Opinion ID: 2402203
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Range Finder/Harmless Error

Text: The final evidentiary issue in this case involves the testimony given by Detective David Boney that the distance between the location of Tolson's arrest and the Kent Christian Academy was 282 feet, as measured by his Osprey Industries Range Finder. Detective Boney testified at trial that he personally had purchased the Range Finder three weeks before Tolson's arrest for use in his police work in cases where measurement of distance was required. Detective Boney testified that he had checked the Range Finder's accuracy by comparing its measurements with known distances between landscaping in his backyard. Detective Boney also explained that the Range Finder's measurement generally was consistent with his knowledge of the area based on his police experience. When evaluating whether scientific evidence is admissible, this Court must determine (1) that the expert was qualified (D.R.E.702); (2) that the evidence offered is otherwise admissible, relevant and reliable (D.R.E. 401 & 402); (3) that the bases for the opinion are those reasonably relied upon by experts in the field (D.R.E.702); (4) that the specialized knowledge being offered will assist the trier-of-fact to understand the evidence or to determine a fact in issue (D.R.E.703); and (5) that such evidence would not create unfair prejudice, confuse the issues or mislead the jury (D.R.E.403). [18] Moreover, when the scientific evidence is obtained from the use of a scientific instrument, expert testimony is necessary to establish the reliability and accuracy of the instrument. [19] The State presented no expert testimony about the accuracy and reliability of the measurements taken by Range Finder devices generally, their general acceptance in the scientific community, or the reliability of the particular Range Finder used by Detective Boney. Nor was any expert testimony provided that established the similarities between the lidar radar and the Range Finder technologies, or Detective Boney's professional training with either device. The only evidence of a performance test offered was the unscientific test conducted by Officer Boney in his backyard. The State mistakenly relies on cases establishing the admissibility of lidar radar results in speeding and traffic violations. The fact that a scientific instrument uses similar, widely accepted technology does not eliminate the need to establish its accuracy or reliability. For example, although the courts in Delaware have widely accepted the reliability and accuracy of devices using Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation, or laser technology, when a previously unevaluated type of laser was offered as evidence, the Superior Court conducted a thorough, proper analysis of the scientific evidence and of its accuracy and reliability. [20] Detective Boney's testimony about the results of his Range Finder test should not have been admitted into evidence because it fails to meet the threshold requirements for admission of scientific evidence. Nevertheless, the independent admissible testimony of Detective Boney was sufficient to establish that the distance in question was less than the statutory minimum necessary to prove that Tolson was in possession of a controlled substance within 300 feet of a church and 1,000 feet of a school. [21] Officer Boney testified he knew that highway lanes of travel are twelve feet apart and that the median is ten feet wide. Thus, with four Northbound lanes for traffic and three Southbound lanes for traffic, there was approximately ninety-four feet of roadway between the hotel and the Christian Academy. Using the dimensions of the road and other information acquired during his seventeen years of police work, Officer Boney testified that the distance between the hotel and the church and school was less than the statutory minimum 1,000 and 300 feet respectively. Detective Boney's estimate of distance based on his experience was relevant and admissible in its own right. No other testimony contradicted that estimate. Officer Boney's independent testimony was sufficient to support a jury verdict regarding the distances at issue without the use of the Range Finder. Accordingly, we hold that the Superior Court's error in admitting the Range Finder evidence was harmless beyond a reasonable doubt. [22] Thus, Tolson's final claim of error is also without merit.