DNA Data Bank Oversight Panel
Minutes of Meeting of September 15, 2009
Present at the meeting were Michael Bourke, Department of Pulbic Safety(D.P.S.)-Forensic Lab; Carll Ladd, D.P.S.-Forensic Lab;Wanda White-Lewis, Department of Correction (D.O.C.); George Camp, D.O.C.; Lynn Milling, D.O.C., Lynn Wittenbrink, Attorney General's Office; Michael Gailor, Office of the Chief State's Attorney; Karen Goodrow of the Connecticut Innocence Project
Upon motion and second, the minutes of the meeting of June 9, 2009, were accepted.
Public Comment
Karen Goodrow of the Connecticut Innocence Project informed the Panel that her organization is working with the State’s Attorney’s Office in an effort to secure a grant that would fund the reexamination of some older convictions. Attorney Goodrow reported that the eighteen month grant would fund positions in both the State’s Attorney’s office and the lab. Attorney Goodrow noted that a few other states, including
IMPLEMENTATION OF P.A. 03-242
Report of Department of Public Safety – Forensic Lab
As of August 31, 2009, approximately 71,752 convicted offender samples have been submitted to the Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory. Of those samples, 51,776 have been profiled and are resident in CODIS, resulting in a backlog of approximately 20,000 samples. The forensic index contains 3,456 profiles and, as of August 31, 2009, 1,523 no-suspect forensic cases were backlogged. There have been 1187 confirmed hits as of August 31, 2009. Laboratory receipt of offender samples has slowed down the last two months to just over 500 samples per month.
The second contract with Lab. Corp is nearing completion and Connecticut has received all but 2400 sample profiles back from Lab Corp. Connecticut currently has approximately 4000 profiles back from Lab. Corp. that have not been reviewed or entered into CODIS.
Using monies made available from the 2008 Offender in-house processing grant the lab has validated the upgraded robotics and is ready to process convicted offender profiles at the lab.
In the next few months, the lab hopes to be able to fill a number of grant positions.
The federally funded mitochondrial program terminates on September 20, 2009. Federal stimulus funds will be used to continue the employment of the scientists formerly funded under the program as well as three scientists previously employed in durational state funded positions. The Governor has directed that the individuals funded by Federal Stimulus money be primarily tasked with eliminating the convicted offender backlog. It is anticipated that the lab will have less than a two month backlog by the end of 2010. The lab will begin processing convicted offender samples as of October and hope to be processing approximately 2000 samples per month by the end of 2009.
Report of Department of Correction (D.O.C.)
D.O.C. reported that it hopes to start collecting samples upon intake in December. Before it begins that process, however, D.O.C. will attempt to collect samples from those individuals who are currently incarcerated and have yet to provide a sample.
Executive Session
The panel went into executive session at 10:12 a.m. and came out at 10:20 a.m.
After coming out of executive session, the Panel took the following action:
- 09-15-09A - Purged
- 09-15-09B - Purged
Consideration of the samples that were tabled at the 6/9/2009 meeting was continued until the next meeting of the panel so that further information could be obtained.
The meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m. The next meeting of the Panel is scheduled for December 8, 2009 at 9:30 a.m.