Opinion ID: 175029
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Miller's Testimony

Text: Miller testified that he was on parole for drug possession and for passing a bad check when this incident occurred. Miller stated that he arrived at the apartment complex with Simmons to meet up with two girls. While waiting, Miller paid $20 for a quarter-gram of cocaine from a person in the area. Miller and Simmons decided to leave and abandoned their planned rendezvous. Miller testified that before police arrived he had placed the cocaine in a metal smoking pipe that he was carrying in his pocket. Miller stated that when police arrived he jumped out of the vehicle, threw the metal pipe, and took off running because he was afraid to be caught with narcotics given his parole status. Miller also testified that he dropped a bag of marijuana when he began running from Officer Smith. Miller told police officers that neither his fingerprints nor his DNA would be on the recovered gun because he had never possessed or handled any gun. Police did not find a metal smoking pipe, marijuana, or any narcotics in the area. Stephanie Beine, a senior forensic scientist with Genetic Technologies, conducted DNA testing on the firearm. Although Beine found DNA from at least four individuals at various locations on the firearm, none matched Miller. Beine concluded that it was probable that Miller's DNA would have been on the gun if he had carried, handled, and thrown it. Andrew Atkinson, the government expert, agreed that none of Miller's DNA was found on the firearm. Atkinson stated it was possible for a person to handle a gun even though subsequent testing may not reveal that person's DNA.