Share this @internewscast.com
Rape kit.

Rape kit.

San Francisco cops have been using victim DNA from rape kits to help find suspects in crimes, and this led to officers arresting a woman for a property crime, the city’s District Attorney Chesa Boudin (D) said Monday, according to local outlets. The DA said such a practice would have a chilling effect on sexual assault survivors.

“Law enforcement retaining and using DNA collected from survivors’ sexual assault exams to incriminate them hurts survivors,” Boudin wrote on Twitter. “Public safety demands that we support sexual assault survivors and end any practices that dissuade them from coming forward.”

He did not identify the woman, only saying she was arrested for a felony property crime. This announcement follows as Boudin’s office has clashes with the police department on issues like use of deadly force investigations. City dwellers face an ongoing controversy over how to handle lawbreaking, as rates of burglary and property crimes surpass other cities. Boudin faces a recall election to take place in June, though defenders say it’s a cynical, political hit-job.

Police Chief Bill Scott said he would end the rape kit practice if true. He said he was told of the possibility that the woman was identified through a non-victim DNA database, but he added that the DA’s claim was concerning enough to review.

“We must never create disincentives for crime victims to cooperate with police, and if it’s true that DNA collected from a rape or sexual assault victim has been used by SFPD to identify and apprehend that person as a suspect in another crime, I’m committed to ending the practice,” he said in a statement obtained by KRON. “I am informed that our existing DNA collection policies have been legally vetted and conform with state and national forensic standards.”

Boudin said he recently learned that law enforcement had a database featuring DNA from sexual assault victims, which is used to find suspects in crimes.

“Rapes and sexual assault are violent, dehumanizing, and traumatic,” Boudin said, according to KRON. “I am disturbed that victims who have the courage to undergo an invasive examination to help identify their perpetrators are being treated like criminals rather than supported as crime victims. We should encourage survivors to come forward—not collect evidence to use against them in the future. This practice treats victims like evidence, not human beings. This is legally and ethically wrong. My office is demanding that this practice end immediately, and is encouraging local and state legislators to introduce legislation to end this practice in California. We remain committed to doing everything in our power to support survivors of sexual violence.”

Scott’s statement struck a cordial tone with Boudin amid recent controversies..

“Whatever disagreements District Attorney Boudin and I may have, we agree that this issue needs to be addressed,” he said. “At the end of the day, our respective departments exist to do justice for victims of crime. The last thing we should ever do is discourage their cooperation with us to accomplish that.”

[Screenshot via KTVU]

Have a tip we should know? [email protected]

Source: This post first appeared on

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Sydney Resident to Appear in Court After Alleged Online Threat to MP

A man will front court today after allegedly threatening a federal politician…

Authorities Report: Man Fatally Suffocates Mother by Applying Pressure on Her Neck

A South Dakota man murdered his own mother and then decapitated her,…

Man Arrested in Connection with New York Child Sexual Battery Case

Staff report from Gainesville Police Department social media post GAINESVILLE, Fla. –…

Botched Botox Procedure Causes Facial Paralysis in Patient: Police Report

Left: Rosa Mena. Right, top and bottom: An illegal “Med Spa” Mena…

Teenager Accused in Sydney House Party Stabbing

A teen has been charged over a stabbing at a house party…

Family of woman purportedly killed by roommate initiates lawsuit

Tamilore Odunsi (GoFundMe). The family of a Texas nursing student, who was…

Woman Receives Verdict for Poisoning In-Laws and Sister with Tainted Mushroom Beef Wellington

An Australian woman has been found guilty of the 2023 murders of…

Travis Decker: Authorities Locate Hiker Resembling Fugitive, Closing Idaho Manhunt for Child Killer

The U.S. Marshals task force has called off its pursuit of Travis…

“Incident at Florida Motel Involving Alleged ‘Sugar Daddy’ Results in Shooting, One Fatality: Police Report”

Inset: Ronald Davis (Broward County Sheriff”s Office). Background: Plantation Motel in Plantation,…

Intoxicated Oklahoma Woman Falls Asleep and Accidentally Suffocates Newborn Twin After Consuming White Claw Seltzers: Authorities

An Oklahoma woman is facing charges after police say she fell asleep…

Police Investigate Texts and Notes Leading to Mother and Son’s Deaths

Featured: Jessica Lyman and Eli Painter (GoFundMe). Scene: The 200 block of…

Trump Administration Files Lawsuit Against California Over Increased Egg Prices

Left: President Donald Trump addresses a lunch gathering with African leaders in…