"Much of the case was based on an FBI forensics expert's testimony that pubic hairs found in Daralyn's socks and underwear may have been Fain's.
But breakthroughs in DNA identification led a forensic laboratory to conclude in June that the hairs were not Fain's. The lab said the hairs came from the same unidentified person."
17 Years on death row.
Good thing he utilized that lengthy appeals process that many pro-death penalty folks would like to do away with.
posted on August 24, 2001 02:10:51 PM
With any hedious crime, there is a lot of pressure on the "state" to make someone pay. I'll bet some DA made a lot of "points" for getting this conviction.
posted on August 24, 2001 07:19:17 PM
The problem is there is no provision for punishing the prosecutor when they are over zelous except in the most unusual rare cases.
If they had to answer personally for false convictions they would be more careful.
I agree 100 percent with what you have said. In most cases, the prosocuter is an elected official. The prosocuter that produces "results" is the one who is more favored with the public that the one who doesn't.
It could have been a case of someone, the most accountable person being charged. At the next election, the rival seeking the position often protrays the incumbent as a person to be lax in his duties and not deserving of the position.
posted on August 24, 2001 10:30:47 PMThe problem is there is no provision for punishing the prosecutor when they are over zelous except in the most unusual rare cases.
No, that's not the problem in this case. The prosecuter relied--had to rely--on the evidence at hand. It's not his/her fault that DNA techniques have since advanced. Trying to punish the prosecutor in a case like this would be absurd.
posted on August 24, 2001 10:43:07 PMMuch of the case was based on an FBI forensics expert's testimony that pubic hairs found in Daralyn's socks and underwear may have been Fain's
Well, it looks to me that a prosecuter turned "may have been" into a death sentence.
posted on August 24, 2001 11:08:03 PM
Read the article: the pubic hair evidence hinged on the newly developed DNA techniques--which have since been improved upon.
