DNA Resource.com
October 2009 Report
News and Legislative updates for anyone seeking the latest information on forensic DNA policy and practice
OCTOBER
FEATURES
 
 
WISCONSIN GOVERNOR ENDORSES ARRESTEE DNA LEGISLATION
 
 
FAMILIAL SEARCH SUCCESS:
Denver PD ID's suspect through brother's DNA
 
 
EDITORIAL: Kansas Legislature Shirking Duty
MASS Court Dismisses Profile Retention Suit
 
 
ENGLAND Proposes New Database Expungment Policy
Automatic expungement after 6 years.
  
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The summary for the October 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:
DNA identified a purse snatcher after the thief blew his nose and discarded the tissue (New York) 

Copper tubing theft solved by DNA from a cigarette butt (New York)

DNA on a baseball cap brings rape charges (New York).
Sweat from a rapist brought a 100 year sentence (California).
DNA on a gun is key in a weapons possession case (federal)
 

   

DNA EVIDENCE AND COLD HITS BRING:

● Alabama - charges in a burglary case (blood on the window)● Alaska- charges in a carjacking and attempted rape case (2006) 
● Indiana- murder charges in a 30 year old cold case (linked toTexas inmate).
● Louisiana- an arrest in a 2006 rape
● Minnesota - an arrest for multiple rapes(2004 & 2006 case)
●  Tennessee- identified a rapist (2008 case). 
●  Texas- arson charges in a church fire case.
●  Vermont - indentified a burglar (linked to Florida inmate)
●  Washington -  an arrest in a 2007 rape case

POLICY AND FUNDING ISSUES:

Expansion - Bills to require DNA for certain felony arrests are still under consideration in Ohio and Wisconsin, and a bill for 2010 has been introduced in New York.  
Backlog - Alabama, New Jersey and Palm Beach (FL) make progress on DNA backlogs, while backlogs in Arizona, Indiana, Kansas and Oklahoma grow. A South Carolina PD may open its own DNA lab due to state lab backlogs.
Funding - Dallas County (TX) no longer paying for PD crime lab analysis. Colorado's lab may see funding cuts.  Los Angeles finds funding for its rape kit backlog.

OTHER FORENSIC DNA ISSUES:   

"Owed" Database samples -- Illinois identified 50,000 offenders whose DNA samples were never collected for the database.  Wisconsin identified 12,000 samples in the wake of a serial murder investigation.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS: 

An Australian state is considering legislation to obtain DNA samples by force.