Court Opinion

ID: 9565914
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-21 19:30:08.381397+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T09:17:19.496132
License: Public Domain

Deen, Presiding Judge.
Richard W. Spaulding brings this appeal from his conviction of DUI, contending that his conviction should be reversed because the State failed to preserve a videotape made at the arrest scene and because the evidence was insufficient to support the conviction.
1. Prior to trial, Spaulding’s attorney filed an omnibus Brady mo*421tion and made an objection to the destruction of the videotape prior to the start of trial. He declined, however, the court’s offer of a continuance.
He claims that the destruction of the videotape is a violation of his constitutional right to due process of law. We think not. “[U]nless a criminal defendant can show bad faith on. the part of the police, failure to preserve potentially useful evidence does not constitute a denial of due process of law.” Arizona v. Youngblood, 488 U. S. — (109 SC 333, 102 LE2d 281, 289) (1988). The only evidence about the disposition of the videotape was that of a police officer who testified that videotapes are kept for a certain period of time and then taped over. This evidence does not show that the police acted in bad faith in disposing of the videotape.
2. Two police officers who were present at the arrest scene testified that appellant smelled of intoxicants, was unsteady on his feet, and was argumentative; and opined that his condition made him a less safe driver. A third officer attempted to give him an intoximeter test, but Spaulding was unable to blow into it enough for the instrument to obtain a reading. This officer observed that he had an odor of alcohol about him, had bloodshot eyes, was unsteady on his feet, and had slurred speech. He was also of the opinion that appellant was intoxicated to the extent that he was a less safe driver.
Viewing the evidence presented at trial in the light most favorable to the prosecution, we find that the evidence was sufficient for a rational trier of fact to find Spaulding guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Driggers v. State, 244 Ga. 160 (259 SE2d 133) (1979).

Judgment affirmed.

Pope, J., concurs. Beasley, J., concurs specially.