**A national news program (60 Minutes) discussed use of familial DNA matches for criminal investigations, and a television movie aired on Debbie Smith's story (rape survivor recognized for her work in promoting forensic DNA). Links for both programs can be found at DNAResource.com.**
LAW ENFORCEMENT: Investigations and prosecutions aided by DNA evidence include:
- Alaska - DNA brings conviction of serial rapist;
- California - DNA identifies a murderer (1989 case); and cold hits identified two perpetrators in a 1986 rape/murder case, and a suspect in a 1984 murder/rape case;
- Colorado - DNA identifies a murderer (1976 case );
- Idaho - DNA may solve a murder (2000 case);
- Illinois - a cold hit identified a rapist (and exonerated a wrongfully convicted man);
- Louisiana - DNA identifies murderer (1985 case, DNA swab found at private lab);
- Maine - DNA is key in a 1994 murder trial;
- Maryland - DNA identifies a murderer (1991 case);
- Nevada - a cold hit identified a child rapist (linked to California inmate);
- New York - DNA brings guilty plea in child molestation case;
- Texas - a cold hit identified a murderer (offender on New York's database);
- Utah - DNA identifies a murderer (1986 case);
- Washington - DNA identifies a murderer (1981 case)
|
|
POLICY AND FUNDING ISSUES:
Two states enacted legislation to require DNA upon arrest for certain felonies (North Dakota and Tennessee). 25 states have introduced such legislation in 2007. Nevada may soon enact a law to include all convicted felons (44 states have such laws), and Georgia, Texas and Colorado are considering bills to close "loopholes" in current statutes (ie, retroactive, probation/parole). See the bill tracking list on DNAResource.com for further details on this and other legislation.
Texas may establish an Innocence Commission, and the Ohio Supreme Court has given individual judges purview over access to post-conviction DNA testing. An Illinois man gained exoneration through post conviction DNA testing after 25 years in prison - marking the 200th DNA exoneration in the US. |
|
INTERNATIONAL NEWS:
EU may need to consider more privacy safeguards for DNA before wider acceptance of Prum Treaty for criminal information sharing.
- Australia - a cold hit identified a rapist (1993 crime, on database for drunk driving).
- England - Operation Advance identified 1995 rapist;
- Germany - a cold hit on the DNA database solves murder (1993)
- Mexico - DNA confirms the identity of a baby missing from Texas
- Poland - a volunteered DNA sample identifies the murderer of a British citizen
|
