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purplecthulhu: (no2id)
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Those with nothing to hide...

posted by [personal profile] purplecthulhu at 12:20pm on 08/08/2008
The usual government mantra that those with nothing to hide have nothing to fear about the burgeoning databases (ID, DNA etc.) stored about is rather interestingly dented by this case:

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/08/08/dna_evidence_problems/

Someone matched up to a 1984 rape and murder case through a DNA database trawl was about to go to trial when a double check revealed that there was no DNA match. Errors in the testing lab seem the probably cause. If it hadn't been spotted this man would be serving a long sentence. As a result of this mess, 7000 convictions based on DNA evidence stretching back 20 years are to be reopened.

So this innocent individual had nothing to fear from the DNA database, right?
Mood:: 'angry' angry
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There are 10 comments on this entry. (Reply.)
 

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posted by [identity profile] lil-shepherd.livejournal.com at 11:32am on 08/08/2008
Then, of course, there is the chap in Wales who was apparently charged with molesting a sheep on DNA evidence, who turns out to have a twin brother! (Read in a tabloid, so may not be true, but it's a lovely story.) The police solution: an identity parade.
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posted by [identity profile] purplecthulhu.livejournal.com at 11:34am on 08/08/2008
An identity parade for the sheep????
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(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] lil-shepherd.livejournal.com at 12:30pm on 08/08/2008
Would that it were so, but apparently he was observed by other than ovine eyes.
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posted by [identity profile] battlekitty.livejournal.com at 11:55am on 08/08/2008
I read that one this morning in The Metro and was going to make roughly the same comment. I loved the final sentence, though:
A spokesman said "Although they are identical twins, there are differences between them."

Now I freely realise adult identical twins are unlikely to actually be identical due to any differences in lifestyle, but I still found it an amusing statement :)

(I considered looking up the article via google but thought better of it when I was thinking of search terms...)
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posted by [identity profile] tanngrisnir.livejournal.com at 05:32pm on 08/08/2008
Well, there are differences between identical twins. Fingerprints, for example, are not absolutely identical. :)
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(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] brixtonbrood.livejournal.com at 03:24pm on 08/08/2008
Still more accurate than eye-witness evidence though (mind you, tarot cards are roughly as accurate as eye witness identification).
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posted by [identity profile] tanngrisnir.livejournal.com at 05:34pm on 08/08/2008
I have always been a bit worried about eye-witness evidence since I saw on video someone who looked so like me (and I think [livejournal.com profile] purplecthulhu will confirm I am not really someone who blends into the crowd) that I was for a moment not sure that it was not me.
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posted by [identity profile] purplecthulhu.livejournal.com at 05:52pm on 08/08/2008
But we have long practice in dealing with the inaccuracies of eye-witness reports and a whole panoply of legal and other structures that go with it. We don't have this in the case of DNA evidence (or, in fact, fingerprints which are only about 80% accurate) which sets us up for potential serious miscarriages of justice as a result. It's fortunate that this case was caught when it was, or there'd be a miscarriage right there.
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posted by [identity profile] tanngrisnir.livejournal.com at 05:35pm on 08/08/2008
I always think the statement that those who have nothing to hide have nothing to fear is very useful, since it clearly identifies the speaker as an imbecile who should never hold public office.
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(no subject)

posted by [identity profile] purplecthulhu.livejournal.com at 05:50pm on 08/08/2008
Well said!
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