Opinion ID: 853075
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Troxell's Sample

Text: Troxell also challenges the chain of custody of his own DNA sample. Specifically he asserts that the State failed to establish a proper chain of custody within the FBI laboratory. Because there was no chain of custody objection to this evidence, this claim is not available on appeal unless it constituted fundamental error. Cutter v. State, 725 N.E.2d 401, 406 (Ind. 2000). The State bears a higher burden to establish the chain of custody of fungible evidence, such as blood and hair samples, whose appearance is indistinguishable to the naked eye. Culver v. State, 727 N.E.2d 1062, 1068 (Ind.2000); see also Bivins v. State, 433 N.E.2d 387, 389 (Ind. 1982) (acknowledging that hair is characterized as fungible evidence). To establish a proper chain of custody, the State must give reasonable assurances that the evidence remained in an undisturbed condition. Cliver v. State, 666 N.E.2d 59, 63 (Ind.1996). However, the State need not establish a perfect chain of custody, and once the State strongly suggests the exact whereabouts of the evidence, any gaps go to the weight of the evidence and not to admissibility. Wrinkles v. State, 690 N.E.2d 1156, 1160 (Ind.1997); Jenkins v. State, 627 N.E.2d 789, 793 (Ind.1993) (noting that failure of FBI technician to testify did not create error). Moreover, there is a presumption of regularity in the handling of evidence by officers, and there is a presumption that officers exercise due care in handling their duties. Wrinkles, 690 N.E.2d at 1160; Culver, 727 N.E.2d at 1067. To mount a successful challenge to the chain of custody, one must present evidence that does more than raise a mere possibility that the evidence may have been tampered with. Cliver, 666 N.E.2d at 63. Indiana State Police Sergeant Lewis collected the evidence at the crime scene, including the bedding and the carpet sweepings that contained the hairs, locked it in his van, and transported it to the Versailles Indiana State Police Post. At the post, Sergeant Lewis locked the evidence in the evidence locker until it was shipped to Special Agent Douglas Deedrick at the FBI laboratory. At trial, Deedrick explained the protocol that the Bureau follows upon the receipt of items of evidence for analysis. He testified that the evidence first goes through an X-ray facility to make sure that the evidence is safe. From there, the evidence is sent to an information center where information about the case and the evidence, including an inventory of the evidence, is entered into a computer. The items are then sent for processing and analysis. Special Agent Guerrieri testified to the FBI's quality control processes. Guerrieri also noted that the FBI rechecks its results to further ensure accuracy. Additionally, two agents completed three tests comparing the DNA from hair and blood samples collected from the victim and Troxell to the DNA from hair found in the victim's bedroom. All of the test results were consistent. Although the record contains no specific dates and times documenting the movement of Troxell's samples within the FBI processes, the absence of this information goes to the weight of the evidence and not to its admissibility. Jenkins, 627 N.E.2d at 793 (Ind.1993). In sum, Troxell points to the possibility that his DNA sample may have been the subject of tampering but he points to no evidence in support of the allegation. Because of the presumption of regularity in handling evidence, there was no error in admitting this evidence, let alone fundamental error.