Legislation Introduced to Reform Oregon's DNA Testing Law

In the 14 years since Oregon enacted a law to allow defendants to get DNA testing to show they might be innocent, only two have gotten judges to approve such testing. As a result, legislators in Oregon have introduced a bill to reform the state's DNA testing law for defendants, Oregon Public Broadcasting's Amelia Templeton reports.

Under current law, defendants have to show that DNA testing on specific pieces of evidence would conclusively prove their innocence. The new bill would relax the standard, requiring defendants to "present a theory of defense supported by DNA evidence, and prove that a favorable DNA result would lead to finding that person would not have been convicted if the testing had been done before their trial," Templeton reports.