Community | May 05, 2010 | 29 comments

DNA rescues man after 30 Years in Ohio prison

source: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/top/all/6990987.html

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ploomis
30 years of patience and hope got this man through 30 years of wrongful imprisonment. It took two years to get the DNA test performed. Two years is a ridiculously long time to wait for a court approved DNA test - especially when a person's freedom is at stake. Lets use some stimulus money and set up a clearinghouse to expedite DNA testing for anyone imprisoned by any U.S. court that might benefit from the results. It is 2010, the technology is now common procedure, and another day in prison is another day too long for someone wrongly convicted.

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    Community,   Law and Justice
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    News,  DNA Evidence
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29 comments // DNA rescues man after 30 Years in Ohio prison

  • csmonut
  • jubal
    • 0
      jubal  

    • I agree its time to step up to the plate and use DNA for all the cases where it could result in exoneration of someone unfairly imprisoned.

    • 2 years ago
  • zphoenixdownz
  • craigsaid
    • 0
      craigsaid  

    • I wish I could say I was shocked that he is black but obviously that would be a stupid thing to say.
      Can we give just this guy some land and a fucking mule already!?

    • 2 years ago
  • Maeveeo
  • sk0j0
    • 0
      sk0j0  

    • I'm glad he fought for his freedom instead of just throwing in the towel. Very commendable sir. I'm sorry it took so long but you've won! :)

    • 2 years ago
  • shakes_head
    • 0
      shakes_head  

    • what a shame. our justice system has, and always will be an oppressive and discriminatory institution. liberty and justice for all? or just for those who can afford it? one has to ask themselves if the system is broken, or working very well within it's full intent. either way, congrats on making out into a bigger prison...

    • 2 years ago
  • dariusvons
  • dariusvons
  • dalistuff
  • CalgarC
    • 0
      CalgarC  

    • maybe if we put all the fundies running our government and our tea-parties things will work out... i mean fundies don't believe in dna and science right?? and yes our prision system needs to be fixed

    • 2 years ago
  • artemis6
  • dariusvons
    • +2
      dariusvons  

    • ...sadly DNA can be used to convict the innocent as well... it's NOT a full proof. anybody who knows anything about population genetics can deduce it's flaws, and courts rely on the fact that the common person (juror) doesn't know anything about genetics let alone statistics and probability. traditionally they only use something like ten markers to determine probable relatedness, but those ten markers (SNIPS) could be the same in someone innocent... this is a 1 in a thousand sort of thing... and in a city with only a few hundred people this may be just fine to assume guilt, but what about a city with a million people? we need a larger sample (perhaps 100 matched SNIPS instead of ten) to match. this is the flaw of DNA evidence. also there is a phenomena called chimerism that can complicate things further....

    • 2 years ago
  • treewolf39
  • slage
    • +1
      slage  
    • Image
    • dariusvons:

      SNPs aren't used for forensic DNA identification, there is development towards that but it's a very long way off and I kind of doubt it will ever work. While I can't say what test they used, they didn't use SNPs.

      Generally speaking there are 13 core loci used for DNA identification . In the United States 16 loci are used and in Europe I believe they're moving to 23 +/- a few. Going beyond that number of loci you run into the technological limitations of the current instruments. At this point adding more loci really doesn't give you any more certainty that you identified the right person; however, it is useful in determining familiar relationships. Errors are much more likely to come from a contaminated or degraded source than the loci.

      That said there is a huge backlog problem in the US. I think in LA alone there are 10,000 rape kits that won’t be tested for years to come.

    • 2 years ago
  • hammywill
    • 0
      hammywill  
    • dariusvons:

      While I agree that any DNA testing needs to be FAR more extensive, such as you suggest with the 100 Loci, the odds of a 10 Loci false positive is around .3% However, that is high when one considers the high number of cases that rely upon DNA evidence.

      In this day and age where we have mapped the entire human genome, it seems silly and against the concept of justice to leave even that much chance open. It is unacceptable that we do not increase the match sequencing to a vastly greater number of Loci.

    • 2 years ago
  • dooder
  • SalvadoreSouza
  • keithponder
    • +3
      keithponder  
    • SalvadoreSouza:

      Oh surprise me......! He's Black. I would have NEVER guess that.

      "We have to fix our prison system ."

      While I honestly do respect your sincerity ,it sounds like a pretty naive comment to m as well. The prison system that we have today is all by design. It's a modern day slavery system for free labor that's made up of over a 68% African American population. The law is bias in this country. If you don't have money for competent legal representation, you go to either prison our jail.

      Most people on the outside are not even aware of "penal sum bonds". Prison bonds are one of the most profitable investments the wealthy can make today that will guarantee a high yield but low risk return. Those bonds don't mature until the prisons are filled up. Companies like Wackenhut run the penal system in America, while corrupt judges and prosecutors invest in these bonds. This is a prison planet. A judge is nothing more than a banker. As a matter of fact, the Latin word for bank is "bench", as in bench warrant. Every law in the book has a statute or code that determines the financial cost of the violation. Poor people in America, Black, White and Brown usually cannot pay the high cost for committing these violations so the go to prison and jail.

      Thank God that this man is free. While a large number of people incarcerated in the penal system in America are ardent criminals and deserved to be locked up, there are thousands of others that are in prison for petty crimes and crimes that they did not commit. Judges, D.A.'s, and people who invest in Prison bonds really don't care. They want us locked up. They're making grand theft money off of us.

    • 2 years ago
  • ryan8566
    • +1
      ryan8566  
    • SalvadoreSouza:

      when the government wants a DNA test, it is done quickly, and paid for with public funds, as are all of their expenses, e.g investigators, consultants, expert witnesses. But when a defendant wants such a test, even 'court ordered', he/she must pay out of pocket for this, and all of the above. unless the "Innocence Project" takes the case, this is a lot of money, esp. for someone incarcerated.

    • 2 years ago
  • keithponder
  • WeBelieve
  • Nuevarine
    • 0
      Nuevarine  

    • Ibethe'sblackIbethe'sblackIbethe's---damn, I hate being right! You would think his case was decided in like, 1960 or something, sheesh.

    • 2 years ago
  • EmperorThan
    • 0
      EmperorThan  

    • If you only read the title it sounded like a Double Helix was sending him a nail file in the visitation room or something.

      "No one expects DNA to break people out or prison! I mean just look at her, with her small town girl attitude...."

    • 2 years ago
  • ploomis
  • EmperorThan
  • cons_Objector
  • ploomis
    • +3
      ploomis  

    • Dude is sure cheesin' in this picture huh?

      Happy Cinco De Mayo, today you have been born again. I hope life is everything you want it to be for you.

    • 2 years ago
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