DNA Evidence in Rape Cases
My dear friend Tina has had letter to the editor published in the New York Times! Woo-hoo!
The Use of DNA In Rape Cases
To the Editor:In New York’s Crime Against Women (Op-Ed, June 18), Sonia Ossorio correctly observed that New York State’s statute of limitations for prosecuting rape was nearly the shortest in the nation: only Florida, North Dakota and Utah had shorter time limits during which a rapist may be brought to justice.
However, in 2004, Florida legislators substantially extended the statute of limitations for rape cases in which DNA evidence from an unknown assailant is present. In these cases, the deadline for bringing charges is extended to one year after the suspect has been identified through DNA. Thus, a rape case can remain open indefinitely in Florida, and victims there need not be subjected to the injustice of being told that the stranger who raped them has finally been identified but cannot be prosecuted because the clock has run out.
Thanks to a late agreement by legislators in Albany, New York no longer ranks among the dwindling number of states that have failed to take full advantage of DNA’s ability to identify and remove serial sex offenders from the streets.
Tina T, Atlanta