The State challenges the dismissal of the information against Appellee. It contends the trial court erred in finding that it had committed a discovery violation by failing to retrieve and preserve a surveillance videotape from the retail store where Appel-lee had been arrested prior to the store erasing the tape. It argues that the tape was never in the government’s possession, was not exculpatory, and there was no evidence of bad faith. We agree and reverse.
Appellee filed a “Motion for Sanctions and in the Alternative Motion to Dismiss,” alleging that the State had violated Brady v. Maryland,
Below, Appellee framed the issue in terms of whether the State had committed a Brady violation, which is the basis on which the trial court granted the discharge. We agree with the State that the real issue in this case is whether the State violated Appellee’s due process rights by failing to preserve evidence, pursuant to Arizona v. Youngblood,
REVERSED AND REMANDED.
