DNA collected for cold cases Canada

Cops are gathering DNA samples from 130 of the Toronto area's worst criminals - including Paul Bernardo, Karla Homolka and Carl Francis Roy - in a bid to solve cold cases.

About 20 samples of blood have been collected by members of a Retroactive DNA Team, who'll compare them against those in the national DNA database.

"Karla was one of the first ones done," said Toronto Police Det.-Sgt. John Muise, who heads the team. "Paul Bernardo was done previously. They're both in the system."

The retroactive team is targeting criminals convicted previously, in contrast to the thousands of samples currently taken every year once an offender is convicted.

Police can only petition the court to collect samples from those convicted of manslaughter, first- and second-degree murders and serious sex offences.
http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Canada/2006/01/15/1395004-sun.html

i wish they could link karla to something else and throw her nasty tail in jail for good!! I always thought she was more involved then she says!!

I think that's great that they are doing this... some of the criminals SHOULD be in the database, but since they were convicted before the laws were enacted not all of them are.

Since they have to petition the court for the right to do this, I believe there have been more than one notorious convicted felon, that has, thus far, eluded submitting to samples... I may be totally wrong about this as I'm going from memory.

One who is sticking out in my mind is the felon that is serving his time in Saskatchewan. He made the families pay money to his wife to know where their children were buried. His name escapes me right now, but I believe he has successfully sidestepped any legal claim on his DNA... but there may have been a more recent judgement that I'm unaware of?

PonderingThings said:

One who is sticking out in my mind is the felon that is serving his time in Saskatchewan. He made the families pay money to his wife to know where their children were buried. His name escapes me right now, but I believe he has successfully sidestepped any legal claim on his DNA... but there may have been a more recent judgement that I'm unaware of?

Click to expand...

Clifford Olsen. Actually, he's incarerated in Quebec, and committed his crimes in British Columbia. His DNA is registered, but what you're probably thinking of is the use of his case in arguments for a national DNA databank. He was used to illustrate that having a DNA registry would make solving cases easier - you can read the testimony at http://www.parl.gc.ca/36/1/parlbus/chambus/house/debates/122_1998-09-21/han122_1605-e.htm.

Details of (some of) his crimes can be found at http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/olson/1.html.

Jackie

Clifford Olsen is the convicted killers name. This report talks about the flawed DNA database, and the fact that Clifford Olsen's DNA is NOT part of it.

http://www.caveat.org/publications/sw/sw_1997_vol5_no3.html

The article is dated 1997 so it is quite possible they have made admendments and he has now been included... but I don't think so...

To read more about Clifford Olsen's crimes:
http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/predators/olson/1.html

After his "faint hope" hearing in 1997 failed he was asked:

“What would you do if you got out, Cliff:” Olson grinned, “I’d take up where I left off.”

Jacklad, Thanks for clarifying that he is now in Quebec. I know he was previously in Saskatchewan. Yes his crimes were in British Columbia.

I read the article that you posted... They used Clifford Olsen as and example but nowhere did I read that his sample is actually in the database! Do you have any article/reference that says it is?

PonderingThings said:

Jacklad, Thanks for clarifying that he is now in Quebec. I know he was previously in Saskatchewan. Yes his crimes were in British Columbia.

I read the article that you posted... They used Clifford Olsen as and example but nowhere did I read that his sample is actually in the database! Do you have any article/reference that says it is?

Click to expand...

The link I posted was part of the general discussion prior to the original bill (C-3, The DNA Identification Act) being passed in 1997. That bill received a lot of negative attention due to not "grandfathering" crimes - so people like Olson and Bernardo, already convicted of their crimes, were not included. That led to Bill C-13, amending Bill C-3, being passed last year to close the loopholes in the original law, and allowed his data to be entered. In particular, 487.052 of the Criminal Code of Canada was amended to make application of the Act retroactive. You can see Bill C-13 here: http://www.parl.gc.ca/common/Bills_ls.asp?Parl=38&Ses=1&ls=C13. (This is the same bill that the Toronto Police are using to collect their samples in the original story in this thread.)

Remember, though, that the Crown has kept samples of Olson's DNA all along, which could be matched to cases in which he was suspected - the only question was whether it could be included in a searchable, national database. With the passing of C-13 amending the Criminal Code and the DNA Identification Act, it could.

Jackie

Thank you Jacklad for that information! Also, thank you for explaining the nuances in the law, and how DNA could be used, very clearly - much clearer than I could!

I'm glad they passed the new law last year - there should be NO LOOPHOLES, and from the sounds of it they've closed many (I will read the link you provided in depth later).