Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. press release, August 29, 2002

HEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1 407 York Rood, Sod* 304 315 Comon Hoom Office Building Lutherville, Могу lend 2 1 093 Wodungton, D.C 205 1 5 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Henry Fawell Thursday, August 29, 2002 202/225-306 1 Congressman Ehrlich Announces DNA Crime-Fighting Grant WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Bob Ehrlich (MD-2) announced today that the State of Maryland has secured a $5.04 million federal grant to reduce backlog of DNA studies of “no suspect” criminal cases. The federal grant is made possible by the U.S. Department of Justice. Congressman Ehrlich stated, “In 2000, Maryland ranked third in murder and violent crime, and is still ranked first in robberies, according to FBI Uniform Crime Reports. A lack of vision in Maryland with respect to DNA crime-fighting has left a backlog of these violent cases on the books. With this grant, the Bush Administration fills the void left by the State’s lack of leadership on the crime-fighting front.” DNA analysis is a powerful investigative tool used from the outset of a crime scene’s investigation until a judicial ruling is reached. The Maryland State Police Crime Laboratory will use the grant to examine backlogged “no suspect” cases. DNA analysis of evidence from these cases will be performed by outsourcing to private vendors. The resulting DNA files will be compared with the State’s Convicted Offender DNA database. It is expected that 10 percent or more of these forensic profiles from “no suspect” crimes will find their matches in the Convicted Offender database, thereby providing law enforcement the leads they need to put at-large crooks behind bars. “Maryland’s criminal justice system desperately needs help reducing its DNA case backlog. In light of Maryland’s projected immense budget crisis, it is not possible to implement this essential program without Department of Justice assistance. Additional funding for DNA testing will not only help establish the guilt of some of our worst criminals, but it will also exonerate the wrongly-accused. That should be just as important as catching the bad guys,” Ehrlich added. ###