Wesselhoft Wants DNA Sample Expansion
Legislation filed by state Rep. Paul Wesselhöft could help police solve many currently unresolved crimes, he said today.
Wesselhöft has filed House Bill 2603, which would require all individuals arrested on felony charges to provide a DNA sample for a state database. The legislation will be called, "Katie's Law," in honor of a New Mexico crime victim. In August 2003, 22-year-old Katie Sepich was brutally attacked outside her home in New Mexico. She was raped and strangled, and her body was set on fire and abandoned at an old dump site. No suspects were immediately identified, but skin and blood samples were found under her fingernails, leaving the attacker's DNA sample. The DNA samples were sent to the national DNA database system (CODIS).
However, most states do not allow law enforcement to take DNA samples for felony arrests, making it more difficult to identify suspects through the national database.
"If there was a swab of the person who killed Katie, they would now be in prison and unable to harm someone else," said Wesselhöft, R-Moore. "By expanding the DNA database, we can catch more bad guys who would otherwise remain free."
Currently, all states require DNA for felony convictions, but 26 states have considered bills to require DNA samples from individuals arrested on felony charges, including Texas and Kansas."DNA profiles generated by crime labs contain no private medical or genetic information. This protects privacy," said Wesselhöft. "There has been no instance of misuse of the DNA database. But there is evidence of its success--already the data has been used to solve nearly 50,000 crimes nationwide, according to the FBI."
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation supports Wesselhöft's bill.
"We have a state-wide DNA database and the more people and samples we have in it the more crimes we can solve," said Jessica Brown, OSBI public information officer. "Many states have already done this-it's a good situation for everyone. It will help us solve more crimes and prevent other crimes from happening, and it will help victims' families find closure."
Supporters of the legislation note that many criminals fall through the cracks and would not be captured if not for DNA databases. For example (according to www.katieslaw.org), California native Chester Turner was first arrested for assault with a deadly weapon in 1987 but was not convicted. Through the years, Turner was arrested a total of 21 times before he was ever formally convicted of any crime. But in 2002, when he was convicted of rape, his DNA was taken and found to match 12 other unsolved rape and murder cases. The first of these victims was raped in March 1987. Had DNA been taken upon Turner's first felony arrest, officials could have potentially saved 11 lives.
"This should be an easy measure to pass," said Wesselhöft. "It is a measure that could prevent what happened to Katie from happening again by identifying criminals based on DNA before they are able to strike again."Wesselhöft said he has had conversations with Katie's mother; and she expressed her gratitude toward Oklahoma in considering her crusade to protect people.
Wesselhöft has filed House Bill 2603, which would require all individuals arrested on felony charges to provide a DNA sample for a state database. The legislation will be called, "Katie's Law," in honor of a New Mexico crime victim. In August 2003, 22-year-old Katie Sepich was brutally attacked outside her home in New Mexico. She was raped and strangled, and her body was set on fire and abandoned at an old dump site. No suspects were immediately identified, but skin and blood samples were found under her fingernails, leaving the attacker's DNA sample. The DNA samples were sent to the national DNA database system (CODIS).
However, most states do not allow law enforcement to take DNA samples for felony arrests, making it more difficult to identify suspects through the national database.
"If there was a swab of the person who killed Katie, they would now be in prison and unable to harm someone else," said Wesselhöft, R-Moore. "By expanding the DNA database, we can catch more bad guys who would otherwise remain free."
Currently, all states require DNA for felony convictions, but 26 states have considered bills to require DNA samples from individuals arrested on felony charges, including Texas and Kansas."DNA profiles generated by crime labs contain no private medical or genetic information. This protects privacy," said Wesselhöft. "There has been no instance of misuse of the DNA database. But there is evidence of its success--already the data has been used to solve nearly 50,000 crimes nationwide, according to the FBI."
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation supports Wesselhöft's bill.
"We have a state-wide DNA database and the more people and samples we have in it the more crimes we can solve," said Jessica Brown, OSBI public information officer. "Many states have already done this-it's a good situation for everyone. It will help us solve more crimes and prevent other crimes from happening, and it will help victims' families find closure."
Supporters of the legislation note that many criminals fall through the cracks and would not be captured if not for DNA databases. For example (according to www.katieslaw.org), California native Chester Turner was first arrested for assault with a deadly weapon in 1987 but was not convicted. Through the years, Turner was arrested a total of 21 times before he was ever formally convicted of any crime. But in 2002, when he was convicted of rape, his DNA was taken and found to match 12 other unsolved rape and murder cases. The first of these victims was raped in March 1987. Had DNA been taken upon Turner's first felony arrest, officials could have potentially saved 11 lives.
"This should be an easy measure to pass," said Wesselhöft. "It is a measure that could prevent what happened to Katie from happening again by identifying criminals based on DNA before they are able to strike again."Wesselhöft said he has had conversations with Katie's mother; and she expressed her gratitude toward Oklahoma in considering her crusade to protect people.
Labels: DNA, Katie's Law, Paul Wesselhoft
posted by Mike McCarville @ 8:44 AM
