RE: How the fuck is there a statute of limitations for rape in New York?
October 10, 2016 at 4:13 pm
(This post was last modified: October 12, 2016 at 8:24 pm by Tiberius.)
The problem is who gets to say the findings are inconclusive? I understand DNA evidence can sometimes be finicky, but sometimes it's not. It's the job of an independent lab to analyze the DNA and make statements of fact. The prosecution can then make an argument based on the statements, and the defense can try and cast doubt. That's the ideal anyway.
So in my opinion, if the DNA from the rape kit gets a match, even 20 years later, there should be at the very least an investigation. Maybe the investigation will turn up nothing; maybe they'll do some in depth analysis and find nothing, maybe the DNA was from the woman's partner at the time who she says wasn't the rapist, but maybe they'll find that the DNA belongs to a guy who was known to live near the area where the rape occurred, etc. You won't know these things until you investigate. I don't think that there should be any crime for which people should escape justice.
So in my opinion, if the DNA from the rape kit gets a match, even 20 years later, there should be at the very least an investigation. Maybe the investigation will turn up nothing; maybe they'll do some in depth analysis and find nothing, maybe the DNA was from the woman's partner at the time who she says wasn't the rapist, but maybe they'll find that the DNA belongs to a guy who was known to live near the area where the rape occurred, etc. You won't know these things until you investigate. I don't think that there should be any crime for which people should escape justice.
