In Fеbruary 1991, a Superior Court jury convicted the defendant-appellant, Eddie Lee Maxion (“Maxion”), of Unlawful Sexual Intercourse in the First Degree and Kidnapping in thе First Degree. This Court affirmed Maxion’s convictions on direct appeal.
Maxion now appeals from several unfavorable rulings issued by the Superior Court, inсluding the Superior Court’s denial of Max-ion’s motion for his eighth motion for post-conviction relief, motion for a new trial, petition for habeas corpus relief, and motion for DNA testing аt State expense. We find no merit to any of Maxion’s contentions. Accordingly, we affirm the Superior Court’s rulings.
Motion for Postconviction Relief
In his eighth motion for postconviction relief filed with the Superior Court, Maxion raised four distinct issues, asserting that: (1) defense counsel was ineffective for failing to request discovery, including Brady
2
and Jencks
3
material, with respect to thе greater charges and for failing to request DNA testing; (2) there was insufficient evidence to support the jury’s verdict; (3) the prosecutor
Procedural Bar
When reviewing the Superior Court’s deniаl of a postconviction motion pursuant to Superior Court Criminal Rule 61 (“Rule 61”), this Court first must consider the procedural requirements of the rule before addressing any substantive issues.
Younger v. State,
Del.Supr.,
Prior Adjudication
With respect to two of his claims, alleging ineffective assistance of counsel and insuffiсiency of the evidence, it is clear that these issues were previously raised and rejected by this Court in several of Maxion’s previous postconviction motions.
See
Super.Ct.Crim.R. 61(i)(4). In order to overcome the procedural bar of Rule 61(i)(4), Maxion must establish that reconsideration of these claims is warranted in the “interest of justice.” Super.Ct.Crim.R. 61(i)(4). This Court has defined “interest of justice” to require a showing that “subsequent legal developments have revealed that the trial court lacked the authority to convict or punish” the accused.
Flamer v. State,
Del.Supr.,
Maxion contends that he has “newly discovered evidence” to support these two previously adjudiсated claims, which was unavailable to him when he filed his previous motions. Maxion’s so-called “new” evidence consists solely of the transcript of certain testimony presented during trial. This “evidence” clearly is not newly discovered because it always has been a part of the trial record. Maxion had the trial record and transcripts available to him in pursuing his direct appeal. Moreover, the testimony which Maxion relies upon does not support Maxion’s claim “that the trial court lacked the authority to convict or punish” him.
Flamer v. State,
Prior Waiver
With respect to his othеr two post-conviction claims, alleging prosecutorial misconduct and judicial misconduct, the record reflects that neither of these claims was rаised in any of Maxion’s seven previous posteonviction motions. Furthermore, consideration of these claims is not warranted in the interest of justice because Maxion has failed to allege or establish that the Superior Court lacked the authority to convict or punish him.
See Flamer v. State,
Del.Supr.,
Rule 61(i)(5)’s “fundamental fairness” exception to the procedural bar of Rule 61(i)(2) is a “narrow one and has been applied only in limitеd circumstances, such as when the right relied upon has been recognized for the first time after the direct appeal.”
Younger v. State,
Del.Supr.,
Summary Disposition
Furthermore, Marion’s claim that the Superior Court erred in summarily dismissing his postconviction petition without holding an еvidentiary hearing also is without merit. Rule 61(h)(1) grants the Superior Court discretion in determining whether an evidentiary hearing on a postconviction motion is necessary.
Cf. Harris v. State,
Del.Supr.,
New Trial Motion
Next, Marion claims that the Superior Court erred in denying his motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence. A motion for a new trial based on newly discovered evidence must be filed within “two years after final judgment.” Super.Ct.Crim.R. 33. The time limits of Rule 33 are generally “jurisdictional and mandatоry.”
State v. Halko,
Del.Super.,
Habeas Corpus Denial
Marion also contends that the Superior Court erred in denying his petition for a writ of
habeas corpus.
This contention is without merit. Pursuant to 10
Del.C.
§ 6902(1), a writ of
habeas corpus
may not be issued to any person “committed or detained on a charge of treason or felony, the species whereof is plainly and fully set forth in the commitment.” Consequently, a prisoner whosе commitment is regular on its face cannot obtain release through
habeas corpus. Jones v. Anderson,
Del.Supr.,
Forensic Testing Denied
Finally, Marion contends that the Superiоr Court erred in denying his request for DNA testing at State expense. The trial record, however, unequivocally reflects that no foreign hair, sperm or blood samplеs were recovered from the victim or her clothing, which could have been subject to DNA testing for comparison with samples taken from Marion. This information was presented to the jury. Moreover, the State is not required to provide funds for every investigative service requested by an indigent defendant.
See Van Arsdall v. State,
Del.Supr.,
Conclusion
The judgments of the Superior Court are affirmed.
Notes
.
Brady v. Maryland,
.
Jencks v. United States,
. The procedural bar of Rule 61(i)(2) is inapplicable, however, if there is a claim that the lower court jacked jurisdiction or there is a colorable claim that there was a miscarriage of justice because of a constitutional violation. Super.Ct.Crim.R. 61(i)(5).
