DNA has linked a death row inmate to a series of sex crimes and murders in Los Angeles. In some cases, other defendants had been convicted of the crimes, The L.A. Times reported.
Our Pasadena criminal defense lawyers understand the complex issues involving cold cases solved, or allegedly solved, using DNA evidence. Many defendants convicted of felony crimes are required to submit a DNA sample to state and federal databases. as a result, the Combined DNA Indexing System (CODIS) continues to link defendants to unsolved crimes months or even years after the fact. And states continue to pass laws permitting the prosecution of such cases even when the statute of limitations would have otherwise expired.
In this case, Chester Dewayne Turner, one of L.A.'s most notorious serial killers, has been charged with four additional murders as a result of DNA evidence. The cases are roughly 15 years old and in two instances another man was wrongfully convicted and spent more than a decade in prison before freed by DNA evidence. Turner was sentenced to death in 2007 for the murder of 10 women. A one-time pizza delivery man, he was one of at least 5 serial killers who roamed the streets in the 1980s and 1990s.
Cold cases have significant issues with evidence being lost or destroyed, witnesses dying or moving away, memories fading, and other complications, which can work both for and against a defendant. In general, they are much more complicated than handling present-day crimes.
This case also shows the problems associated with relying upon eyewitnesses or other evidence in cases where no physical evidence exists. Several men ultimately went to prison for sex crimes and/or murders they did not commit.
If you need to speak to a sexual crimes attorney in Los Angeles, contact the California Legal Team at (310) 497-0321 to discuss your rights.
