Alaska Senate measure allows Use of Force in DNA collection of Prisoners
Friday, April 22, 2005 at 05:45PM
TheSpook
The state Senate on Friday passed a
bill allowing the use of force to collect DNA samples from prisoners.
It also protects officers, municipalities and the state from being sued
for taking the samples. The House and Senate passed House Bill 124
unanimously, but a civil liberties group has concerns about the
protections the measure provides the state at the cost of the rights of
prisoners. The House must approve changes made by the Senate before the
measure is sent to Gov. Frank Murkowski to sign into law. DNA evidence
is commonly used as a tool by police to investigate crimes, and this
measure helps create a better system to collect DNA, said Senate
Judiciary Chairman Ralph Seekins, R-Fairbanks. "For some convicted
felons that are already in the system, there is no incentive for them
to provide DNA evidence," Seekins said on the Senate floor Friday.
"Anything added to their sentence for noncompliance would still be less
than their sentence would be if convicted for other crimes through
their DNA." The measure passed the Senate 19-0, having broad support on
both sides of the aisle despite earlier concerns by some lawmakers on
the definition of "reasonable force." The bill passed the House on
March 7 with a 37-0 vote. Senate Minority Leader Johnny Ellis,
D-Anchorage, said he would have had a problem with the bill if it
authorized force against suspects. But since DNA can only be forcibly
taken from convicted criminals under the measure, he said he was
satisfied. [more]
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