Art. 18.181. DISPOSITION OF EXPLOSIVE WEAPONS AND CHEMICAL DISPENSING DEVICES.  (a)  After seizure of an explosive weapon or chemical dispensing device, as these terms are defined in Section 46.01, Penal Code, a peace officer or a person acting at the direction of a peace officer shall:
(1) photograph the weapon in the position where it is recovered before touching or moving it;
(2) record the identification designations printed on a weapon if the markings are intact;
(3) if the weapon can be moved, move it to an isolated area in order to lessen the danger to the public;
(4) if possible, retain a portion of a wrapper or other packaging materials connected to the weapon;
(5) retain a small portion of the explosive material and submit the material to a laboratory for chemical analysis;
(6) separate and retain components associated with the weapon such as fusing and triggering mechanisms if those mechanisms are not hazardous in themselves;
(7) destroy the remainder of the weapon in a safe manner;
(8) at the time of destruction, photograph the destruction process and make careful observations of the characteristics of the destruction;
(9) after destruction, inspect the disposal site and photograph the site to record the destructive characteristics of the weapon;  and
(10) retain components of the weapon and records of the destruction for use as evidence in court proceedings.
(b) Representative samples, photographs, and records made pursuant to this article are admissible in civil or criminal proceedings in the same manner and to the same extent as if the explosive weapon were offered in evidence, regardless of whether or not the remainder of the weapon has been destroyed.  No inference or presumption of spoliation applies to weapons destroyed pursuant to this article.
Added by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 4832, ch. 852, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1983.