STORY: "DNA now spells more guilty verdicts," by reporter Cindy Horswell, published in "the San Antonio Express on January 6, 2013.
GIST: "Technology and an expanding database is making DNA — the molecular building block that's unique as a fingerprint — exponentially more successful in solving crimes in Texas. The number of crimes solved after a suspect's DNA matched with offenders' DNA samples stored in the national repository known as CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) recently passed the 10,000th mark. The state averaged only about 200 matches a year during the first five years after the database was created in 1996. That number leaped to an average 1,000 hits a year for the next 10 years. In just the past 11 months, the matches have nearly doubled to 1,943, records show.........Harris County also has a special “CSI-style” seven-member team that it can dispatch to collect potential DNA from sensitive homicide scenes. As a result of these advancements, Kahn said his lab was responsible for nearly 25 percent of the 10,000 crimes solved. Of the state's 10,000 criminal cases solved to date, 643 have been homicides."
PUBLISHER'S VIEW: (Editorial). It is understandable that Texas is lauding the increasing impact that technology and the expanding database are having on the state's conviction rate. What defies comprehension is the degree to which Texas has gone to throw procedural bars in the way of people convicted of serious crimes who wish to use the same technology and expanding data-base in a bid to prove that they are innocent. Perhaps a few more letters could be added to DNA so that it would spell "more exonerations."
HAROLD LEVY: PUBLISHER. THE CHARLES SMITH BLOG.
The entire story can be found at:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/DNA-now-spelling-more-guilty-verdicts-4159961.php
PUBLISHER'S NOTE
I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.
The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/
Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
http://smithforensic.blogspot.
Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com
Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.
