11,500-year-old remains of toddler discovered

MSNBC
WASHINGTON — Some 11,500 years ago one of America’s earliest families laid the remains of a 3-year-old child to rest in their home in what is now Alaska. The discovery of that burial is shedding new light on the life and times of the early settlers who crossed from Asia to the New World, researchers report in Friday’s edition of the journal Science.

State catching up on DNA samples

Wisconsin State Journal
Wisconsin authorities have collected almost half of the nearly 18,000 samples that were found to be missing from the state’s DNA databank in fall 2009.
As of this week, the Wisconsin Department of Corrections had collected 8,366 of the 17,698 missing DNA profiles, agency data shows. Of the 9,332 offenders who still owed a sample, about 95% of them have completed their sentences and are no longer under state supervision.

DNA profiles grow more helpful in solving crimes

The Columbian West Virginia
A computer database named CODIS is earning its keep big-time for police detectives around Washington.
Last year, CODIS made a record 379 “hits” — typically matching DNA profiles found at new crimes scenes with DNA profiles taken previously from criminals when they were convicted of crimes including burglary, homicides, rapes, robberies, assaults and sex and kidnapping offenses.

Biomatrica Secures Strategic Investment from IQT

Money.MSN.com
SAN DIEGO, Feb. 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Biomatrica, Inc., a leader in room temperature biostability technology, today announced a strategic partnership agreement with In-Q-Tel (IQT). IQT is the independent, strategic investment firm that identifies innovative technology solutions to support the mission of the U.S. Intelligence Community.

Wis. man gets life sentence in slayings of 7 women

Bloomberg News
MILWAUKEE (AP) — A Milwaukee man convicted of killing seven women over a 21-year period was sentenced to life in prison Thursday with no chance of parole.

BDP proposes DNA bank to identify bodies of missing persons

Today’s Zaman Turkey
Pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) Co-chairman Selahattin Demirtaş has proposed the establishment of a DNA bank for the relatives of people who disappeared in southeastern Anatolia during the 1990s to identify the bodies of missing persons that are later found.

Pop Goes the Culture: ‘CSI effect’ annoys celebrity fan bases, legal experts

Lsurevielle
Television shows have a way of bringing dissimilar people together.
In recent years, this trend has befallen of one of my personal favorites, “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” with rather unpleasant consequences.
Prosecutors, defense attorneys, Taylor Swift fans and “Beliebers” alike have all been uniting to build a case against “CSI.” Their respective accusations vary but share a common theme: discontent.
This column examines the “CSI effect” in terms of both pop culture and the justice system.

Virginia Outlines Success Of DNA Databank Program

The Gov Monitor
Governor Bob McDonnell announced today that the Virginia Department of Forensic Science (DFS) recently achieved its 7,000th hit to Virginia’s databank of offender DNA samples.