Opinion ID: 1914912
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: PCR-STR Testing; Due Process Issues

Text: Bailey's final challenge to the DNA evidence is that the Polymerase Chain Reaction and Short Tandem Repeats (PCR-STR) method and the Profiler Plus kit used by Knutson do not meet the Frye-Mack standards of general acceptance in the scientific community and foundational reliability, as held by the Minnesota Court of Appeals in Traylor, 641 N.W.2d at 339-41. Bailey further adopts the argument made in Traylor, that even if the PCR-STR method meets the Frye-Mack standards, its use violates due process. Subsequent to the filing of Bailey's brief in this appeal, we reversed the court of appeals' decision in Traylor and held that the PCR-STR method and the Profiler Plus and Cofiler kits satisfied the Frye-Mack requirements of general acceptance in the scientific community and foundational reliability. Traylor, 656 N.W.2d at 900. We also rejected Traylor's due process argument. Id. But there were facts in Traylor that were critical to our due process analysis that are absent here and that necessitate further review of this argument. Traylor was convicted of second-degree assault and controlled substance possession in connection with a stabbing incident. Id. at 887. A key piece of evidence against Traylor was a DNA sample from a bloody knife found at the scene of the crime. Id. Traylor challenged the district court's admission of the DNA evidence, arguing that (1) the BCA's use of PCR-STR testing failed to meet the Frye-Mack standard and (2) the same testing violated his due process rights. Id. at 887, 898. Central to both of Traylor's arguments was the fact that he was not given access to the genetic primer sequences in the Profiler and Cofiler kits because those sequences are guarded as proprietary information by the kits' manufacturer. Id. at 890. We summarized the parties' due process arguments as follows: Traylor relies heavily on State v. Schwartz in making this constitutional challenge. In Schwartz, we recognized that [t]he fair trial and due process rights [under the Constitution] are implicated when data relied upon by a laboratory in performing tests are not available to the opposing party for review and cross examination. We further noted in Schwartz that [i]deally, a defendant should be provided with the actual DNA sample(s) in order to reproduce the tests and that if that is not possible, access to the data, methodology, and actual results is crucial so a defendant has at least an opportunity for independent expert review. Our Minnesota discovery rules also echo the concerns set forth in Schwartz. Rule 9.01, subd. 1(4) of the Minnesota Rules of Criminal Procedure provides that defense counsel has a right to inspect results of scientific tests and that, if a test precludes any further testing, the defense must receive reasonable notice and an opportunity to have a qualified expert observe the test. The state contends that the BCA's policy fully addresses the access to information concerns stated in Schwartz and in the discovery rules. Specifically, the state points to the BCA's policy, which requires that, when possible, a portion of the evidence sample be retained at the BCA laboratory. If the entire sample must be used, the BCA's policy requires the scientist to notify the prosecuting attorney so that the defense has the opportunity to have its own expert observe the testing. In this case, as is common in PCR-STR testing situations, the DNA sample was not consumed, and a portion of the DNA sample was available for further testing by Traylor. Further, the state contends that Traylor had full access to all information in the BCA's possession. Such available information included extensive documentation of the BCA's work, including methodology, actual results of all testing, and compliance with standards and controls. Therefore, the state asserts, the BCA has provided Traylor with sufficient access to the laboratory's testing data and results for review and cross-examination, allaying constitutional concerns. Traylor, 656 N.W.2d at 898 (quoting State v. Schwartz, 447 N.W.2d 422, 427-28 (Minn.1989)) (internal citations omitted). Although the author would conclude that, on this record, the admission of the DNA evidence violated Bailey's due process rights, the majority of the court does not agree. The holding of the majority is that the concerns expressed about the age and condition of the DNA sample, the lack of notice to Bailey of destructive testing, the use of the Bunsen burner technique to remove the cover slip from the lab slide, and the unavailability of the genetic primer sequences of the Profiler kit do not, individually or collectively, rise to the level of a due process violation. Instead, Bailey's complete access to the data, methodology and results of the BCA's DNA tests satisfied his due process rights under Schwartz, 447 N.W.2d at 427 (Minn.1989) and State v. Jobe, 486 N.W.2d 407, 419 (Minn.1992). A more complete discussion of the majority's conclusion on this issue is contained in the concurrence and dissent of Justice Russell Anderson.