Proposed DNA bills could prevent wrong convictions

Several lawmakers are proposing bills designed to prevent innocent people from ending up behind bars. Bronx resident Alan Newton spent 22 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of rape. New

News 12 Staff

May 4, 2007, 5:24 PM

Updated 6,293 days ago

Share:

Several lawmakers are proposing bills designed to prevent innocent people from ending up behind bars.
Bronx resident Alan Newton spent 22 years in prison after being wrongfully convicted of rape. New DNA testing and help from the Innocence Project, responsible for exonerating several convicts, set him free last year.
Innocence Project representatives say there are many others serving time for crimes they didn?t commit. The group of proposed bills would make it easier for prisoners to use DNA to try to prove their innocence.
Among the proposals is one that would establish statewide rules for the storage of biological evidence. Another would give judges more authority to order DNA tests be run against forensic databases.
According to the Innocence Project, DNA has exonerated 23 inmates in New York State.


More from News 12
1:40
Lithium-ion battery fire blamed for closure of Newburgh tailor shop

Lithium-ion battery fire blamed for closure of Newburgh tailor shop

2:08
Sun skies and warm temps for Saturday in the Hudson Valley

Sun skies and warm temps for Saturday in the Hudson Valley

0:52
Slate Hill family of 5 loses home in afternoon blaze

Slate Hill family of 5 loses home in afternoon blaze

0:37
2 people charged in Middletown narcotics; firearms bust

2 people charged in Middletown narcotics; firearms bust

1:30
Motorcycle, van crash in Greenburgh causes serious injuries

Motorcycle, van crash in Greenburgh causes serious injuries

0:56
News 12 probes mystery cloud traced to Orange County & seen throughout tri-state area

News 12 probes mystery cloud traced to Orange County & seen throughout tri-state area

1:02
Hillcrest Fire Department receives 2,000 cans of drinking water, courtesy of Anheuser-Busch

Hillcrest Fire Department receives 2,000 cans of drinking water, courtesy of Anheuser-Busch

1:37
Storm Watch Team Meteorologist Skyler Harman strikes down lightning myths

Storm Watch Team Meteorologist Skyler Harman strikes down lightning myths

2:33
Can swimming become dangerous due to extremely high water surface temperatures?

Can swimming become dangerous due to extremely high water surface temperatures?

0:32
NYC officials: Westchester caseworker’s death ruled a homicide

NYC officials: Westchester caseworker’s death ruled a homicide

0:40
State, federal lawmakers introduce legislation to shorten funding gap for World Trade Center Health Program

State, federal lawmakers introduce legislation to shorten funding gap for World Trade Center Health Program

0:34
Ex Frito-Lay employee files defamation lawsuit against PepsiCo claiming he invented ‘Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

Ex Frito-Lay employee files defamation lawsuit against PepsiCo claiming he invented ‘Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

0:40
Executive orders still in place preventing Rockland County and Orange County hotels from converting into migrant shelters

Executive orders still in place preventing Rockland County and Orange County hotels from converting into migrant shelters

0:54
Headlines: Drug ring prison sentence, Newburgh felony charge, uptick in car thefts in Briarcliff Manor

Headlines: Drug ring prison sentence, Newburgh felony charge, uptick in car thefts in Briarcliff Manor

0:20
Man sentence to 10 years in prison for running Orange County drug ring

Man sentence to 10 years in prison for running Orange County drug ring

1:18
Town of Wallkill propose noise ordinances at Orange County fairgrounds

Town of Wallkill propose noise ordinances at Orange County fairgrounds

0:22
Rockland athlete to compete in U.S. Olympic rowing team

Rockland athlete to compete in U.S. Olympic rowing team

0:27
Slate Hill FD: Garage fire brought under control

Slate Hill FD: Garage fire brought under control

0:32
Rockland hiker rescued by firefighters in Gurnee Park

Rockland hiker rescued by firefighters in Gurnee Park

0:34
Finger in salad lawsuit against Chop’t discontinued

Finger in salad lawsuit against Chop’t discontinued