DNA evidence, more CPS abuse

[s2art]

http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk/pages/live/articles/...

Good job the guy didnt fit the description.

Its very worrying that the CPS thinks that some spurious DNA evidence is enough to charge someone with. Would a jury have understood how flawed the evidence was?

[Chrispy Porker]

Quite astonishing.
Normally CPS require a lot more than DNA evidence.
Particularly where the suspect is not admitting the offence, as was clearly the case here.
I am surprised that his solicitor didn't make some pretty strong representations to the custody officer prior to charge, to prevent him ever being charged.

[oldsoak]

Chrispy Porker said:

Quite astonishing.
Normally CPS require a lot more than DNA evidence.
Particularly where the suspect is not admitting the offence, as was clearly the case here.
I am surprised that his solicitor didn't make some pretty strong representations to the custody officer prior to charge, to prevent him ever being charged.

Probably because she leads a very sheltered life?

Jenny Hart said:

"He had no idea how a hair from his head, if it can be a hair from his head, had got into her ring."

[F i F]

s2art said:

Would a jury have understood how flawed the evidence was?

Probably not, no.

The current series of TV programmes CSI ******* (Insert location of choice, Las Vegas, Miami, New York, Paris, Peckham) do a great disservice in my view and raise people's expectations.

As often said it is not a silver bullet, never has been, never will be. The usual apologists always say, correctly, that the stored DNA evidence should only be just one part of the evidential chain.

Astonishing as CP said.

[paddyhasneeds]

So could you ever have a situation where you have a court case and the rape victim acting as a witness for the defendant on the basis "I was raped by a black man" whilst the CPS would be chugging along on the DNA evidence?

I ask as it seems bizarre it got as far as it did, which suggests it could have gotten more bizarre.

[BiggusLaddus]

The frightening thing about this case is what might have happened if he was a big tall black man...

[JustinP1]

paddyhasneeds said:

So could you ever have a situation where you have a court case and the rape victim acting as a witness for the defendant on the basis "I was raped by a black man" whilst the CPS would be chugging along on the DNA evidence?

I ask as it seems bizarre it got as far as it did, which suggests it could have gotten more bizarre.

Agreed, its quite insane.

It looks like this guy was charged on only a hair and the case continued until the CPS reviewed the actual witnesses and realised - "Hold on a second - the girl who was raped is not going to identify the defendant in court, she is going to testify that it definately WASNT the defendant. This is a short white guy and she was raped by a tall black man..."

I did like the reason the CPS gave for dropping the case as 'No chance of conviction."!!!

[FiveStar]

Edited by FiveStar on Friday 8th February 17:22