Opinion ID: 739728
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The State's Investigation3

Text: 37 Villafuerte contends the state acted in bad faith by failing to gather and preserve potentially exculpatory evidence. Specifically, he argues the State (1) did not conduct a diligent search to locate three people who, according to Villafuerte, were at the trailer on the day of the murder; (2) did not obtain fingerprints from the bed frame or the door knob and lock on the front door; and (3) did not test the semen sample collected from Schoville to compare the sample to Villafuerte's blood type. Villafuerte argues that had the State collected this evidence, the evidence may have been exculpatory. 38 The State's failure to collect and preserve potentially exculpatory evidence violates Villafuerte's due process rights only if Villafuerte demonstrates the officers acted in bad faith. Miller v. Vasquez, 868 F.2d 1116, 1120 (9th Cir.1989), cert. denied, 499 U.S. 963, 111 S.Ct. 1591, 113 L.Ed.2d 654 (1991). See also Arizona v. Youngblood, 488 U.S. 51, 58, 109 S.Ct. 333, 337-38, 102 L.Ed.2d 281 (1988). The record does not support a conclusion that the State acted in bad faith. 39 With regard to the search for the three people, Villafuerte asserts these three people were at the trailer on the day he tied Schoville to the bed and gagged her 4 and, if located, may have provided evidence concerning the murder. Villafuerte did not provide any information that would have facilitated locating these people. He stated only that Robert and Fernando were at the trailer. Nevertheless, the officers investigating the murder questioned neighbors about other people staying at the trailer. In addition, after finding a food stamp application in the name of Robert Grady, Detective Oviedo ran a check on the name in the Phoenix police records and called the Department of Economic Security. Because neither check produced a lead, Detective Oviedo did not pursue the matter further. 40 Villafuerte, on the other hand, had the most information about these people. He said he saw them at the trailer, but he refused to describe them to his counsel when requested to do so. These circumstances do not support a finding of bad faith. 41 With regard to the fingerprints, the officers did not have a constitutional duty to perform all tests desired by Villafuerte. Cf. Youngblood, 488 U.S. at 59, 109 S.Ct. at 338. Villafuerte does not specify why he believes the failure to test for fingerprints in certain areas constitutes bad faith. His argument is limited to an assertion that the officers were negligent. Even assuming the officers were negligent, a negligent investigation does not violate Villafuerte's due process rights. See id. at 58, 109 S.Ct. at 337-38. 42 Nor did the failure to conduct tests on the semen sample violate Villafuerte's due process rights. The record contains no evidence that the semen sample could have had exculpatory value which was apparent at the time the officers failed to perform the tests. See Mitchell v. Goldsmith, 878 F.2d 319, 322 (9th Cir.1989). Villafuerte's own expert testified there was only a one to five percent chance of conducting a successful test due to the delay in obtaining the sample. 5 Villafuerte has failed to demonstrate the officers acted in bad faith by failing to test the sample. Id.