Statement from Governor Martin O'Malley on DNA Match Resulting from New Law
ANNAPOLIS, MD (June 11, 2009) – Today, Governor Martin O’Malley issued this statement following the announcement by the Baltimore Police Department of the arrest of 32-year-old Gregory Leslie Brown in connection with multiple sex offenses against children. Brown was led to police through Maryland’s newly passed DNA collection law which mandates DNA samples be taken from those who are charged with committing or attempting to commit burglary and violent crimes.
“Thanks to the hard work of our dedicated law enforcement professionals, with the assistance of a tough new DNA collection law that we fought for, a suspected child rapist is off the streets of Maryland and behind bars.
“DNA – our modern fingerprint – is increasingly allowing law enforcement across the country to take repeat violent offenders off our streets. This case illustrates in the clearest of ways just how effective this new law is in making our neighborhoods and our families safer.
“The samples collected under this law are absolutely critical to our crime prevention efforts, our ability to resolve open investigations, and our ability to solve cases that had gone cold years ago while the perpetrator continued to elude justice, while victims remained without closure, and while the public remained vulnerable.”
