Flawed DNA testing in Ohio

A yearlong investigation by Geoff Dutton and Mike Wagner of The Columbus Dispatch found that Ohio’s DNA testing program for inmates seeking to prove their innocence is so flawed that police and courts routinely discard evidence after trials. The five-day Dispatch series found that nearly a third of the denials examined by the newspaper failed to cite a specific reason as required by state law. Presented with the findings, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland called for an overhaul that would speed up the review process, open up testing to more inmates and establish statewide standards for preserving evidence.