31-Mar-2017

TrueAllele helps release Christopher Tapp from Idaho prison

Idaho Falls, ID

Christopher Tapp was convicted in the 1996 rape and murder of Angie Dodge, and sentenced to 30 years to life in prison. On March 22, Tapp was freed in a settlement based on new DNA evidence, after serving over 20 years. Idaho Falls Judge Alan Stephens reduced Tapp's sentence to time served, vacated his rape conviction and ordered no probation. "I wish you the best," the judge told him.

Judge Mike Heavey (Ret.) of Judges for Justice believes Tapp "is an innocent person." He wrote, "It was in the polygraph videos that we see the coercion, manipulation and eventual brainwashing of an impressionable 20 year-old high school dropout." Judge Heavey stated, "If we held on for the April hearing in front of Judge Stephens, he would have complete exoneration. But I respect that he wants out NOW. I would feel the same way."

Idaho Innocence Project Director Dr. Greg Hampikian praised Cybergenetics pro bono work on the case. He said, "TrueAllele helped us conclusively demonstrate that Chris Tapp was not on the victim's clothing.  It also showed that none of the other two suspects were present on the clothing. Rather, it was only the victim, her consensual partner, and the unknown assailant who left his DNA on every piece of evidence we have tested since Chris' conviction."

As in other criminal cases, TrueAllele computing resolved DNA mixtures that other methods could not, providing highly informative match information. Cybergenetics pro bono innocence work recently helped exonerate two wrongfully convicted Indiana men by providing exclusionary DNA results through better science.

Links

• Idaho man who didn't match DNA from killing is freed - CBS Crimesider
• Judges for Justice member speaks about Christopher Tapp's release - Local News 8
• Chris Tapp is free, but he’s owed more justice - Idaho Statesman