Carl Lee Linell v. State of Arkansas and S. Kyle Hunter, Prosecutor

Summary

The court affirmed the denial of Linell's petition for a writ of mandamus seeking authorization to obtain crime-laboratory records from his 1983 criminal case. It held that the prosecutor's statutory disclosure duty is triggered only upon discovery of laboratory evidence tending to negate guilt or reduce punishment and is not a ministerial duty enforceable by mandamus without proof that such evidence was discovered. Because Linell failed to establish a clear and certain right to the requested relief, the circuit court did not abuse its discretion.