Court Opinion

ID: 9692006
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-25 15:36:28.796711+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:17:51.963583
License: Public Domain

PAGE, Justice
(concurring).
I concur in the result, but I write separately to note my disagreement with the court’s conclusion that the admission of evidence that Andujar, J.H., and C.F. voluntarily gave DNA samples was not error. On the unique facts of this case, that evidence was more prejudicial than probative and should have been excluded.
Although we have said that by introducing alternative-perpetrator evidence a defendant opens the door for the prosecutor to present testimony exculpating the alleged alternative perpetrators, including evidence that the alleged alternative perpetrators voluntarily provided DNA that exculpated them, we specifically noted that we had reservations about the prosecutor’s emphasis on the fact that the DNA samples were voluntarily produced rather than simply stating that such samples had been produced and exculpated the suspects. State v. Jones, 753 N.W.2d 677, 687 (Minn.2008).
Here, the State not only emphasized the fact that the alleged alternative perpetrators’ DNA samples were voluntarily produced, the State also introduced and emphasized evidence that Larson’s DNA sample was compelled. While the court correctly concludes that it was error to allow evidence that Larson’s sample was compelled, the court ignores the fact that this error is exacerbated by the State’s exploitation of the fact that the alleged alternative perpetrators’ DNA samples were obtained voluntarily.
While I conclude that the testimony about how the alleged alternative perpetrators’ DNA samples were obtained was admitted in error, I nonetheless conclude that the error was harmless because it likely did not have a substantial effect on the jury’s verdict. See State v. Wren, 738 N.W.2d 378, 390 n. 8 (Minn.2007).
ANDERSON, PAUL H., Justice (concurring).
I join in the concurrence of Justice Page.