The Columbus City Council yesterday approved using $69,000 in federal grant money to purchase software that will better separate multiple sources of DNA found at crime scenes.
The computer software also should help scientists better determine the statistical probability that DNA matches a suspect or victim in a case.
It was a unanimous vote to use the money, though Councilman A. Troy Miller, who is vacating his seat at the end of the month, was not at the meeting.
The software could be an answer to criticisms that the city’s Department of Public Safety has fielded from elected officials who want to know how nearly 300 DNA reports were flawed because they did not disclose the statistical weight that the DNA belonged to the person in question.
The issues were uncovered after Police Chief Kim Jacobs ordered a review of 3,000 reports in March when she learned that several of the DNA analyses omitted a necessary statistical probability.
Jacobs reported that the omissions spanned from July 2009 until October 2013.
“What we are dealing with here is mixed DNA, or when you have at least two different sets of DNA being presented,” said Jami St. Clair, the city’s crime-lab manager. “This technology will help us in assigning accurate statistics to the population in that sample.”
The city is officially calling the plan to use the new software the “DNA Interpretation Improvements” project. The federal grant also will cover training for scientists who use the software.
“It’s state-of-the-art software,” said George Speaks, the city’s deputy safety director. “This is exactly the issue we dealt with in the crime lab earlier this year and will help us address that.”
The city also will spend $20,000 of city money on a Dallas-based DNA consultant, Cellmark Forensics, to help review the DNA cases.
The city is still checking about half of the nearly 300 cases reported to be in question from the original 3,000 reviewed, Speaks said.
Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O’Brien has sent out 45 letters to attorneys whose clients were convicted or implicated in a crime through the DNA testing done at the city’s crime lab. He is notifying them of the issues with the crime lab’s reports so they can review any potential problems.
At least one person — Zeddrick Mann — has appealed his guilty conviction because of the problem. Mann was convicted in February of possession of marijuana and having a gun though he’s a convicted felon.
He was sentenced to two years in prison, but his attorney has filed paperwork for a new trial.
Also last night, the city council unanimously approved spending $101,000 on a new art project on the Near East Side, near the intersection of Franklin and Parsons avenues.
Artist Olga Ziemska, of Cleveland, was selected from a group of eight Ohio artists who submitted designs.
Ziemska will work with leaders and residents in the Olde Towne East and the Near East Side to walk the areas and develop concepts for sculpture and other artwork.
Ziemska has a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the Columbus College of Art & Design and has done at least one piece for the college.
The city council also extended a moratorium on any new Short North and Italian Village parking permit districts until the end of the year.
City officials said the consultants need more time to complete a study that is supposed to help fix significant parking problems in those areas.
©2014 The Columbus Dispatch (Columbus, Ohio)
