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CNN
4 days ago
- Health
- CNN
How a controversial type of warrant helped convict a former Arkansas police chief of a decades-old rape
Crime GeneticsFacebookTweetLink Follow DNA evidence has become a cornerstone of modern police work, be it through the use of genetic genealogy or submitting material found before modern advances in testing. One tool, known as a John Doe DNA warrant, has made news after a former police chief serving sentences for murder and rape escaped from an Arkansas prison Sunday. This type of warrant uses DNA recovered from a scene to help identify a suspect not known by name, keeping open cases that might have already hit a statute of limitations, according to the National Institute of Justice, the research branch of the US Department of Justice. 56-year-old Grant Hardin, who escaped from prison Sunday, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder for the death of James Appleton in February 2017, according to court documents. When his DNA was entered into the Arkansas DNA database, it triggered a 14-year-old warrant issued in connection to the 1997 rape of a schoolteacher in Rogers, showing him to be a match to the semen sample taken from the scene. He was charged with the woman's rape, and later pleaded guilty to two rape charges associated with the case. Hardin's case is just one example of how these warrants have been used over the last 25 years. While some think this specialized warrant is a new opportunity for justice, legal experts argue that DNA is not infallible — and this practice has the potential to violate the rights of suspects. Here is how John Doe DNA warrants have been used over the last 25 years. In 2000, a Wisconsin prosecutor issued a John Doe DNA arrest warrant on a 1994 sexual assault case, just days before the statute of limitations was about to run out, according to a retelling from the National Institute of Justice. The warrant was based on the perpetrator's DNA profile obtained from evidence, the National Institute of Justice said. While it was a new concept, the prosecutor argued the DNA profile could be accepted by the court as an identification of the person who was to be arrested. About three months later, the system identified the DNA profile as Bobby Dabney, a Wisconsin inmate who was ultimately convicted for the sexual assault at trial, the National Institute of Justice said. A 2003 Wisconsin Court of Appeals decision upheld the use of a John Doe DNA warrant, saying the case didn't violate the statute of limitations, and his due process rights weren't violated. An earlier case took decades to pan out. In March 2000, California authorities issued a John Doe DNA warrant associated with three sexual assault cases in northern California from the 1990s. Since the perpetrator's DNA was not already in state systems, it made it harder to identify, but they were able to narrow down their suspects through genetic genealogy, which blends DNA analysis in the lab with genealogical research. Authorities arrested Mark Jeffery Manteuffel in relation to the case across the country in Georgia in 2019. He pleaded guilty to two charges of forcible rape and one count of sodomy in 2020, the Associated Press reported. In 1997, Amy Harrison, a teacher, went to her school on a Sunday as she prepared for the week ahead. A church service was being held in the nearby cafeteria, so she was aware of others being in the building, a probable cause affidavit in the case said. After being at the school for a bit, she went to the bathroom in the teacher's lounge. But when she came out, she was attacked and raped by a man pointing a gun at her, the document said. While the assault was underway, she wiped a liquid substance off her leg and onto her sweatshirt, which authorities were able to get a DNA profile from, the affidavit says. While investigators spent the next six years trying to find the perpetrator, they had no luck, former Rogers Police Chief Hayes Minor said in an Investigation Discovery documentary on the case. (Investigation Discovery, like CNN, is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery.) 'The laws of the state were very different then. And there's something called a statute of limitations, and basically what that means is that after a certain length of time, that case can no longer be prosecuted,' he said, adding that the day the assault happened was when 'the clock starts ticking for us.' After those six years, they wouldn't be able to prosecute the perpetrator even if they found him, Minor said — so they decided to try using a DNA profile on the warrant, as it had been recently used by a Wisconsin prosecutor to keep their case open. 'I typed it up, prosecuting attorney's office approved it, and we go to the judge and he signed it, which gave us then an active arrest warrant. We just had to figure out who it was that had that DNA,' Minor said in the documentary. It took 14 years before the DNA profile was connected to Hardin. While prosecutors continue to use John Doe DNA warrants, some law and professional organizations argue against them. In 2004, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Board of Directors adopted a resolution against the warrants, saying 'those charged in such a manner could be seriously hampered in their ability to mount an effective defense.' They argue that many factors could play into the reliability of DNA samples, including degradation over time, errors in collection and issues in storage. 'DNA is but one tool of many that should be utilized in determining whether an individual is responsible for a particular crime,' the resolution says. CNN has reached out to the organization to inquire if they still hold this position two decades later. The use of John Doe DNA indictments 'subverts defendants' rights by working around legislatively created statutes of limitations,' writes Emily Clarke in her 2019 journal article in the American Criminal Law Review. She argues instead for removing the statute of limitations in rape cases altogether. Not abiding by the statute of limitations could also undermine a fundamental tenet of the criminal justice system, Clarke wrote. 'In a society where defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, courts of law should not be relying on the presumption that whoever left DNA at the scene of a crime is guilty,' the article says.
Miami Herald
20-05-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
ArmorSource Introduces All U.S.-Made Enhanced Trauma-Reducing Ballistic Helmet
Buy American: First-Ever Made-in-USA Helmet Meets Highest German Standard, Now Available to U.S. Law Enforcement HEBRON, OHIO / ACCESS Newswire / May 20, 2025 / ArmorSource, a leading manufacturer of advanced ballistic head protection, proudly announces the launch of the AS-223 - a groundbreaking ballistic helmet engineered and built entirely in the United States. Designed with U.S. law enforcement in mind, the AS-223 sets a new standard in trauma reduction, ballistic performance and comfort. The AS-223 is the first U.S.-made helmet to exceed the ballistic requirements of the most demanding international and domestic standards, including: U.S. DEA/FBI Ballistic ProtocolsGerman VPAM-3 - the highest European standard for head protectionNIJ Level IIIA (National Institute of Justice, USA) Built with the proven Advanced Combat Helmet geometry, the AS-223 delivers minimal back-face deformation in the event of ballistic impact, significantly reducing the risk of blunt trauma to officers in the line of duty. Unlike other "one-size-fits-all" systems available, the ArmorSource helmet is offered in four sizes providing a comfortable fit tailored to the user. The regular, mid, and high-cut profiles are available with both bolted and boltless configurations to meet mission-specific needs. "We designed the AS-223 specifically for the needs of U.S. law enforcement," said Pete Costanzo, Director of Sales, North America at ArmorSource. "It's a premium ballistic helmet system that was previously only available as an import from Europe. Now, like all ArmorSource head protection systems, the AS-223 is fully produced in Hebron, Ohio, using American manufacturing and technology." Previously, helmets capable of meeting the rigorous German VPAM-3 standard were manufactured exclusively in Europe, with some units imported in pieces and assembled in the U.S. With the AS-223, ArmorSource becomes the first American manufacturer to fully construct VPAM-3-certified helmets on U.S. soil - making this high-level protection system more accessible to domestic law enforcement agencies without relying on imports. ArmorSource is a trusted provider of ballistic head protection to U.S. military and law enforcement organizations, as well as global partners across Europe and beyond. The company's next-generation helmets offer ultra-lightweight protection with enhanced ballistic, environmental, and mechanical performance. For more information or to request a demo of the AS-223 helmet, please contact:Pete CostanzoDirector of Sales, North AmericaEmail: pcostanzo@ 740-928-0070 X129 SOURCE: ArmorSource, LLC. press release
San Francisco Chronicle
18-05-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: Trump's scapegoating of immigrants ignores the country's real problems
The Trump administration demonizes and dehumanizes immigrants as scapegoats for crime in America. It justifies the attacks against ethnic and religious minorities and their removal without due process or evidence as the only way to protect us from gang violence and criminality. But the statistical analyses show this is a sham. A National Institute of Justice study published in September 2024 found that undocumented immigrants were arrested at half the rate of native born U.S. citizens for violent and drug crimes, and a quarter of the rate for property crimes President Donald Trump ignores inconvenient facts while disregarding the law by gleefully doing nothing to facilitate the return of a wrongfully deported Maryland father to El Salvador, part of his scare narrative. Facts matter. Immigrants pay taxes and perform work that most of us won't do. Immigrants are not the problem. Trump's false promises to lower prices, resolve Russia's war against Ukraine and his administration's destruction of agencies we need for good governance are the problems. We must not be distracted by gratuitous attacks that do not address this country's needs. David Wiseblood, San Francisco Bill won't fix forests Hiking through groves of redwoods adorned with bouquets of trillium along clear rivers ringing with birdsong from tiny hidden warblers, I felt at times like I was in paradise. But then I'd come upon massive redwood stumps that were cut generations ago, still standing. The fragmented groves of ancient redwoods in our national parks often felt like tree museums. Along the Smith River, Scott River and in the Trinity Alps, I was taken by the rugged landscapes and powerful waters, but overwhelmed by the miles of burned lands. Some places were recovering with green and wildflowers. Others were spoiled by the ravages of salvage logging. If enacted, the Fix Our Forests Act loosens environmental protections and would lead to more logging. We need our California representatives in Congress to oppose this bill and rally their colleagues to defeat it. If not, they will allow the beauty of our forests to be forever turned into the beasts of industry. Cuts are misdirected Regarding 'Newsom floats cuts to undocumented health care as budget deficit looms' (Politics, May 14): Like it or not, undocumented workers are an important tax-paying part of the California economy. Rather than punishing the most vulnerable by denying them the health care we all deserve, Gov. Gavin Newsom should focus on the real villain: President Donald Trump's budget, which seeks to strip Medicaid funding (the major source of Medi-Cal funds) to finance lower taxes for the rich. Tom Miller, Oakland
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legislation re-introduced by Kennedy to restrict body armor
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) re-introduced legislation Monday that would restrict the purchase and possession of 'enhanced' body armor in the United States. Kennedy made the announcement at the site of the May 14, 2022, Tops mass shooting. Wednesday marks three years to the day since the shooting. The bill, officially called the Aaron Salter, Jr. Responsible Body Armor Possession Act, would establish a federal framework to 'restrict the purchase, ownership, or possession of enhanced body armor by civilians.' The perpetrator of the racist attack, Payton Gendron, was wearing body armor at the time of the shooting and killed Salter, a retired Buffalo police officer who worked security at the store, after Salter shot and hit Gendron's military-grade body armor several times. 'Advanced equipment like that should be used by law enforcement and the military and that's it,' Kennedy said at a news conference Monday. A bill was passed in the New York State legislature in the weeks following the shooting that restricted the sale, exchange and transfer of bulletproof vests and other body armor. A similar federal-level bill was introduced by New York City congresswoman Grace Meng (NY-6) in 2023, but never went anywhere. Former Buffalo Congressman Brian Higgins, who represented the area at the time of the shooting, was a co-sponsor of the bill. Kennedy signed onto that bill in 2024. 'Unfortunately, I think it takes tragedies like the one that occurred here,' Kennedy said. 'When you see that this isn't the only place where a horrific tragedy happened in our nation, it brings forward the importance of banning this military-grade body armor that these perpetrators of hate and violence are bringing to communities across the nation.' The term 'enhanced body armor' is defined in the 2023 bill as 'body armor, including a helmet or shield, with a ballistic resistance that meets or exceeds the ballistic performance standard of Type III armor, as determined using the National Institute of Justice standard in effect at the time the person purchases, owns, or possesses the armor.' Kennedy said that this bill has minor technical changes from the previous bill. 'Had it not been for that body armor, Aaron would have saved everyone else inside,' said Pastor Earl Perrin, who worked at the police department with Salter for a decade. 'I thank people like the congressman … who are trying to do something and try to stop these body-armor wearing imbeciles who decide they want to do something in the name of hate.' You can view Monday's full news conference in the video player above. Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Key reports addressing violence against Indigenous women are gone from federal sites
The Department of Justice website has removed at least two key reports about violence against Indigenous people, including one prompted by legislation signed by President Donald Trump in his first term, as many groups that work to combat intimate partner violence worry about the future of federal funding. The Bureau of Indian Affairs did not respond to requests for comment about the administration's commitment to combating violence ahead of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women's Day of Awareness, designed to draw attention to the disproportionate rates of violence against Indigenous women. May 5 is a day of mourning and action for the Indigenous people who have been murdered or remain missing. Many cases remain unsolved, leaving justice out of reach for families of victims. The day has traditionally focused on the crisis of violence against Native American women, girls and two-spirit people, but in recent years has expanded to acknowledge heightened rates of violence across all genders. The date marks the birthday of Hanna Harris, a citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe who was sexually assaulted and murdered in 2013. Her family was originally brushed off by law enforcement when they reported her missing. In 2018, the Montana legislature passed a law bearing Harris's name that would make it easier for jurisdictional collaboration in missing persons cases. Last month, a Trump administration official touted the president's commitment to delivering justice to Native Americans. The last eight years have seen bipartisan support for legislation aimed at addressing the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous people, and both Trump and President Joe Biden signed executive orders specifically on this issue. A widely cited 2016 study funded by the National Institute of Justice showing that Native American women were more likely than White women to experience a slew of different types of violence is no longer accessible. The announcement summarizing the study has been removed from the Department of Justice's website and now redirects to the National Institute of Justice's home page. The Internet Archive shows the page has been inaccessible since at least February 1. President Trump signed the Not Invisible Act in 2020 to increase federal coordination between agencies to better address violence against Native Americans. The final report of the commission created by the law is no longer available on the Department of Justice's website. The Huffington Post reported the missing link on February 18. While Trump signed the Not Invisible Act into law, much of the work was undertaken during the Biden administration. Deb Haaland, the first Indigenous member of a presidential Cabinet, oversaw its implementation during the Biden administration. The removed report, a copy of which is available via the National Indian Women's Resource Center, included recommendations for law enforcement, victims services and data tracking in order to better tackle cases of missing or murdered Indigenous people. The documents disappeared after Trump signed executive orders eradicating what he terms 'gender ideology' in the federal government and removing funding of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives that he characterized as 'illegal and immoral discrimination programs.' When asked about the 2016 report, an official from the Department of Justice said some pages may be unavailable as the Office of Justice Programs 'is currently reviewing its websites and materials in accordance with recent Executive Orders and related guidance.' Taking down these resources pushes back against assurances by Edward Heartney, the U.S. counselor on economic and social affairs to the United Nations, at the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues on April 21. During a panel on the global rights of Indigenous women, Heartney said the United States is 'committed to promoting the rights and well-being of Indigenous women and girls.' He called 'economic empowerment' the 'cornerstone' of the Trump administration's support. On the topic of violence, Heartney cited Trump's support of Operation Not Forgotten, an initiative launched in 2023 to provide Federal Bureau of Investigation support to field offices with large tribal communities. The resources are specifically focused on addressing unsolved cases of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Heartney's remarks were met with silence, as reported by High Country News, and he slipped out of the panel after delivering them. There are many avenues to address the missing and murdered Indigenous people crisis. Provisions in the 2022 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act gave tribal authorities greater latitude to pursue justice against non-tribal perpetrators. Nonprofits focused on providing services to victims of domestic violence are necessary to support victims seeking to escape violence in their homes. The Office on Violence Against Women at the Department of Justice was created to allocate funding provided by the Violence Against Women Act, first passed in 1994. On February 6, notices of funding opportunities for 2025 were taken down and have not been restored in the nearly three months since. One of the funding opportunities removed was for the Tribal Governments Program, which in fiscal 2024 distributed over $45 million to 48 grantees. The original grant application for 2025 was due on April 10. The 19th reached out to numerous organizations focused on supporting Indigenous survivors of domestic violence to ask about how they are navigating challenges with federal funding. All either did not respond to requests for comment or declined to speak on the record. Domestic violence services remain operational throughout the United States. Confidential, anonymous help is available 24/7 through the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) and The StrongHearts Native Helpline (1-844-762-8483). The post Key reports addressing violence against Indigenous women are gone from federal sites appeared first on The 19th. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter.
