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Council Member Cabán's remarks on DNA collection and constitutional rights
1:37:01
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124 sec
Council Member Tiffany Cabán opens with remarks criticizing exceptions for DNA collection from juveniles in serious crimes, emphasizing that constitutional rights should be protected regardless of the charge. She also discusses the limitations of DNA evidence in court cases.
- Cabán argues against exceptions for DNA collection from juveniles, even for serious crimes
- She emphasizes that constitutional rights should be universally protected
- Cabán shares her experience as a public defender, noting that DNA is not always necessary or definitive in securing convictions
Tiffany Cabán
1:37:01
Thank you.
1:37:02
I I just wanna start with a couple of comments.
1:37:05
One on deputy speaker Ayala's bill.
1:37:10
I I keep hearing about these exceptions for alleged serious crimes, and constitutional rights are constitutional rights are constitutional rights.
1:37:20
And especially when we're think talking about young people, I don't care if you were charged with jumping a turnstile or charged with murder.
1:37:26
Those constitutional rights should be protected.
1:37:28
And they are not of the right mindset or mind frame to give consent to these different things.
1:37:35
There should not be that exception.
1:37:37
For DNA, I'm talking about the need to collect this.
1:37:41
I just wanna point out as an experienced public defender who litigated many, many cases, including cases that that involved DNA evidence, DNA is not the only way to secure a conviction.
1:37:53
There are lots of ways to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt, and DNA oftentimes is just one of them or supplemental to.
1:38:02
And in fact, I have tried cases where the DNA evidence that is presented by the prosecution is used, the type of DNA evidence, the technology is used to say this person did it beyond a reasonable doubt.
1:38:14
Then two, three months later, I'll try a case.
1:38:17
And that same DNA evidence and that same technology, the defense finds exculpatory, and the and the the the prosecution will be able to make an argument about how that DNA evidence is wrong or off or, is over or offset by these other circumstances.
1:38:33
So I also just wanna point out to people that these sciences, the sciences that we put in front of our courts, they're not they're not a % accurate.
1:38:41
They're not bulletproof.
1:38:42
I mean, there's plenty of, not saying DNA is junk science, it is not.
1:38:45
But there also is plenty of junk science that we allow into the courtroom.
1:38:48
So it should not be the only thing.
1:38:52
Moving into my questions, I wanna ask, and this is about the gang database, are you aware of any independent peer reviewed evidence that shows that the database directly contribute contributes to reductions in violent crime?