Appeals Court To Consider Calif.’s DNA Collection Law
On Monday, an 11-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments over a California law requiring police to collect DNA samples from every person arrested in the state. The law aims to help solve so-called cold cases through matches in a state DNA database, which contains nearly two million samples. The American Civil Liberties Union -- which filed a lawsuit against the law in 2009 -- argues that the law is unconstitutional because not all arrestees are charged with a crime. However, California Attorney General Kamala Harris (D) and the Obama administration say the court should uphold the law.
- "Court To Consider California's DNA Collection Law" (Elias, AP/U-T San Diego, 12/9).