Bandera de Estados Unidos

Un sitio oficial del Gobierno de Estados Unidos, Departamento de Justicia.

DNA - A Prosecutor’s Practice Notebook Inventory

Reopening Closed or Cold Cases

Home  |  Glossary  |  Resources  |  Help  |  Contact Us  |  Course Map
 

Photo of an old case file folder with DNA evidence
National Institute of Justice (NIJ) (see reuse policy).

Occasionally in reopening closed or cold cases, a prosecutor may discover the relevant DNA evidence was not preserved or has been destroyed. Neither the destruction nor failure to preserve is a due process violation absent a showing of bad faith by the police, prosecutor, or laboratory Arizona v. Youngblood, 488 U.S. 51; 109 S.Ct. 333; 102 L. Ed.2d 281 (1988)].
 

Back Forward