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21-Nov-2016
Judge denies request for TrueAllele hearing based on PCAST
Pittsburgh, PA
A Pennsylvania judge denied a request for a hearing on TrueAllele® science. TrueAllele DNA results will be admitted in the trial of a man charged with double homicide.
Defense attorneys argued that TrueAllele was "novel," based on a 2016 report from the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). This report advised DNA technology limitations without citing scientific support. Since the defense did not present evidence supporting PCAST findings, the prosecution reasoned there should not be a hearing.
The judge found according to Pennsylvania precedent, not PCAST report. In 2012, a Superior Court ruled TrueAllele science admissible in Pennsylvania v Kevin Foley. "I think the Foley case is very clear on this issue," said Judge Rangos. "This is not novel science."
Links
- Judge rejects request for hearing on DNA test in Duquesne homicide case - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- Defense tries new tack to fight DNA evidence in double homicide case - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- Commonwealth’s answer to motion for Frye hearing - Document
- Pennsylvania Superior Court publishes Cybergenetics TrueAllele precedent from Foley homicide - Cybergenetics