'Ironclad' Authority of DNA Evidence Questioned

With odds of a definite match to suspects often cited as high as 1 in 100 billion, the power of DNA evidence in a criminal case is rarely disputed. But new studies are leading some to question whether DNA evidence should be an ironclad determination of guilt, the Los Angeles Times reports.

The debate began with Arizona crime lab analyst Kathryn Troyer, who discovered that genetic matches between individuals in the state’s DNA database were coming up far more often than expected. Troyer and similarly concerned scientists and legal experts are now facing off against a dismissive FBI, and state governments reluctant to be caught up in the debate. (More DNA evidence stories.)