Opinion ID: 2230718
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Frye-Mack Hearing

Text: Prior to the second trial, pursuant to our instructions, the district court held a Frye-Mack hearing. After that hearing, the court concluded that use of a Bunsen burner to remove cover slips and access DNA samples was compatible with DNA Advisory Board standards and thus was generally accepted in the relevant scientific community. Bailey does not challenge that conclusion in this appeal. The court also received as evidence two validation studies on the effect of heating a DNA sample with a Bunsen burner. Both studies concluded that heating a DNA sample on a slide over a Bunsen burner for thirty seconds, as Knutson did, would not degrade the sample. Based on these studies, the court concluded that the state had met its burden under Frye-Mack's second prong of showing that the use of the Bunsen burner was not responsible for any degradation of the samples and that the results of Knutson's test were admissible. Bailey does not challenge that conclusion in this appeal.