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purplecthulhu at 12:20pm on 08/08/2008
purplecthulhu at 12:20pm on 08/08/2008The 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?
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?
angry