Opinion ID: 757025
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: Admission of DNA Evidence

Text: 179 Shortly after the World Trade Center bombing, a letter claiming responsibility for the attack was sent to the New York Times. At trial, the government introduced DNA evidence that suggested that Ayyad's saliva was used to seal the envelope containing the letter. On appeal, Ayyad argues that the court should have excluded the DNA evidence because the government failed to disclose the report of its DNA expert in a timely manner. We reject this argument. 180 At a pretrial conference held on April 1, 1993, one month after the bombing, Judge Duffy set a target date of July 6, 1993, for the government's disclosure of expert reports. Although Ayyad implies that Judge Duffy ordered discovery to be completed by July 6, he issued no such order. Rather, in estimating a trial date, Judge Duffy stated that [i]f you get everything done and the reports issued by the 6th of July, a trial date of September 14 was feasible. Full disclosure by July 6, appears to have been a goal, not a mandate. 181 On June 28, 1993, the government turned over a report by the FBI laboratory containing a DNA analysis of the saliva on the envelope. The June 28 report did not identify potential sources of the saliva. On July 14, 1993, the government disclosed an additional report, dated July 13, 1993, which opined that Ayyad was a potential source of the saliva. Ayyad did not protest the timing of this disclosure or request an adjournment of the trial. Opening statements in the trial began on October 4, 1993. 182 The government is required to disclose to a defendant results or reports of scientific tests that are material to the defense and are known, or could be discovered through due diligence, by the government. See Fed.R.Crim.P. 16(a)(1)(D). A district court has broad discretion in fashioning a remedy for the government's violation of its obligations under Rule 16(a), including ordering the exclusion of evidence. See United States v. Thai, 29 F.3d 785, 804 (2d Cir.1994). A district court's decision not to exclude evidence that was the subject of a Rule 16(a) violation is not grounds for reversal unless the violation caused the defendant substantial prejudice. See, e.g., United States v. Adeniji, 31 F.3d 58, 64 (2d Cir.1994). Substantial prejudice means the prejudice resulting from the government's untimely disclosure of evidence, rather than the prejudice attributable to the evidence itself. United States v. Sanchez, 912 F.2d 18, 23 (2d Cir.1990). 183 The government's disclosure of the July 13 report on July 14 was not a violation of Rule 16(a). The government disclosed the report one day after it was issued and almost three months before the start of the trial. Ayyad argues that the disclosure ran afoul of Rule 16(a) because it violated Judge Duffy's order that all expert reports be disclosed by July 6. However, as explained above, no such order was issued. Indeed, it is telling that Ayyad did not object to the expert report in the district court on the ground that it was produced in violation of Rule 16(a). 184 Even assuming that the July 14 disclosure of the expert report violated Rule 16(a), Ayyad fails to demonstrate substantial prejudice arising from the late disclosure. The report was disclosed just one week after the discovery target date and almost three months before the start of trial. Thus, Ayyad's counsel had ample time to analyze the report and to construct a defense to its contents. Judge Duffy's failure to suppress therefore is not grounds for reversal. See United States v. Matthews, 20 F.3d 538, 550 (2d Cir.1994). 185 Ayyad also makes an unsubstantiated claim that the government wrongfully withheld certain documents relevant to the DNA evidence until just before its DNA expert's testimony. Ayyad argues that although the government turned over these documents immediately before the expert's testimony pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 3500, disclosure should have been made earlier under Rule 16(a). However, Ayyad did not identify a single document which the government improperly disclosed as § 3500 material. The record does not suggest that any such documents exist. Thus, we conclude that Ayyad's conclusory claim is without merit.