The Breath Test Case

• Author: Deandra M. Grant/Kimberly Griffin Tucker
• Pages: 176-240

6-176

CHAPTER 6

THE BREATH TEST CASE

I. The Fundamentals

A. General Points

§6:01 A Roadmap

§6:02 What Is a “Drink”?

§6:03 Sample Cross-Examination of Arresting Officer on Number of Drinks

B. Breath Testing Science

§6:10 Henry’s Law

§6:11 The Blood/Breath Partition Ratio

§6:12 Variability in Partition Ratios

§6:13 Mathematical Example

§6:14 BrAC and Partition Ratios in Texas DUI Cases

§6:15 California Supreme Court’s McNeal Decision

§6:16 Sample Questions for the Technical Supervisor

§6:17 The Intoxilyzer 5000EN

C. Defense Breath Test Experts

§6:30 Do You Need One?

§6:31 Questions for the Expert

II. Pretrial Investigation

§6:40 Client Interview

§6:41 Materials You Need

§6:42 Obtaining Intoxilyzer Records

§6:43 Why You Need Intoxilyzer Records

III. Jury Selection

§6:60 Themes

§6:61 Evidence Is Not Believable Just Because It Is Admissible

§6:62 We Expect Machines to Make Mistakes and Forgive Them For It

§6:63 We Want Our Machines to Be the Newest, Fastest, Best

§6:64 Purple Spot Disease Hypothetical

IV. Suppressing the Breath Test Results

§6:70 Grounds for Suppressing

§6:71 No 15-Minute Observation Period

§6:72 Breath Test Was Not Voluntary

V. Cross-Examination of the Operator

§6:80 Key Points

§6:81 Importance of Temperature

§6:82 Length of Blow

§6:83 Lack of Knowledge of Science Behind Intoxilyzer

§6:84 Failure to Advise of Right to Post-Breath Test Blood Draw

§6:85 Sample Arguments: Does the Operator Have to Testify for Breath Test Result to

Be Admissible?

6-177 The Breath Test Case

VI. Cross-Examination of the Technical Supervisor

§6:90 Who Is the Technical Supervisor?

§6:91 Possible Approaches to Cross-Examination

§6:92 The “Short and Simple” Approach

§6:93 Breath Testing Is Quick and Cheap

§6:94 Point Out Bias

§6:95 Machines Make Mistakes and Need Repairs

§6:96 You Can’t Tell This Jury What My Client’s BrAC Was When He Was Driving

VII. Attacks on Breath Testing Weaknesses: Direct and Cross-Examination Techniques

A. Strategy

§6:110 Marry the Technical Supervisor to the Experts

§6:111 Choose Your Best Two or Three Issues

§6:112 Checklist: Possible Attacks on Breath Testing

B. Breath Temperature

§6:120 Why It Matters

§6:121 Breath Temperature Cross-Examination Questions for the Technical Supervisor

§6:122 Breath Temperature Scientific Articles

C. GERD

§6:130 What Is GERD?

§6:131 GERD Defense Direct Examination Questions for Your Expert

§6:132 GERD Scientific Articles

D. Breath Sample Not Preserved

§6:140 The Toxtrap

§6:141 Cross-Examination Questions for Technical Supervisor

§6:142 Articles Regarding the Trapping and Retesting of Breath Samples

E. Mouth Alcohol and the Slope Detector

§6:150 Function of Slope Detector

§6:151 Cross-Examination Questions for Technical Supervisor

§6:152 Scientific Articles

§6:153 Jury Instructions: No 15-Minute Observation Period

F. Tolerance

§6:160 Built-in Error Range

§6:161 Cross-Examination Questions for Technical Supervisor

G. Disconnect Defense

§6:170 Arguing the Defense

§6:171 Cross-Examination Questions for Technical Supervisor

H. Not Specific for Alcohol/Interferents

§6:180 The Problem of Interferents

§6:181 Cross-Examination Questions for Technical Supervisor

§6:182 Scientific Articles About Interferents

I. Breathing Technique and Lung Size

§6:190 Breathing: What to Look For

§6:191 Cross-Examination Questions for Technical Supervisor

§6:192 Lung Size

§6:193 Scientific Articles on Breathing, Breath Alcohol, and Lung Size

VIII. Closing Arguments

§6:200 Closing Arguments Are Fact-Specific

§6:201 Remember Make Up of Jury

§6:202 If Breath Temperature Was a Theme

§6:203 Remind the Jury of the Presumption of Innocence

§6:204 The “Sleep on it” Argument

Texas DWI Manual 6-178

IX. Pulling It All Together: Trial Transcripts

A. 2009 Trial

§6:220 Cross-Examination of Technical Supervisor

§6:221 Re-Cross-Examination of Technical Supervisor

B. 2008 Trial

§6:230 Cross-Examination of Technical Supervisor

§6:231 Re-Cross-Examination of Technical Supervisor

§6:232 Excerpts from Direct Examination of Defense Expert

§6:233 Re-Direct Examination of Defense Expert

C. 2006 Trial

§6:240 Excerpt of Direct Examination of Defense Expert

§6:241 Re-Direct Examination of Defense Expert

X. Forms

6-1 Request for Intoxilyzer Records From Technical Supervisor

6-2 Motion to Suppress Breath Test

6-3 Order on Motion to Suppress Breath Test

6-4 Letter Notifying Technical Supervisor of Intention to Reference Materials