Duckett v. State
In a death-warrant case, the Florida Supreme Court held that the 'results' of court-ordered postconviction DNA testing under section 925.11(2)(i) and rule 3.853 include the underlying testing data, not just a lab's summary conclusion, when neither the testing lab nor FDLE can perform the statistical analysis necessary to interpret the raw data. The Court reversed the circuit court's denial of Duckett's request for that underlying data (to be analyzed by a qualified bioinformaticist) but affirmed denial of public-records demands seeking the lab's testing process and protocols, since Duckett only sought that material for impeachment rather than to support a colorable postconviction claim. Justice Tanenbaum dissented, arguing the Court lacked jurisdiction because the order did not directly involve a judgment imposing death or a pending collateral attack.
Key facts
- Duckett, a death-sentenced inmate, sought underlying raw DNA testing data from court-ordered postconviction DNA testing under section 925.11(2)(i) and rule 3.853, to be analyzed by a qualified bioinformaticist where the testing lab and FDLE could not perform the necessary statistical analysis.
- The circuit court denied Duckett's request for the underlying testing data and also denied his public-records demands for the testing lab's testing process and protocols.
- +2 more key facts with a free trial
Why it matters
This decision clarifies, for the first time, that the statutory 'results' of postconviction DNA testing under section 925.11 encompass the underlying raw testing data where existing labs cannot perform a definitive… — full analysis with a trial
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