Comments on: A Not So Perfect Match

How Near-DNA Matches Can Incriminate Relatives Of Criminals

[dog-x8]

Everyone should have their DNA taken at birth. In 60 yrs. they would be able to arrest the right person every time.(if they left dna) No more innocent people being arrested. It might also be a deterrent since they know they'll be identified.If everyones DNA was taken then no one could complain about their 'rights' being taken.-------- Sorry Mercer, you'r sooooo wrong on this one!! You'd prob. be the first one wanting a partial DNA if YOUR MaMa or sister was raped and stabbed to death. Think about it! All that 'RIGHTS' cr@p would fly right out the window!

[drnovlamas]

Yes, this is GOING TOO FAR!!! ABSOLUTELY!!

[kmr83159]

Why does everything have to be an issue of racism? This has nothing to do with racism. Recently there was a case in Bufalo NY where a man spent 23 years in prison for supposedly commtting 2 rapes. He is in the process of being exonerated when the alledged rapist committed a recent crime and they reopened the case. THe DNA has always been held at a hospital in the city but was just recently located an identifed notas his but the other person who was recently arrested for rape and murder. By the way, both men are white. If this innocent man's DNA was checked years ago when DNA testing first was used, this poor victim of the alledged rapist and murdererd may not have ever happened The sharing of near matches is not an evasion of anyone's privacy, it's a protection of their life and their families lives. I think if you set parameters on how the information is used and not abused it can work for all of our protection. Let's keep color out of it. Let's get as many innocent people out of jail and the right person in.

[gqpublic]

Correction: I was referring to Mr. Hunt as the example of the wrongly convicted man; not Anthony Brown.

[djconklin]

After 10 years when the Judge was told there was no proof of Mr. Hunt being the person who committed this crime He basically said oh well and left him in for another 10 years.

Correction: the DNA evidence showed that he did not commit the rape. There was no exonerating evidence that said he did not commit the murder.

I can not agree with Mr. Mercer. As the story clearly showed if you are not a perfect match you should not be found guilty. If you have not left DNA at a crime scene, and are not guilty of a crime you should not be worried. You will NOT come up a perfect DNA match. In Mr. Hunt's case it appears he should not have been linked to the crime initially. When advanced DNA testing became available he certainly should have been released then. The poor management of his case seems apparent by the large monetary settlement offered to him. Unfortunately no amount of money makes up for his years behind bars.

[gqpublic]

This is absolutely going too far. In fact, it's criminal. I am 1 of 10 siblings. Of the 10, 1 sibling has had contact with the penal system. The remaining 9 have lived productive, law abiding lives. Your story implies that a partial DNA match should result in violating the privacy rights of the rest of us. This is infuriating for 2 reasons. 1st, there is rampant incompetence in gov't entities, as you yourselves have frequently reported. Most people have little confidence that any such sharing of DNA information can be managed with any degree of responsibility. 2ndly, there are so many abuses of accountability in gov't, we can't trust that the shared information wouldn't be used as an excuse to harass people. Perhaps some anti-war or human rights activist or maybe someone who investigating a story that is unfavorable for the powers that be. It's a short leap from good intentions to abuse of power. And to use the example of Anthony Brown as a reason to invade the general public's privacy rights is a travesty. Why didn't you address the fact that his conviction sans any physical evidence was a blatant example of racism? So are you suggesting African Americans have to prove their innocence in order not to be convicted of a crime? That's what your reporting inferred. What happened to the preponderance of innocence unless proven otherwise? If you can't put forth a better reason for DNA sharing, you should have condemned it

[phagan24]

The gentleman representing opposition to the proliferation of DNA Testing as it applies to solving crimes, and releasing innocent people from wrongful incarceration is just so wrong!!! I think he needs stop thinking as an attorney and think as a victim or a victim's family member. Then I'm sure his tune would change, unless he is employed by the ACLU, and then there is no hope. I'll light a candle for him the next time I go to church. Thanks for allowing me to "vent." Dr. Paul K. Hagan, Jr.
Peachtree City, GA

[klfoster31]

I apologize in advance for my comments, but Mr. Mercer I question your understanding of what "freedom" and "rights" truly mean. Is it not the basic idea why we have a judicial system to protect us? Then why does it appear that you are hindering the basic functional purpose of our judicial system, by regarding convicted felons the right to privacy? They gave up that right the moment they choose to commit a crime! You abide the law and you are granted the freedom and rights that our Constitution stands for; however, you deliberately give up that right when you are proven guilty in the court of law. How much more do we as law abiding citizens have to put up with Mr. Mercer? Protect the rapist, protect the drug trafficker, protect the murderer, but at what expense, our children? Once again, our system that stands to protects us, is bombard by foolish "educated" individuals. This is not a question of racism or stereotypes, it's a reminder of what we as country were founded on.

[erlesb]

Ms Stahl
The problem with Mr. Hunt's case was that there was no evidence to convict him in the first place and He spent almost 20 years for a crime He did not commit. After 10 years when the Judge was told there was no proof of Mr. Hunt being the person who committed this crime He basically said oh well and left him in for another 10 years. Minorities will be in big trouble if this science is implamented.
Earl
Nashville