The legality of obtaining DNA samples through genealogy websites and trash pulls is debated. While obtaining a DNA sample through these methods is legal, the use of this information in court cases may be subject to challenges.
In cases where there is not enough DNA data to draw conclusions or the case does not fit the laboratory's criteria, the case is put into a backlog of cases until there are enough similar cases with positive outcomes to attempt analysis; despite this, investigators use available records to make matches for missing people.
Johnny Cochran's defense of O.J. Simpson highlighted the importance of storytelling in legal cases, including the ability to articulate complex scientific concepts in a way that a lay jury can understand.
In the first Jurassic Park film, a cartoon DNA helix explains the process of extracting DNA from a mosquito that had bitten a dinosaur millions of years ago, and using it to create dinosaur eggs. However, the idea of finding one mosquito to create all of the different dinosaur species is a bit comical.
The killer may have owned a car dealership or worked at one, allowing him to swap plates, clean, paint and sell the car out of the state. In 1988, police interviewed a man who had bought a car from Kenneth Jr. in July of 1984.
Genetic sequencing has come a long way in the past decade, going from a $3 billion project to being available for just $1,000. However, concerns about privacy may lead some to consider using a friend's account, with shipping to an alternate address and pseudonyms to protect against data breaches.