- 01 Introduction
- 02 Biology of DNA
- 03 Practical Issues Specific to DNA Evidence
- 04 Introduction to the Forensic DNA Laboratory
- 05 Assuring Quality in DNA Testing
- 06 Understanding a Forensic DNA Lab Report
- 07 Statistics and Population Genetics
- 08 Mitochondrial DNA & Y-STR Analysis
- 09 Forensic DNA Databases
- 10 Collection of DNA Evidence from Suspects and Arrestees
- 11 Pretrial DNA Evidence Issues
- 12 Victim Issues
- 13 Trial Presentation
- 14 Postconviction DNA Cases
- 15 Emerging Trends
Principles of Forensic DNA
for Officers of the Court
for Officers of the Court
Module 11 :: Pretrial Issues
Topic 1 :: Discovery Issues Related to DNA Evidence
Basic Discovery—The Duty to Preserve (cont.)
Youngblood remains the governing Federal law today. 4 However, several States have applied a different standard, under their respective constitutions or criminal discovery statutes, and do not require proof of bad faith when contesting the destruction of potentially exculpatory evidence. 5 In some States, the focus is on the duty to preserve material evidence; others look at whether the evidence that was destroyed might have been material and weigh its potential importance against the evidence used to convict.
