Last month, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police revealed that a man was wrongfully convicted in connection with a 2001 Robbery due to human error in the Metro DNA lab. According to reports, Dwayne Jackson was convicted after DNA analysis improperly identified him as the perpetrator of the crime. However, it was subsequently discovered that two samples were inadvertently switched in the lab, resulting in the wrong suspect being identified.
If the government seeks to use DNA against a defendant in a criminal case, the defendant has a right to have their own expert conduct an independent analysis to verify whether the government's DNA testing was done properly and reached the correct result. If a defendant is indigent, they also have the right to ask the government to pay for the testing.
DNA testing is often seen as an infallible science, and the existence of DNA evidence is often treated as incontrovertible evidence of guilt. But, many factors affect the reliability of DNA evidence. And, as the above case shows, as long as human beings are involved in the collection and testing of evidence, mistakes will be made.
If you or someone you know is arrested or charged with Robbery, Murder,
Sexual Assault or another offense involving the use of DNA evidence, it is important that you contact a knowledgeable and experienced Las Vegas Criminal Defense Attorney right away. The
Las Vegas Criminal Defense Lawyer can assist you in analyzing the facts of your case, identifying applicable defenses, challenging evidence where appropriate and providing you with the most aggressive defense strategy possible to protect your legal rights.