DNA Resource.com
April 2009 Report
News and Legislative updates for anyone seeking the latest information on forensic DNA policy and practice
 
 
APRIL
FEATURES
 
 
DENVER STUDY ON PREVENTABLE CRIMES
Denver District Attorney identifies 47 preventable violent crimes
 
 
   GROWING NUMBER OF STATES CONSIDERING ARRESTEE DNA TESTING
 
 
ARKANSAS PASSSES ARRESTEE DNA LAW
Arkansas becomes the 17th State to pass a law to require DNA upon arresst
 
VIRGINIA MAKES 500TH MATCH TO ARRESTEE 
 
 
POST CONVICTION
Use of DNA to exonerate continues
But efforts sometimes reconfirm guilt 
 
 
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The summary for the April 2009 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:

 
DNA CASES OF NOTE:

Burglary identified from sweat (Illinois).

DNA from can in refrigerator solves a burglary (England). 
1985 murder solved with DNA from hair (Michigan).
 

COLD HITS BRING:

● Arizona - serial murders suspect (public indecency)
● California - murder conviction (1988 case),
● Florida - rapes (1992, linked to kidnapper)
● Illinois - rape/murder (1981, on database for murders)
● Indiana - rape charges (on database for robbery), rape charges (cloth used as mask)
● Louisiana - rape charges (1986 &1989 crimes)
● Maryland - arrest in armed robbery (2000 case)
● Michigan - rape (1998). 
● New Mexico - murder charges (murder)
● New York - serial rape convictions (on database for reckless endangerment)
● Ohio - serial rape conviction (juvenile crimes), rape (1991 case), home invasion (2005 case), indictment for rape (2007 linked to a robber)
● Pennsylvania - rape (1998 case), serial child rapist
● Texas - arrest rape (2001 case linked to burglar)
● Virginia - rape (2002 case)
● Wisconsin - murder (2007 case, 1976 case)
● Washington, DC - rape (2008 case)

POLICY AND FUNDING ISSUES:

Expansion - A bill to expand the Arkansas database to include arrestees has passed (called "Juli's Law") (bill link),  and bills in Oklahoma, Colorado, Missouri and Oklahoma recently were covered in the press.
Backlog - Alaska crime lab expects to eliminate its DNA database backlog by July.   
Funding - A California County (Solano) is planning a new crime lab.  A Washington county is using federal grants for a cold case squad.

OTHER FORENSIC DNA ISSUES:  

●  Statute of Limitations - Several bills are under consideration in California to either extend the statute of limitations for prosecuting DNA cases, or to mandate quicker turnaround times for certain cases.  An Arkansas bill to extend the Statute of limitations was enacted.  SEE MORE HERE
● Exonerations - Two females have been exonerated of crimes (Nebrask and New York).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: 

The UAE is establishing a DNA database.  In Kenya, politicians are considering allowing the use of private forensic DNA labs.  Police in UK the are reviewing up to 700 cold cases dating to 1985.
●  Hong Kong-DNA database match solved a rape (car theft conviction).
●  United Kingdom - attack solved by tooth (link to shoplifting arrest).