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JohnRich 4
News update:
"A broad DNA dragnet that has led to testing of 197 black men in the hunt for a black serial rapist will be curtailed in reaction to criticism from black leaders and others.
"City Police Chief Timothy Longo said yesterday that he will use more stringent criteria in the future to approach black men for DNA samples as part of the investigation."
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"A broad DNA dragnet that has led to testing of 197 black men in the hunt for a black serial rapist will be curtailed in reaction to criticism from black leaders and others.
"City Police Chief Timothy Longo said yesterday that he will use more stringent criteria in the future to approach black men for DNA samples as part of the investigation."
Full Story
QuoteQuoteI don't see the problem. The police asked for DNA, he refused, end of story. It's no different than a cop asking you if he can come inside your home and take a look around while responding to a nearby call or something.
They can ask all they want, but not force the issue unless they have a warrant.
I agree with you. It's the cops job to gather evidence. They can ask for you to voluntarily give them anything they want. And you have the right to refuse.
Just as courts have said the police must "mirandize" arrestees because there is no guarantee they are fully aware of their rights when arrested, I believe many people who are "asked" (in the setting of what seems like an arrest: "Hold out your hands"?!) to submit DNA will not be aware that they can legally refuse. And who does not believe that the cops would perhaps then threaten to "find" something in the suspect's pockets, or otherwise harass him or haul him away for something that they otherwise would not have?
If they want someone to "volunteer" their DNA, they ought not to be doing it in the form of what seems like an arrest stop; they ought to do it in the form of a letter to the person's home address requesting that they contact the police department.
I agree that this whole "proving yourself innocent" thing is bullshit that must stop!
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-Jeffrey
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"
"With tha thoughts of a militant mind... Hard line, hard line after hard line!"
I agree with you. It's the cops job to gather evidence. They can ask for you to voluntarily give them anything they want. And you have the right to refuse. If it were a court order requiring DNA samples with no probably cause, I'd be worried, but this sounds like standard police protocol. If you're worried about this, it should really bother you if the police ask you "if you did it". A confession is way more damaging than a DNA sample. But they both have constitutional protections that I don't see being violated here.
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