The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Interesting article about DNA from Israel

**44 AMP** · August 18, 2009, 10:17 PM

It is now possible to "maufacture" specific DNA in a lab, using a DNA profile analysis as the instructions?

And the potential problem is that in criminal cases where DNA evidence is/has been used, lawyers can not claim that it was "faked" or planted, using lab manufactured DNA, to match the defendants actual DNA? Is that right?

I realize this might cause some trouble for the legal beagles (just a phrase, no insult intended), but it would seem to me that using a reasonable standard, it would be difficult to credit "lab made" DNA as being a plausible defense.

There's probably a movie in there somewhere, about evil cops using "manufactured" DNA evidence to frame an innocent man, but I would find that highly improbable in the majority of cases. Still, the beyond a reasonable doubt rules might wind up costing us time and money to prove, again.

August 18, 2009, 10:17 PM	#4
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,835	Lets see if I understand this correctly... It is now possible to "maufacture" specific DNA in a lab, using a DNA profile analysis as the instructions? And the potential problem is that in criminal cases where DNA evidence is/has been used, lawyers can not claim that it was "faked" or planted, using lab manufactured DNA, to match the defendants actual DNA? Is that right? I realize this might cause some trouble for the legal beagles (just a phrase, no insult intended), but it would seem to me that using a reasonable standard, it would be difficult to credit "lab made" DNA as being a plausible defense. There's probably a movie in there somewhere, about evil cops using "manufactured" DNA evidence to frame an innocent man, but I would find that highly improbable in the majority of cases. Still, the beyond a reasonable doubt rules might wind up costing us time and money to prove, again. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.