DNA+Testing+Access+2011-4

- 48 states have laws that allow inmates to see the DNA evidence from their case at any time - 2 states do not have such laws - Although they have the right to the DNA from their case there are restrictions on it. When an inmate gives a motion to test the DNA it is rarely accepted. This is if the DNA could show if they are innocent or guilty. Also if the inmate offers to pay for it. - The Justice For All Act, which is a federal law, gives federal inmates the right to the DNA from their trial. This is only if the state has a law permitting inmates access to their DNA from their trial - There are exceptions to the access to DNA evidence o Inmates who plead guilty o Lawyers don’t ask for DNA in the trial o The use of eyewitness identification and snitch testimony - Things needed: o The use of DNA in the trial o Make sure evidence is kept track of **__DNA Access Law__**
 * __Research__**

- New York

In New York the law of DNA testing has been active since 1994 and amended in 2004, which means that post-conviction DNA testing can be applied by a defendant at any time after judgment.

- Pennsylvania

In PA, a prisoner convicted of a crime may apply for DNA testing to the sentencing court.

- Michigan

On January 1, 2009 prisoners had no chances after that to prove their innocence through DNA testing, only if Senate acts and passes a new bill.

Hank Skinner case: - Accused of killing his girlfriend and her 2 sons - No blood evidence was tested - Police assumed Skinner murdered - Skinner was said to be in a coma state when the murder took place - He was found hiding in a neighbor’s closet hiding - Police followed a trail of blood
 * __Example Case__**

__The Case__ -Friday Jan. 26, 2001 -Ms. Weimer & a dozen friends with Mr. Haith drank beer until around 11:00 pm -Ms. Weimer decided to drive with a friend to take Mr. Haith to Connellsville -Drive took less then one hr. got home before 12:30 am -On way home Ms. Weimer got into fight with boyfriend -She bit him, got a black eye, broken toe, clothing bloody and muddy -Police say Mr. Haith stayed at bar in Connellville until 2:00 am -Sat. Jan. 27, 2001  -4:30 am: neighbor calls police reporting screams  -Find Mr. Haith beaten and shot in the face in lot next to him apartment -Police closed in on Ms. Weimer  -She was involved in the last night of victim life  -The wounds form the fight with her boyfriend  -Police heard victim sexually assaulted Ms. Weimer last year  -Ms. Weimer siad there was no assault <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-She said she wasn’t involved <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -They were back in Uniontown at the time of the murder <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-She had alibis <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Some were relatives <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Police still considered Ms. Weimer <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-10 months later <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Police located Mr. Beal <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Ms. Weimer’s ex-boyfriend, in jail, and wanting a deal <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Mr. Beal said Ms. Weimer was raped by Mr. Haith and she told Mr. Beal that she killed Mr. Haith <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Also included the boyfriend that beat Ms. Weimer that night <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Story was possible <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Police asked PA state Police’s cold case squad to help examine the body <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Ms. Weimer agreed to take a polygraph test, but later refused as advised by her lawyer <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Not too long after she was charged with criminal homicide-Fayette County Judge ends hearing saying there was a lack of evidence and droppes the charges <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-2 days later Oct. 2004 <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Police use Mr. Stenger and re-file charges <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Tom Schaffer defense attorney <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Tried to argue Mr. Stenger wasn’t creditable <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-The Judge took Ms. Weimer to court with the reports from Dr. Karazulas and Mr. Stenger

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline;">__Evidence__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-sweat shirt & bandanna found at scene <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-DNA doesn’t match Ms. Weimer or anyone else <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-no murder weapon or other evidence found <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-police collected ms. weimer <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-found blood was boyfriends <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-boyfriend backed up Ms. Weimer saying there was a fight. <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -PA state Police’s cold case squad found a bruise that was found to be a bite mark <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Fayette County dentist <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Took molds of Ms. Weimer’s mouth <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-compared the mold of mouth to the bruise on victims hand <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-could not say with 100% certainly the bit came from Ms. Weimer <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Photos sent to Connecticut bite mark expert Dr. Constentine Karaulas - forensic odontologist <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-used the mold of Ms. Weimer’s mouth to make a bruise on his own arm & compared to the pictures <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-2 weeks later he concluded that Ms. Weimer but the victim before his death <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Dr. George Gould, forensic Obontologist, works for Sacramento County Sheriff’s deaprtment & other doctors didn’t agree with Dr. Karazulas <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -However stated the scientific process relays on the quality of the pictures taken of the bite <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -With regular crime scene pictures it may be hard to see individual teeth marks or say the time of the injury without testing which wasn’t done in this case <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Prelimiary Hearing <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Mr. Beal recanted <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Said he was pressured by the poilce with freedom from the charges in exchange for his testomony <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Mr. Stenger, “jailhouse snich”, said he was involved in the murder and would testify for a deal <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Police reports show 6 different testimonies of Mr. Stenger’s story that was from him, his mom, and others <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Mr. Stenger said he helped Mr. Beal & Ms. Weimer murder Mr. Haith <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Mr. Stenger is in jail for robbery & theft <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Said he got rid of the gun & clothing <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -His Mother <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Said he was innocent and was just at the wrong place at the wrong time <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -He watched Ms. Weimer beat Mr. Haith <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Police asked Mr. Stenger how Ms. Weimer could take down a 300 Lbs. man <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Mr. Stenger added 2 more people to the murder <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Later he told his mom the story was a lie <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-At the hearing <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -He was suggested he might have accidentally shot Mr. Haith when he fired his gun to stop the beating <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -Jailhouse informants say Mr. Stenger has said he killed Mr. Haith and Ms. Weimer up

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline;">__Testimony__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Mr. Stenger didn’t know the car used in the murder, the type of gun he hid and was never found and his description of the crime scene didn’t include the biting/other injuries that Ms. Weimer was said to have caused <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-Mr. Stenger has some trouble remembering his statement that he talked to Ms. Weimer about the murder the next day, but at the time she was with police <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-In jailhouse telephone calls, Ms. Weimer said she didn’t really know Mr. Haith, he didn’t rape her, she had nothing to do with his death

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; vertical-align: baseline;">__Reason__ <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-She has alibis, from family, that she would testify that she wasn’t in the same town during Mr. Haith’s murder <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-She has 3 kids who need her, but she’s locked up for something she says she didn’t do <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-She was offered a 3 year sentence if she plead guilty to a lesser charge <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> -She said no and still claims she is innocent <span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">-She hopes to prove it