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US cops used newborn’s stored DNA to nab father in a 1996 crime

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In a worrisome trend, a lawsuit filed by the New Jersey Office of the Public Defender (OPD) has claimed that the police used blood samples from new-born babies to fund DNA samples and probe crimes committed more than 25 years ago.

The OPD officials learned that the State Police has successfully subpoenaed a newborn blood sample who is now approximately nine years old.

“The reason the State Police subpoenaed the sample was so that it could perform a DNA analysis on the sample and tie the child’s father, who became OPD’s client, to a crime that was committed in 1996,” the lawsuit read.

By serving a subpoena upon the Newborn Screening Laboratory, the State Police allegedly sidestepped its constitutional obligation to develop probable cause and obtain a warrant “so that it could obtain a buccal swab from OPD’s client to perform an analysis of his DNA”.

The suspect then became a client of the OPD, which alerted the office to the techniques used to identify the man.

Every baby born in New Jersey is required by law to be tested for 60 disorders within 48 hours of birth.

Through a simple needle prick to the heel, hospitals, medical facilities, and health care providers collect blood from newborns.

Those blood spot samples are later tested by the Newborn Screening Laboratory, which operated by defendants New Jersey Department of Health, Public Health and Environmental Laboratories.

“These blood spot samples are taken without informed consent by the newborn’s parents or guardians, and, upon information and belief, the samples are stored by Defendants for more than 20 years,” the lawsuit alleged.

In early 2022, OPD learned that at least one law enforcement agency has obtained newborn blood spot samples from the Newborn Screening Laboratory to perform a DNA analysis on the sample as part of a criminal investigation.

The State Police had re-opened an investigation into a “cold case” of sexual assault that had occurred in 1996 and had genetically narrowed the suspects to one of three brothers and their male offspring.

“Because there was not probable cause to obtain search warrants for buccal swabs from those suspects, the State Police instead served a subpoena upon the Newborn Screening Laboratory in or about August 2021 to obtain residual dried blood spot samples that had been collected from a male newborn in or about June 2012,” read the lawsuit.

To ascertain which family member was the suspect, the State Police sought the blood spot sample that was taken from an approximately nine-year-old child when he was a newborn to compare it to the DNA it had collected at the crime scene in 1996.

The lawsuit, filed jointly by the OPD and the non-profit organisation New Jersey Monitor, now seeks to force the state of New Jersey to disclose information on the full extent of the practice.

Maharashtra

Mumbai Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar bridge should be opened for weighing vehicles: Abu Asim Azmi

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abu aasim aazmi

Mumbai: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA has demanded in the assembly that a flyover bridge should be started for heavy vehicles to curb fatal accidents in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar. Fatal accidents are happening every month in Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar. Earlier there were high tension wires on the bridge built on GM Link Road, then the bridge was closed due to heavy vehicles. Later the wires were also removed and the flyover department has also allowed heavy vehicles to pass, however, heavy vehicles are still not being allowed to move. Today in the House, a demand was made to start the movement of heavy vehicles on this bridge. Abu Asim Azmi said that recently a tragic accident took place here in which three people died.

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Maharashtra

Wanted accused in Mumbai 1993 riots arrested after 32 years

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CRIME

Mumbai: Police have claimed to have arrested one of the most wanted accused involved in the 1993 Mumbai riots. Mumbai’s Wadala police arrested a fugitive accused who was on the run for 32 years during an operation to search for wanted accused. 54-year-old Arif Ali Hashimullah Khan has been arrested from Antop Hill. The accused did not appear in court during the hearing. A warrant was also issued against him, after which the police arrested the accused and presented him in the court and the court ordered his remand. This operation was carried out by Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti and Port Zone DCP Vijay Sagar.

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Maharashtra

Sashil Kodiyeri apologizes after tension over Marathi-Hindi controversy

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Maharashtra: In the context of the Mumbai Marathi-Hindi controversy, Shishil Kodia has apologized for his controversial statement. He said that his tweet was misrepresented. I am not against Marathi. I have been living in Mumbai and Maharashtra for the last 30 years. I am a fan of Raj Thackeray. I constantly comment positively on Raj Thackeray’s tweets. I tweeted in my emotions and I made a mistake. This tense and tense atmosphere should end. We need a favorable environment to accept Marathi. So I request you to forgive me for this mistake for Marathi. Earlier, Shishil Kodia had made a controversial statement about Marathi and refused to speak Marathi, due to which MNS workers attacked and pelted stones at Shishil’s company WeWork. After which Shishil has now apologized to X

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