Questions arise on DNA law

The Clarion-Ledger, 3/29/9

Now that Mississippi is required to preserve biological or DNA evidence in felony cases, some local law enforcement officials are questioning where it will be stored and who will pay for it.

The bill, signed into law by Gov. Haley Barbour this month, doesn’t specify a central location for storage of DNA evidence. The law took effect March 16.

Some law enforcement officials say they have no place to store DNA evidence.

Holmes County Sheriff Willie March, first vice president of the Mississippi Sheriffs Association, said DNA preservation should be handled by the Mississippi Crime Lab.

“They do the testing now, and they have the database,” March said.