Thoughts on the Hank Skinner Case

In the case of Hank Skinner I think an injustice was adverted with the November 7^th stay of execution.  If he had been executed, he would have died without the court knowing what the DNA from the crime scene revealed.  I believe that DNA testing should be allowed.  I do not see why DNA testing from the rape kit, jacket, and knives found at the crime scene would be a problem.  I would think that the court would want to get the bottom of the untimely death of a woman and her two sons, and that if DNA testing could help put the proper killer away, they should use the method.  It also makes Skinner look like he might be innocent if the court is refusing to allow the testing; it basically implies the court is trying to hide something.  Although I realize it would not prove his innocence, especially since he admits to being there, would it not introduce and confirm the idea that someone else was there if they find DNA that is unaccounted for?  If they found anything to suggest that he was not the only other one in the apartment that night or anything that shakes the theory they have of what happened that night, then they should further investigate using all the available evidence before sentencing him to death.

I think the DNA testing law passed in 2001 is a good idea and will hopefully prevent something like this from happening in the future.  I do not think DNA testing of the evidence at the crime scene should be an option, but rather just standard procedure, especially with the technological advances in crime scene technology.  

The “dueling websites” was an interesting concept.  While the url .com or .org does not necessarily mean that either one is more accurate or the “real” website, people tend to believe that .org makes the site more legitimate.  Because of this, people mind tend to believe that the .org website is more accurate.  Also, the .org website presents its case in a “decide for yourself” manner while the first think you see on the .com site is “not guilty” and the tone of the site is more of a confrontational manner.  If you want to gather information on this case, you should probably avoid either of these sites and concentrate on reputable media sites. 

I also think that the media played a heavy role in Skinner finally being able to have the DNA tests run and the court having to finally file the results. Without the attention of the media, the case could have slipped under the rug to the public, and then lawmakers would not have felt as much pressure to make the changes in the law (such as the 2001 law) and the progression of Skinner’s appeal case.