NEW VOICES: Broward County Prosecutors to Continue DNA Testing After Florida Deadline

As the October 1^st dead­line for Florida inmates to request DNA test­ing of evi­dence that could prove their inno­cence looms, Broward County pros­e­cu­tors have announced that they will allow inmates access to the cru­cial test­ing after the dead­line pass­es. Two of Florida’s high­est-pro­file DNA exon­er­a­tions, Frank Lee Smith, who died of can­cer on death row 11 months before he was exon­er­at­ed by DNA evi­dence, and Jerry Frank Townsend were both Broward County cas­es. Carolyn McCann, head of the Broward State Attorney’s appeals unit, stat­ed, ​“Since that’s hap­pened, you can’t look at these cas­es with your head in the sand or your head in the rule book. We’re going to do the right thing.” According to the law that estab­lished the dead­line, if inmates con­vict­ed pri­or to 2001 fail to file for test­ing before October 1, 2003, DNA evi­dence in their cas­es may be destroyed. The Florida Bar plans to file an emer­gency peti­tion with the Florida Supreme Court to request a one-year exten­sion of the dead­line. (Sun-Sentinel, September 12, 2003) See New Voices and Innocence.