GREENSBORO, NC- Guilford County Superior Court Judge Lindsay Davis on Thursday denied Amanda Sperduti’s motion to apply sanctions against the state for non-compliance of destroying evidence.
Sperduti has served five-and-a-half years of a seven to twelve-year sentence for a drunk driving crash that killed three people in February 2010.
In March, Sperduti’s attorney filed a motion to have certain items of DNA tested.
The district attorney’s office said a judge denied the motion because Highway Patrol had already destroyed the evidence.
In response, a supplementary motion was filed asking for relief due to the state’s non-compliance.
Judge Lindsay determined while the evidence was destroyed by Highway Patrol without compliance, the non-compliance did not violate due process.
Sperduti’s attorney, J.D. Byers, said in a statement:
“We’re disappointed, but we respect the ruling of the court and we appreciate the fact that we had the opportunity to have a hearing and be heard.”
Sperduti was charged with driving drunk and felony death by motor vehicle in a wreck that killed three people on Saturday, February 13, 2010. They were all in the same car.
Sperduti entered an Alford plea on the three felony death by motor vehicle charges because she suffered an injury in the wreck and doesn't remember the crash. An Alford plea means the defendant does not acknowledge guilt, but concedes that there may be enough evidence for prosecution to prove the charges.
Sperduti was charged with DWI shortly after the crash. After consulting with the district attorney's office, troopers charged her days later with three counts of felony death by motor vehicle. The investigating Trooper's report revealed that Sperduti, was traveling 90 mph down Fairgrove Church Road when she missed a curve and hit a tree and a search warrant, stated that her blood alcohol content of 0.20.
The three people killed were: Sascha Adela Hoffman, 18, of Whitsett; Scott Wayne Bedwell, 23, of Greensboro; and Taylor Leigh McCaskill, 18, of Brown Summit.