, 356 F.3d 774, 778 (7th Cir.2004). The government will give an indigent defendant access to expert services adequate to facilitate the defendant's representation if the court finds that the services are necessary. See 18 U.S.C. § 3006A(e)(1). Expert services should be provided where a reasonable attorney would engage such services for a client having the independent financial means to pay for them. United States v. Cravens, 275 F.3d 637, 639 (7th Cir.2001) (quoting United States v. Alden, 767 F.2d 314, 318 (7th Cir.1984)). However, when a defendant requests the assistance of an expert, the district court may consider whether the defendant has a plausible defense before granting the request. See King, 356 F.3d at 778; Cravens, 275 F.3d at 639. And the district court need not order expert assistance if doing so amounts to a fishing expedition. See King, 356 F.3d at 778. Here, Smith received access to an adequate fingerprint expert. The district court appointed a fingerprint expert to assist in Smith's defense. The expert examined the thumb print found on the plastic bag inside of the bomb and concluded the print was Smith's. At the time Smith made his motion seeking access to the bomb components and fingerprint exemplars, no other usable fingerprints had been found. Thus, there was nothing against which to compare the requested exemplars and no reason for the expert to examine evidence that did not contain fingerprints. It was within the district court's discretion to conclude that Smith's request was too far afield in terms of establishing any type of potential defense and to deny the motion without prejudice. After three fingerprints that were not Smith's were later found on the package's label, Smith could have renewed his motion. But, for reasons that are unclear, he chose not to do so. Smith also claims that he wanted to argue that it is illogical that only one print was found on the plastic bag. However, he could have called his expert to testify to this theory even without access to the bomb components and finger print exemplars; but he did not. The district court did not deny Smith access to a fingerprint expert, effectively or otherwise, nor did it deny him the opportunity to renew his motion when new fingerprints were discovered. Therefore, Smith has not shown that he was prejudiced by the district court's denial of his motion.