In any criminal matter, both the defendant and the state have the opportunity to present evidence in support of their positions. There are many types of evidence, from eyewitness testimony to fingerprints, tire tracks, and DNA. Many of us are familiar with the role of human DNA in criminal cases, but did you know that animal DNA can also be used evidence in criminal cases?
Once you start to think about it, it makes sense. Animals are present in many of the same places that humans are, from our homes to our yards, our cars, and other places that we go. Wherever humans or animals go, there is a chance that a bit of their DNA will be left behind. In the case of humans, it is often left in the form of hairs that we shed or little bits of skin that slough off. Animals shed hairs too, and they also leave their DNA in various places when they urinate and defecate. Injured animals or people may leave blood at the crime scene, which may also provide a source of DNA.
A man who was responsible for a triple homicide in Indiana was convicted based, in part, upon animal DNA evidence. While he was at the crime scene, the defendant had stepped in dog droppings. When traces of the dog droppings were later discovered on the defendant’s shoes, the matching DNA provided a link between the defendant and the crime scene.
The Indiana triple homicide is not the only case in which animal DNA has been used to connect a defendant to a crime scene or to a victim. From a case in which the victim’s dog urinated on a defendant’s tire to a case in which cat hairs from the defendant’s cat were found in a bag of the victim’s bloody clothing, DNA from animals that belong to both victims and defendants have been used in criminal cases. Although animal DNA evidence is not in widespread use, it is potentially useful in many criminal cases. Although much of the information which has been published about animal DNA and its use as a forensic tool is geared towards its usefulness in convicting suspects of crimes, it is possible that persons who have been accused of crimes that they did not commit could be exculpated if animal DNA (taken in conjunction with all of the other evidence in the case) links someone else to the victim or the crime scene instead of themselves.
No two criminal matters are alike. A seasoned Kansas Criminal Defense Attorney can look at the unique facts of your case and present the most convincing arguments possible on your behalf throughout the course of your criminal matter. Your attorney can also help you to understand and evaluate any alternative courses of action which may be made available to you throughout your criminal case. To speak with a Kansas Criminal Defense Attorney today, please call (316) 264-1548.
