A plan to require people facing trial for certain crimes to submit DNA samples to law enforcement has been rejected by the Oklahoma House, despite an emotional plea from the bill’s author.
On Wednesday, the House voted 51-35 against the bill by Stillwater Republican Rep. Lee Denney who says the measure would help solve cases and would only target people charged with particularly heinous crimes.
But lawmakers raised concerns, including what happens to DNA profiles in cases where people were acquitted or had charges expunged.
Denney became emotional when discussing the case of Juli Busken, a University of Oklahoma student from Arkansas who was found dead in 1996 after being kidnapped, raped and shot. Her killer was later identified through a DNA match.