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Secondary DNA Transfer: The Rarely Discussed Phenomenon That Can Place the Innocent (and the Dead) at a Crime Scene They’ve Never Been To
Loaded on Aug. 15, 2018
by Christopher Zoukis
published in Criminal Legal News
September, 2018, page 1
Filed under:
DNA Testing/Samples,
Criminal Prosecution,
Crime Labs,
Wrongful Conviction,
Wrongful Imprisonment.
Location:
United States of America.
by Christopher Zoukis
In 1930, the French scientist Edmond Locard published a journal article in which he laid the groundwork for what would become the field of forensic science. Locard said a criminal actor will always leave traces of his or her presence at a crime scene and …
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More from this issue:
- How Coercive Interrogations Can Lead to a False Confession, by Brian Leslie
- $9 Million Settlement in Baltimore Wrongful Conviction Case, by Christopher Zoukis
- Fifth Circuit Affirms Habeas Relief Granted to Louisiana Prisoner Who Overcame SOL by ‘Credible Showing of Actual Innocence’, by Christopher Zoukis
- Minneapolis Police Used EMS Staff to Drug Certain Suspects, Report Says, by Betty Nelander
- U.S. Supreme Court: Drivers of Rental Cars Not on Rental Agreement Have Expectation of Privacy, by Dale Chappell
- Seventh Circuit: ‘Force’ for Aggravated Sexual Abuse Requires ‘Physical Force,’ Not Psychological Coercion, by Christopher Zoukis
- U.S. Supreme Court’s Carpenter Decision a Warning to Police on Warrantless Data Searches, by Derek Gilna
- Washington Supreme Court Clarifies Process by Which Insanity Acquittees May Petition for Release, by Christopher Zoukis
- SCOTUS’ Unanimous Death-Penalty Jury Verdict Decision Affecting Florida Cases, by Derek Gilna
- New Kansas Law Compensates Those Wrongfully Convicted, by Dale Chappell
- Georgia Defense Attorney Wins Another ‘Jury-Nullification’ Case, by Derek Gilna
- New Jersey Appellate Division Extends Urbina Self-Defense Rule to Defense of Others in Plea Allocution, by David Reutter
- Virginia Supreme Court Holds Convictions for Common Law and Statutory Involuntary Manslaughter Violate Double Jeopardy Clause, by Dale Chappell
- Cato Institute: Require Cops to Carry Liability Insurance, by Christopher Zoukis
- SCOTUS Issues Landmark Fourth Amendment and Digital Privacy Opinion in Carpenter
- Eighth Circuit Rules Officer’s Inability to Read Temporary Vehicle Tag Does Not Justify Traffic Stop, Evidence Obtained Must be Suppressed, by Christopher Zoukis
- First Circuit Holds Appeal Not Barred by Plea Agreement Waiver Provision When Sentence Exceeds Agreement, by David Reutter
- New York City Decriminalizes Some Public Smoking of Marijuana in Policy Shift, by Derek Gilna
- Can Cops Shoot a Fleeing Suspect in the Back?, by Dale Chappell
- Texas Courts Rubber Stamp Post-Conviction Fact Findings in Death Penalty Cases, Study Says, by Matthew Clarke
- New Jersey AG Intervenes in Possible Wrongful Conviction Case, Considers Reforms, by Christopher Zoukis
- Hawaii Supreme Court Vacates Conviction Due to Prosecutor’s Bogus Argument Attacking Defense Counsel, by Matthew Clarke
- Drug Detection Using Fingerprints in the Works, by Matthew Clarke
- Sixth Circuit Reverses Relevant Conduct Firearm Enhancement Because No Connection Between Possession Charges Based on Two Separate Shootouts, by Christopher Zoukis
- Kansas Supreme Court: Deadly Weapon-Use Finding Prerequisite to Imposing Violent Offender Registration Requirement, by Matthew Clarke
- Third Circuit Grants Habeas Relief to Prisoner Convicted of First-Degree Murder Without Evidence of Specific Intent to Kill, by Christopher Zoukis
- Why Sex Offender Registries Keep Growing Even as Sexual Violence Rates Fall, by Steven Yoder
- NYPD’s Lack of Disciplinary Record Transparency Frustrates Prosecutors, by Betty Nelander
- Maryland’s Top Court Rules Actual Notice by Trial Judge Unnecessary to Trigger Hearing Requirement On Defendant’s Request to Replace Defense Counsel, by Christopher Zoukis
- Immigration Authorities Seize Wrongfully Convicted Man After Release, by Matthew Clarke
- Chicago Tries to Reduce Deficit at its Poorer Citizens’ Expense, by Edward Lyon
- Kansas (Finally) Outlaws Sex Between Cops and Detained Citizens
- California Property Owners Billed for Their Own Prosecution, by Christopher Zoukis
- What Some Prison Sentence Lengths Actually Reflect, by Edward Lyon
- Trial Lawyer Advocates ‘Jury Nullification’ To Acquit the Unjustly Accused, by Derek Gilna
- Academic Paper Highlights Need to Tighten Rules for Fingerprint Evidence in Light of False-Positive Error Rate, by Steve Horn
- New York City Gang Database Increases 70 Percent Since 2014, by Derek Gilna
- South Dakota Supreme Court Rules that Trial Court Cannot Reject a Plea Agreement It Already Implicitly Accepted, by Christopher Zoukis
- New Mexico Supreme Court: Seriousness of Charged Crime Itself Not Sufficient to Deny Defendant Pretrial Release, by Dale Chappell
- Iowa Supreme Court: Relief from Conviction Not Required When Suing for Legal Malpractice Based on Wrongful Sentence, by Dale Chappell
- South Dakota Supreme Court Announces Search Incident to Arrest Exception to Warrant Requirement Does Not Apply to Collection of Urine Sample Upon Arrest, by Dale Chappell
- Armed and Dangerous: If Police Don’t Have to Protect the Public, What Good Are They?, by John W. Whitehead
- There’s No Rational Way to Justify America’s Drug Laws, by Maia Szalavitz
- News in Brief
- Secondary DNA Transfer: The Rarely Discussed Phenomenon That Can Place the Innocent (and the Dead) at a Crime Scene They’ve Never Been To, by Christopher Zoukis
More from Christopher Zoukis:
- The Contraband Wars Prison authorities target books and mail, miss the goods coming through the staff door, July 1, 2021
- Trump v. Biden on Criminal Justice, Oct. 1, 2020
- Coronavirus in Prison: The Cruel Reality, Aug. 1, 2020
- With Lives of Immigrant Detainees at Risk to COVID-19, Federal Judge Forces ICE’s Hand, July 1, 2020
- A Nation on the Brink, June 15, 2020
- Federal Court Slams Michigan Jail for Bungling COVID-19 Pandemic, Demands Names of Vulnerable Prisoners for Release, June 1, 2020
- Silence: The Bureau of Prisons’ Pathetic Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, June 1, 2020
- New York Judge Orders Release of 18 Rikers Island Detainees Due to COVID-19 Risk, June 1, 2020
- Coronavirus: A Nationwide Survey of the Push for Early Release as Pandemic Fears Grow, May 1, 2020
- California Three-Judge Court Denies Emergency Motion to Reduce Prison Population During Pandemic, May 1, 2020
More from these topics:
- Michigan Claws Back $1.2 Million Paid to Wrongfully Convicted Former Prisoner, Feb. 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Imprisonment, Qualified Immunity, Forensic Sciences, Fabrication of Evidence.
- Exonerated Former Prisoner Wins Election for Chief Record Keeper in New Orleans, Jan. 1, 2026. Prisoner Legal Assistance, Juries, Public Records, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment.
- Chicago Pays Exonerated Prisoners $7.5 Million, Bringing Total to $33.75 Million for Wrongful Convictions, Jan. 1, 2026. Wrongful Conviction, Bribery/Extortion/Theft, Fabrication of Evidence, Withholding of Exculpatory Evidence, Withdrawal.
- Zombie Forensics: Discredited Science Stalking the Courtroom, Dec. 15, 2025. DNA Testing/Samples, junk science, Forensic Sciences, Opinions and Expert Testimony.
- Minnesota Supreme Court Announces Warrantless Buccal Swab Pursuant to Discovery Order Violates Fourth Amendment, Overrules Inevitable Discovery Precedent, and Clarifies Accomplice-Corroboration Statute Applies Only to Sworn Testimony, Dec. 15, 2025. DNA Testing/Samples, Warrantless Searches, Good Faith Exception, Hearsay Evidence/Exceptions, Exclusionary Rule.
- Louisiana Detainee Captured After Two Previous Escapes, Dec. 1, 2025. Criminal Prosecution, Escapes, Jail Specific, Assaults on Staff, Prior Conviction/Sentence/Incarceration.
- SCOTUS Overturns Oklahoma Prisoner’s Death Sentence After More than 25 Years on Death Row, Nov. 1, 2025. Ex Post Facto, Good Time, Wrongful Conviction, Habeas Corpus, Wrongful Imprisonment, Pardons/Clemency, First Step Act, Civil Asset Forfeiture Reform Act (CAFRA), Specific Offenses, Controlled Substances, Weapons, Accuracy of Information, Depraved Indifference Murder, Evidence - Circumstantial, Theft, Failure to Disclose, Perjury/Perjured Testimony, Evidence - Failure to Disclose, New Trial - Motions for, Pleas Linked to Cooperation, Evidence - Destruction/Fabrication/Manipulation of, Selective Prosecution/Enforcement, Improper Comments, Official Report, Withholding of Exculpatory Evidence, Exculpatory Evidence - Disclosure Obligations.
- DHS Has Been Quietly Collecting DNA From U.S. Citizens for Years, Funneling It Into FBI’s CODIS Without Oversight, Oct. 15, 2025. DNA Testing/Samples, Police State-Surveillance, Privacy Act/Rights, Police/Govt Misconduct, Suspicionless Searches.
- Sixth Circuit Upholds $45 Million Verdict for Wrongfully Convicted Former Ohio Prisoner, Aug. 1, 2025. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment.
- Two Exonerated Illinois Prisoners Win Settlements Totaling $14.5 Million, Aug. 1, 2025. Police Misconduct, Wrongful Conviction, Wrongful Imprisonment.
