California Bill Would Extend Taking DNA Samples To Some Misdemeanor Suspects – CBS Sacramento

March 10, 2017 11:06 PM By Lemor Abrams

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) Its been four decades since Shirley Derryberrys 13-year-old sister Doris was killed in cold blood.

But the cold case is now over, thanks to new DNA evidence linking two cousins to the crime.

I wanted to climb across the wall and choke em but that puts me in the same category theyre in, said Derryberry.

Derryberry says the killers responsible for her sisters vicious rape and murder would not be caught today, because of new laws.

Under current state law, cops can collect DNA only from felony suspects. But under Proposition 47, many violent crimes are reduced to misdemeanors, and there are far fewer DNA samples taken.

Here we are covering for a small percentage of the population, said Assemblyman Jim Cooper.

Assemblyman Jim Cooper says he has a common sense solution. The former Sacramento County Sheriffs deputy says his proposed law would allow cops to collect DNA for crimes downgraded to misdemeanors.

When those cold cases were solvedthose homicides, rapes, vicious murders.they were solved not from that case, they got solved because they got DNA from a theft crime, or drug crime, said Cooper.

Assembly bill 16, DNA collection, is a reintroduction of Assembly bill 390, from Coopers first term. The bill failed last year, because critics argue, its unfair. The California Attorneys for Criminal Justice says, not all crimes are equal.

The government cannot collect your DNA unless theres good reason. Good justification. If they have evidence absolutely we understand that, said Ignacio Hernandez, a lobbyist for the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice.

Cooper says stories like this is reason enough. Shirely Derryberrys sister never made it past middle school. And her parents died wondering who killed their little girl.

Shell always be in my heart, said Derryberry.

Shirley Derryberry will be testifying at the bills first committee hearing next Tuesday.

Twitter: @LemorAbrams Email: labrams@kovr.com Instagram: LemorAbrams Lemor Abrams is an Emmy-Award winning news reporter, who has interviewed thousands of people, from key political figures to everyday folks who impact their community. Her very...

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California Bill Would Extend Taking DNA Samples To Some Misdemeanor Suspects - CBS Sacramento