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Fourth Amendment news--DNA from ex-felons in WI

By John Wesley Hall, Jr.

Wisconsin officials are seeking to get DNA samples from 700 of 11,000 missing ex-offender names from the state DNA database who slipped through without being tested. They are threatening prosecution. State's DNA letter to felons may yield future setbacks in court by Ben Poston in the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel: A letter being sent by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections that orders released felons to submit DNA samples or face prosecution may exceed the state's authority and undermine future cases, legal experts, defense attorneys and even one prosecutor say. The concerns are important because the use of DNA evidence obtained under questionable grounds could later be challenged in court if it is used to prosecute a future crime. The notices have been mailed out by the Corrections Department since December to about 700 of the more than 11,000 offenders whose profiles are missing from the state DNA databank and who already have completed their sentences...continue to full post

Full post as published by Fourth Amendment on January 18, 2010 (boomark / email).