Governor Announces New DNA Legislation

    May 13, 2007
    Capital News 9

    It is legislation Governor Eliot Spitzer says will better solve crimes and exonerate innocent defendants.

    The Governor and Lieutenant Governor David Patterson announced today they've submitted what's being called landmark DNA legislation.

    The bill would expand the state's DNA databank, improve the methods for collection and preservation of that evidence, and greatly enhance the ability of defendants to use DNA evidence to prove their innocence.

    Under current law, the state only collects DNA samples from about half of the defendants convicted of crimes.

    The new legislation mandates the collection of DNA from every person convicted of a crime, as well as individuals on probation, on parole supervision, or registered as sex offenders.

    In addition, the bill extends the statute of limitations for crimes in which law enforcement has recovered the perpetrator's DNA.

    There will be a new office charged with the responsibility of studying cases for defendants that have been exonerated.

    About half of convicted criminal defendants in New York are now required to give samples.



National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL)
1660 L St., NW, 12th Floor, Washington, DC 20036
(202) 872-8600 • Fax (202) 872-8690 • assist@nacdl.org