I previously read about the Steven Barnes case, which happened locally in 1989. It wasn’t until 2008 that DNA had shown that Steven Barnes was falsely accused. In 1985 a sixteen-year-old girl went out and the next day was found deceased on the side of a dirt road raped and strangled. When the body was found people has spoken up about seeing Steven’s truck on that same road her body was found around the same time Kimberly had gone out. Three days after the murder of Kimberly Steven barns was questioned for twelve hours then let go, but two years later he was asked to give blood, hair and saliva samples and was then charged with the rape and murder of Kimberly. In 2007 the Innocence Project reevaluated the case and had a District Attorney do an advanced DNA test, which concluded that the evidence did not match the DNA of Steven Barnes. He was freed in November of 2008 and in January 2009; all charges were announced that they would be dropped. In 2011 Steven received 3.5 million dollars for being wrongfully convicted.
The process of DNA fingerprinting begins by taking samples such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, hair, skin etc. Then you fragment DNA with restriction enzymes. After you do that you load fragments into a gel and run an electric current. Smaller fragments…show more content… Today technology is able to take the DNA sequences such as VNTR, dental or medical records and apply it to current or past crimes to prove whether a person in innocent or guilty. I am amazed by the role genetics has in criminal cases. I am amazed, especially with Steven Barnes case, how DNA from a previous case can be reexamined and prove his innocents. It also amazes me that scientists can take DNA now to solve a case from the past. DNA technology has come a long way and I can not wait to see how it will advance further in the
