Opinion ID: 1684899
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Entitlement to an Evidentiary Hearing

Text: Finally, Overton contends that the trial court should have held an evidentiary hearing to determine the type of trace evidence that could be picked up by tape, the type of evidence that could be recovered from the tape, the condition of the tape, and where it was found. Florida courts have required evidentiary hearings in 3.853 proceedings only when there is some disputed factual issue. See Jordan v. State, 950 So.2d 442 (Fla. 3d DCA 2007) (whether it is scientifically possible to develop a DNA profile of assailant whom the victim scratched); Hampton v. State, 924 So.2d 34 (Fla. 3d DCA 2006) (whether it is scientifically possible to generate DNA profiles of all three assailants from one sample); Carter v. State, 913 So.2d 701, 702 (Fla. 3d DCA 2005) (Where a defendant claims that DNA evidence exists, but the state denies the claim, a factual dispute results and an evidentiary hearing is required.); Thompson v. State, 922 So.2d 383, 383 (Fla. 2d DCA 2006) (A decision by the postconviction court that DNA evidence does or does not exist is a factual finding and requires an evidentiary hearing.). In the instant case, there was no factual dispute with regard to the existence of the hair on the tape or whether a DNA profile could be developed. Thus, the assertions made by Overton are without merit and do not warrant an evidentiary hearing because information with regard to the type of trace evidence that could be picked up by tape, the type of evidence that could be recovered from the tape, the condition of the tape, and where it was found would not demonstrate when, why, where, or how the hair attached to the tape. With this predicate, and as the trial court found, the requested testing of the hair samples would not have proved or disproved a material fact and would not have exonerated Overton or lessened his sentence.