In response to a critical audit, Maryland State Police are whittling away at a large backlog of 25,000 untested DNA cases that could prove an accused person?s guilt or innocence.
Maryland?s Division of Parole and Probation sent letters this week to 1,591 offenders whose probation cases are set to expire within six months and were released from prison without providing DNA samples as required by state law.
The letters instruct the offenders to report to the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore on June 30 to provide DNA samples to the state police.
With the help of Parole and Probation, state police are attempting to catch up on the large backlog of untested cases revealed in a February audit of the agency.
Between May 16, 2003, and April 30, 2006, state police failed to analyze or enter into a DNA database approximately 25,000 DNA samples collected from individuals as required by law or collect DNA samples from certain individuals as required by law, the audit found.
“We?re fixing the gap,” said Elizabeth Bartholomew, spokeswoman for the Division of Parole and Probation. “This DNA law was put in place and it was not well funded. The [Gov. Martin] O?Malley administration has given some money to the state police to go through this backlog and we?re trying to get it done quickly. We?ll keep doing it until we get everybody.”
There are 14,195 offenders under supervision of parole and probation who still must provide DNA to authorities. Of those, 6,163 live in Baltimore City, Bartholomew said.
DNA evidence has become increasingly important in both helping authorities track down criminals and in exonerating wrongly accused suspects.
In April, Baltimore County prosecutors won a conviction against a suspect in a cold case 1993 rape, thanks to the DNA data compiled by Maryland State Police.
The Innocence Project, which attempts to exonerate wrongfully convicted people through DNA evidence, also hit a milestone in April when lawyers announced their 200th exoneration nationwide.
