DNA Exoneration Through Project Innocence

Ron Williamson was convicted of First Degree Murder in 1982. Evidence that convicted him of these charges was that he was frequently inside the building where the victim worked. He was found at the restaurant the night of the murder, and the victim had felt uncomfortable around him before the incident. Because of false confessions, false admissions, government misconduct, informants, bad lawyering, invalidated and improper forensic science, Williamson was in prison for 11 years for a crime he did not commit. Dennis Fritz, who was convicted with Williamson contacted the Innocence project for help, and DNA tests were conducted, proving neither of the men were guilty.

DNA testing technologies and processes have changed dramatically in the past century.  In the early 1900s people began studying blood typing, which then progressed to studying higher powers of exclusion. In the1970s, there were rapid developments in DNA technologies. In the 1980s, scientists began to see DNA characteristics as a gateway to studying biological relationships. This led to DNA fingerprinting, which not only can determine a person’s family, but can help identify a body, or solve crimes- like the Innocence project does.

One thing I will take away from this story is that, while we often look down at things like GMOs, the progression of science is also doing great things for people who are charged and falsely accused by unreliable sources like witnesses, and Justice System bias and opinion. These things are really unreliable and with the help of DNA, people aren’t spending valuable years of their life locked up for a crime they didn’t commit. This story has changed my perception of the justice system, because it has made me realize convictions and charges are often determined by psychological things over fact. DNA testing allows people in our society who tend to be oppressed or biased against, be proven guilty, and continue living their life.

Citations:

"DNA History - The Path of DNA Technology over Time." DNA Junction - Your Resource for DNA Testing Information. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. <http://www.dnajunction.com/history/>.

"DNA Testing: Paternity Tests, Forensics, and Identification." WebMD - Better Information. Better Health. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. <http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/dna-fingerprinting>.

A Lesson to be Learned from Chimpanzees

In RadioLab’s story of Lucy, they describe the amazing capabilities of chimpanzees. It talks about the borders between humans and chimps being dropped, and focusing more on the similarities. Maurice Temerlin wrote a book called Lucy Growing Up Human, and it describes the story of Lucy, who was raised from a baby by a psychotherapist and a social worker. She was capable of normal human activities and at one point became too strong for her ‘parents’ to handle. She was then released into the wild, where for years she struggled to adapt. She sat along Janis Carter where she, Lucy, wanted nothing to do with being outside. “Lucy was no longer a chimp. She was stranded,” says the reporter telling her story. Later, she found herself able to survive in the wild, but is probable that she was poached because of her friendliness.

Lucy was raised like a human, and so she became. Lucy was a product of her environment. As a baby, Lucy could hold her own bottle. As a child, she learned to sit at the table, eat with silverware, dress herself, lie, and she was even potty trained. Growing older, Lucy learned to sign and communicate with her parents and those around her, make tea for guests, read magazines, and comfort those who were sad. Lucy was capable of tasting things like watermelon, and when she didn’t know the word, she could describe it like “candy drink.” After ten years, Lucy was attracted to humans, acted like a human, participated in human activities and was treated like a human. When this changed, Lucy was lost. Going out into the wild, Lucy could hardly survive. She became sick and very stressed, while Janis Carter, the woman who Lucy’s human parents turned her over to in Senegal, stood by her side, and helped her to adapt.  Because human was all she’d ever known, Lucy struggled to adapt to a chimpanzee’s natural habitat. Janis describes her presence as “distracting them from being chimps.” Lucy was a chimp, but it took her years to act like one, because she was so used to a human environment. After Janis left, and Lucy was probably poached, Janis started working in Gambia to protect chimps.

Chimpanzees are highly intelligent, and are often underestimated and unappreciated. They are poached, without care and are treated as if far from humans-which they actually aren’t. One thing that can be learned from Lucy is an appreciation for other species, and the understanding that humans should not treat themselves as superior figures. One thing I will be taking away from this broadcast is just a greater appreciation for chimpanzees and their great mind capacity and ability. Another thing is just how quickly a species can adapt- a component part of evolution. If there is one lesson to be learned from Lucy’s story, it is that humans underestimate and are unappreciative of the amazing world and species around them.

To listen to this story, please go to: http://www.radiolab.org/popup_player/#

Hello!

Hi! My name is Molly and this blog will be kept as a record of my biology class with Colleen Dunning during my sophomore year at Animas High School. On this blog, I will be posting interesting articles that I come across, research, and other things that I think are too important to stay inside the walls of the classroom.

I have always loved biology, because of the unique-ness of everything on planet earth. I believe that God has finely crafted each and every little thing down to its molecular structure, and that it doesn't deserve to go unnoticed. We are often so busy that sometimes we just need to slow down and look at the incredible world around us, and I think that biology is the perfect opportunity for that!

You never know what you might find!