The recent capture of The Golden State Killer - a serial killer responsible for many murders and even more rapes - that they know about - and based on DNA evidence - put me and many others into a spin. Well, the first thing is that the man captured may have his day in court but basically he has already been outed, tried, and convicted, by the media and THAT IS NOT WHAT THE UNITED STATES IS ALL ABOUT. Or is it?
Here in the U.S. we must assume innocence and prove guilt. It's just the opposite in other countries. Though this is and has long been one of the most important open cases and we as a people want justice, I watched televised news, YouTube reportages, and read a dozen articles piggybacking on each other about the case. At first while the use of DNA genealogy databases had been used came up, leaving us to wonder WHICH ONE, first came DENIALS by a couple of them that they HAD NOT COOPERATED WITH INVESTIGATIONS.
Well, it's easy enough to set yourself up - or borrow someone else's - to get in and use the account pretending that all you're interested in is more people to invite to that family reunion because SO MUCH depends on what we used to call "Scout's Honor."
So of course I wanted to know WHICH ONE and finally was revealed. GEDMATCH
NBC NEWS - GOLDEN STATE SUSPET SPARKS DNA SITE PRIVACY QUESTIONS by Erik Ortiz
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE A DNA TEST, have the results just for yourself, and not have them included in ANY database, not at all, from the start.
This is not however the first or only time the use of DNA databases has been used.
For instance, statistics are computed using them, which I suppose the researchers just don't think is personal enough to have to ask each individual.
Reading around the investigative work that lead to the arrest, it's also clear that they didn't just use GENEALOGY rather than LAW ENFORCEMENT databases, they also had to cull some DNA from the suspect and though it has not been described it's clear they were in his garbage cans and the DNA could be from bodily substances such as hair, saliva, and so on.
Makes you think three times about throwing out those fast food containers.
Personally, this put my own DNA research on hold.
And though it sounds like it will be difficult for the man to argue he is innocent, let's hold onto that INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY that is so important in defining what is American! Because that and our PRIVACY RIGHTS are being demolished.
C 2018 All Rights Reserved. Ancestry Worship Genealogy
