Court Opinion

ID: 9461351
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-04 22:12:13.034394+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:37:00.951667
License: Public Domain

MERRILL, Circuit Judge, with whom PECKHAM, District Judge,
concurs, concurring:
I concur in Judge Wallace’s opinion but wish to lend emphasis to his warning in footnote 1. Cases will arise where the contraband destroyed does have potential usefulness as evidence not possessed by the sample retained. When this occurs and destruction is shown to have been prejudicial, reversal is called for. I would say that the practice apparently followed in the Southern District invites reversal. I would urge that it be halted; that destruction of evidence follow only after petition and order directed to the particular items to be destroyed, with notice to the defendant and opportunity to petition for access to that which has been seized.