State v. Shields

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF KANSAS No. 128,692 STATE OF KANSAS, Appellee, v. MELVIN LAVON SHIELDS, Appellant. SYLLABUS BY THE COURT 1. K.S.A. 21-2512(a) liberally allows for a petition for DNA testing to be filed "at any time" after conviction. 2. K.S.A. 21-2512(a)(3) requires a petitioner to allege that previously tested biological material can be subjected to retesting with new DNA techniques that provide a reasonable likelihood of more accurate and probative results. 3. Courts should liberally construe a pro se petitioner's petition for DNA testing and the allegations therein.…