Tuesday, July 04, 2006

 

dna is NOT a panacea...

just a quick reminder on something that was recently reinforced by experience - dna testing is not a cure-all for the serious problems overwhelming our death penalty system ...

only 14 death row exonerations have been due to dna testing...it is true that more states now allow this kind of new evidence to be tested and admitted on appeal, despite time limitations on appeals...however, the dna exonerations represent only 12% of the total list of 123 cases...

heck - it's barely even a band-aid placed on a system hemorrhaging with error...

the death of sedley alley with physical evidence untested tags this as a statement of fact backed by statistically relevant data - this article in the oak ridger bears witness to this reality...

so while dna testing should be permitted, neigh encouraged, in every case it is not a quick fix to a system whose pulse is weak and thready...
posted by the tennessee dude Permalink  
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