Opinion ID: 1770699
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Neurological Testing

Text: Next, Robinson claims the trial court erred in denying his request for neurological testing which would have provided additional insight into Robinson's brain damage. In support of this claim, Robinson points to our decision in Hoskins v. State, 702 So.2d 202 (Fla.1997), wherein we ordered a new penalty phase proceeding where the trial court improperly denied the defendant's request for a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan. In Hoskins, the expert testified that the test would be necessary to complete his opinion because the test would render a more definite determination of brain damage. Consequently, we held it was error to deny the motion for the PET scan and remanded the case with instructions to the trial court to consider whether the expert's opinion would change after Hoskins was tested. Id. at 209-10. We also held that if the court found that the expert's opinion changed based solely on the PET scan results, Hoskins was to be afforded a new penalty phase proceeding. Id. at 210. [6] Here, the defense requested a SPECT scan. The trial court initially approved the expenditure of $500 for the cost of the SPECT scan and the defense scheduled the test for July 14, 1997. At a hearing on July 1, 1997, prior to the date of testing, the State argued that neither of the defense experts were qualified to interpret the results of the SPECT scan and the scan is not generally accepted within the scientific community. The trial judge then changed her mind and denied the request for the SPECT scan because of the possibility of further delay in commencing the penalty phase proceeding and the ramifications and the repercussions and the uncertainty of the test. We find no error in the trial court's denial of Robinson's request for the SPECT scan because he has failed to establish any need for such test. According to Dr. Upson, the SPECT scan is used to locate the existence of possible brain damage. Both medical experts testified that Robinson suffers from apparent brain damage in the left temporal lobe. As the State points out, unlike the expert in Hoskins, neither doctor testified that the test was necessary to complete their medical opinion; they merely stated that the exam would have been helpful. [7] Thus, the results of the exam would have merely confirmed the doctors' already established opinions, which were substantially accepted by the trial court. Further, according to Dr. Lipman, the scan does not indicate how well a person with possible brain damage functions. He stated that neuropsychological instruments, such as the battery of tests conducted on Robinson, are better at determining the degree in which a person is able to function with brain deficits. Thus, Robinson has failed to make an adequate showing of need for the neurological test requested in this case. [8] We find no error in the trial court's ruling.