KSHB 41 reporter La’Nita Brooks covers stories providing solutions and offering discussions on topics of crime and violence. She also covers stories in the Northland. Share your story idea with La’Nita.
A baseball cap found on the floor of a nightclub helped investigators identify the suspected shooter in the double murder Status nightclub.
Dontae Brooks was identified and charged in Jackson County Court after surveillance footage and DNA evidence from the cap helped build the case against him.
"Thanks to the Kansas City Crime Lab for expediting the analysis on that hat, which led us to our suspect, and which led us to levy about 10 charges against him," Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson said.
Jennifer Doleac, executive vice president of criminal Justice at Arnold Ventures, said DNA evidence has become a cornerstone of modern investigations.
"DNA is really just a better fingerprint," Doleac said. "I look at it as being much less invasive than a lot of other data basis that people are already in if they're convicted of crime.”
Missouri law already allows for DNA collection in all convicted felony cases.
A new bill, SB 1458, which initially set out to expand DNA collection requirements to all felony arrests, now has a more narrowed focus.
"This bill allows to expand to controlled substance offenses, forgery, felony fraud, stealing/auto theft, felony DWI, evading felony arrest," Missouri State Rep. Cameron Parker said.
Ashley Spence, founder of the DNA Justice Project, is the person behind this movement. DNA from a man who sexually assaulted her in college helped lead to his arrest years later.
"Not only will laws like this help protect victims like me, our communities, our children," said Ashley Spence, founder of the DNA Justice Project. "It protects those who are wrongfully accused so that they are hopefully never wrongfully convicted and it can prevent violent serious crimes from continuing."
Under federal law, if an individual is found not guilty, their DNA will be expunged and completely destroyed.
"Taking a DNA cheek swab for qualifying arrest of a serious offense is a reasonable part of the booking process," said Spence. "It's compared to finger printing and it's more accurate. And it's not accessible to third parties."
The hope is that by expanding this law, it will help solve crimes faster and more efficiently. The bill is moving through committee and then will go to the Missouri House.
—
