News Archive
Professor Watson, '80, Discusses DNA Sample Practices in 'Indianapolis Star'
11/04/2016
A man accused of murder and shootings at two Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department district offices was arrested after DNA collected from him in Ohio led to his arrest in Indiana. Ohio police there routinely collect DNA samples from people arrested on felony charges, while Indiana has no such practice. Professor Fran Watson, ’80, talked about the case for a story published in the Indianapolis Star.
Professor Watson said she puts these kinds of questions to students in her classes at IU McKinney. For example: What if the government required a DNA sample for every baby born? Such practices would presumably allow police to identify any criminal who left DNA behind.
“Most of my students say they are not OK with that,” Professor Watson said in the story. “The response from citizens is often, ‘I don’t want the government to have my DNA.’”
Professor Watson, ’80, is a clinical professor of law and teaches in the Criminal Defense Clinic and the Wrongful Conviction Clinic.
