DNA Resource.com
January 2008 Report
News and Legislative updates for anyone seeking the latest information on forensic DNA policy and practice
 
JANUARY FEATURES
 
Michigan House Passess Arrestee Database Bill
 
 
 
22 States introduce more than 50 bills for arrestee DNA testing
 
 
 
DNA Backlog figures in Nevada search for Serial Killer
 
Nevada Sheriff Seeks Public Donations to help with backlog
 
 
 
National Institute of Justice (US DOJ) Announcess 2008 Grant for Offender DNA Testing
 
 
 
Reauthorization of Debbie Smith DNA Backlog Grants Introduced in Congresss
 
 
 
NPR Story: FBI's New Technology Revolutionizes DNA Technology
 
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THE JANUARY 2008 Report and FEBRUARY 2008 Report were unavoidably delayed due to pressures from the start of state the legislative sessions.  The FEBRUARY REPORT is underway, and the MARCH Report should be issued on time (the first week of April).  We apoologize for the delay.
 
 
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The summary for the January 2008 DNA Resource Report is listed below.  Details on these and other forensic DNA news items can be found in the full report which is posted at www.dnaresource.com.

LAW ENFORCEMENT:  Investigations and prosecutions aided by DNA evidence include:

 

COLD HITS BRING:

●Arkansas - Charges for two murders (on database for theft).

●California -Arrest in 1991 double homicide, identification of a 2007 rapist (on database for sexual assault), and a high school vandal.

●Colorado -Identification of 1992 rapist (on database for kidnapping and rape).

●Florida - Identification of 1990 rapist (on database for stealing and resisting arrest).

●Maryland - Identification of 1999 rapist (on database for burglary).

●Minnesota - Identification of a 1993 rapist.

●Missouri - Identification of two rapists (on database for burglary and tampering).

Nevada - Sentencing for 1997 rape and murder (on database for robbery).

●New Jersey - Identification of serial rapist to two more cases (1993 cases). 

●New Mexico - Charges in a 2007 sexual assault case.

●New York - Guilty plea in stabbing (on database for burglary) and identification of a rapist in 1994 case (on database for drug sale) and 2001 case (evidence gathered from ski mask and condom).

●North Carolina - Solved a 1997 rape (on database for robbery).

●Ohio - Death sentence for stabbing (on database for aggravated robbery) and identification of a single rapist in two cases (on database for juvenile offense).

●Texas -Charges in 1994 attempted murder case.

●Vermont - Conviction in the 1991 murder of Patty Scoville case (on database for aggravated assault).

●Washington - Guilty plea for rape (on Nevada database for possession of meth and stolen car); two rapes are linked together by DNA.

Wisconsin - Identification of a 1998 rapist (match with Illinois); charges in 1990 sexual assault and murder.

 

OTHER DNA CASES OF NOTE:

Burglar identified from discarded chicken bones (Missouri)

Blood on a window identified a burglar who stole from child's piggy bank (Wisconsin)

POLICY AND FUNDING ISSUES:

Expansion - South Dakota has passed legislation for all felony arrests - it is pending the Governor's signature.  20 other states have introduced arrestee testing bills which are in various stages of consideration.  Of note, bills in South Carolina and Michigan have passed the first chamber.  In two other states - Maryland and Connecticut - the Governor proposed the legislation.  New York's Governor wants DNA testing of all convicted criminals (including misdemeanants), and the New York City Mayor has called for all arrestee testing.  Illinois will be implementing a new requirement for DNA samples from homicide victims.

Funding
- A bill to reauthorize the Debbie Smith DNA Backlog grants has been introduced in Congress.  Washington State received funding for DNA Stranger Rape Program (30 day turnaround required). Cold case squads are being reduced or eliminated nationwide due to funding cuts.
Backlog
-  A Nevada county pleaded for donations to reduce their DNA backlog in the wake of a hunt for a serial rapist.

LEGAL ISSUES: The California Court of Appeals upholds a retroactive requirement to require DNA from registered sex offenders, regardless of conviction date.

OTHER FORENSIC DNA ISSUES:

●DNA evidence exonerates wrongfully convicted inmates in Texas, Indiana, Pennsylvania,Colorado,Montana, and Louisiana.  Another man has now been implicated in the Indiana case

●Virginia will not provide unsolicited notification to inmates in cases where old DNA evidence has been located.  
●Ohio's post conviction DNA testing program is criticized as being ignored.  

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:  The UK is soliciting public comment on its DNA database.  Malaysia is considering database legislation, and Ireland is drafting legislation to allow international sharing of its database.   An Australian state solved 300 cold cases in the last year with DNA.  

●Australia - A cold hit led to a guilty plea for a 1997 rape.

●Canada -- a cold hit led to a 1994 murder conviction.
●Germany - DNA from a piece of salami identifies serial burglar.

●Japan - DNA evidence identifies a suspected serial rapist (up to 50 rapes).

●United Kingdom - DNA collected from dentures identifies burglar; a cold hit identifies rapist in 1994 case; coldhits identify two rapists (both on database for motoring charges);DNA identifies a persistent burglar (from discarded bottles and cigarettes).