DNA Upon Arrest Bad Idea
What's the difference between this and just swabbing the entire country? The presumption of innocence is lost in the shuffle and we assume the worst about the citizens of the this or any city.
It's innocent till proven guilty, not the other way around.
From Diego Olmos-Alcalde, charged a decade after the murder of Susannah Chase in Boulder, to Tim Masters, released after a decade in prison for a murder he apparently did not commit, to Friday's announcement of the apprehension of two suspects, one for a 1976 murder and another for rapes dating to 2004, examples abound of the importance of human DNA in criminal investigation.
So it's hard to argue with Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey or dismiss his call for legislation authorizing law enforcement in Colorado to collect DNA from crime suspects when they are booked rather than waiting until after they are convicted of a felony.
No bill based on Morrissey's idea has yet been introduced in this session of the Colorado General Assembly. But Morrissey's office has been drafting the makings of such a bill, and he expects a legislative proposal to come from that effort this month. He says he has been working behind the scenes with "both sides of the aisle" to pave the way, and believes the only significant hurdle will be the tight state budget.
Rocky Mountain News
2 comments:
whats the difference between getting a swab when arrested, and having your fingerprints taken? If we did this more crimes would be solved sooner, and mistakes like the one made with Tim Masters wouldnt happen as often.
Unfortunately the justice system and government of Colorado is a real life "game". Nothing matters to them other than convictions, arrests, prisons, and keeping them employed and voting.
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