• China and Japan : DNA testing for convicts China and Japan : DNA testing for convicts From The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun April 21, 2005 Is there a statute of limitation on innocence in Florida? Yes, as a matter of
• China and Japan : DNA testing for convicts
China and Japan : DNA testing for convicts
From The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun April 21, 2005
Is there a statute of limitation on innocence in Florida?
Yes, as a matter of fact, there is. And it’s coming up soon: On Oct. 1.
It is a highly subjective and artificial deadline. And it is so arbitrarily unjust as to make a mockery of Florida’s system of criminal justice.
After the date, state prison inmates who have already been convicted of a crime no longer will be able to use DNA testing to prove their innocence. After that date, it will simply no longer matter that Florida may have locked up an untold number of innocent people.
The irony is that if Florida allows the law that provides post-conviction access to DNA testing, it will hamper its ability to share in $34 million in federal grants that Congress has earmarked specifically to assist states in improving the accuracy of DNA testing and helping defray the cost of post-conviction DNA tests.
The Legislature has the ability to extend the Oct. 1 deadline for inmates to file applications for DNA testing, and it should do so before this session ends. With a backlog of hundreds of inmates still awaiting action on their claims, it would be a cruel mockery of justice to sever their appeals on what amounts to a legal technicality.
From the The Blade, Toledo, Ohio April 24, 2005
Relations between China and Japan have deteriorated sharply in the past few weeks, including widespread, sometimes violent demonstrations against Japan across China. This definitely qualifies as bad news. Trouble between the world’s most populous country, China, and the world’s second largest economy, Japan, is not healthy in terms of overall prospects for peace in East Asia, a matter of considerable interest to the United States as well.…
China is a growing military power. Japan could become one if it felt seriously threatened by its neighbor in the region, in spite of its firm post-World War dedication to peaceful resolution of issues.
None of this quarrel is to the advantage of the United States. The Bush Administration quickly needs to make clear to both sides at a high level that, although we understand their strong feelings on the points of difference, peace in the region and in the world will not benefit from any further escalation of tensions between them.…
- Provided by the Associated Press
