Opinion ID: 783764
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Cunningham's Exculpatory Evidence Claim

Text: 29 Cunningham concludes by arguing that Perez violated the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment by failing to preserve and gather exculpatory evidence. A police officer's failure to preserve or collect potential exculpatory evidence does not violate the Due Process Clause unless the officer acted in bad faith. Arizona v. Youngblood, 488 U.S. 51, 58, 109 S.Ct. 333, 102 L.Ed.2d 281 (1988); Miller v. Vasquez, 868 F.2d 1116, 1120 (9th Cir.1989). The presence or absence of bad faith ... turn[s] on the police's knowledge of the exculpatory value of the evidence at the time it was lost or destroyed. Youngblood, 488 U.S. at 57, 109 S.Ct. 333. 30 Cunningham claims Perez acted in bad faith because he failed to document his interrogations and did not keep a record of Jennifer and Sarah's statements denying sexual abuse. Perez also failed to gather any physical evidence, such as bed sheets or clothing, which could have exonerated Cunningham. These facts are not specific or compelling enough to show bad faith. See Jeffers, 267 F.3d at 907 (stating plaintiff must put forward specific, nonconclusory factual allegations that establish improper motive) (internal quotations omitted). Perez's failure to document his interrogations does not illustrate an improper motive because Perez likely believed his tactics were lawful, a conclusion which we reached earlier in the opinion. Further, Perez's failure to gather any physical evidence does not show bad faith because the value of the untested evidence is speculative. It could have exonerated Cunningham, but it also could have incriminated him. While Perez's investigative work may have been negligent or incomplete, it was not conducted in bad faith. Perez's investigation differs from cases in which the court has found an improper motive. In Miller v. Vasquez, 868 F.2d 1116 (9th Cir.1989), for instance, the officer referred to the defendant using an expletive and lied about his knowledge of potential exculpatory evidence. Id. at 1121. The officer also tried to dissuade witnesses from testifying in favor of the defendant. Id. Perez's alleged conduct did not rise to this level. Id. Accordingly, we find Cunningham has not alleged specific, nonconclusory facts showing Perez engaged in a conscious effort to suppress exculpatory evidence. California v. Trombetta, 467 U.S. 479, 488, 104 S.Ct. 2528, 81 L.Ed.2d 413 (1984).