Dna

The city of Glendale is apparently a step closer to getting one of the items on its federal wish list, a million dollar DNA lab, but city lobbyist David Turch cautioned the council that the deal has some more steps to accomplish. Congressman Adam Schiff announced last week that the money was included in an appropriation bill approved in committee. The lab, which would officially be known as the Foothill Regional Forensic DNA Lab, would be housed at police headquarters. It would serve Glendale, Pasadena and Burbank.

House committee OKs funds for lab The U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved $1 million for a forensic DNA laboratory at the Glendale Police Department. Funding for the laboratory was approved as part of a Commerce, Justice and Science Appropriations bill that was created to help law enforcement agencies, such as the Glendale Police Department, get equipment to conduct DNA investigations. The bill will be sent to the House floor for a vote.

A recent revelation that Leslie Combs Brand, the so-called Father of Glendale, probably fathered two children with a secret mistress came as a shock to many, but local history enthusiasts are downright delighted. Longtime Los Angeles Times columnist Cecilia Rasmussen, who concluded her “L.A. Then and Now” history column with the piece on Brand on April 6, backed up her scoop with a DNA test that linked Brand to a descendant of his alleged mistress, Birdie Esther Carpenter Gordon.

The normal fate of a pair of jeans is to be worn out. Never mind the different definitions of "worn out" on either side of the generation gap. In between wearings, however, they must be stored, and again the generation gap inserts itself. Like I did at his age, my son prefers the crumpled pile method. Nowadays, I opt for folded. I'll admit it; I did try hanging, but later discovered that Mommie Dearest was right "no metal hangers, ever!" Vertical creases go in and out of style, but horizontal creases?

A jury is expected to begin deliberations today in the case of an Altadena man accused of raping four women in La Crescenta and Pasadena in 2001. Deputy District Atty. Natalie Adomian and defense attorney Mark Davis will give their closing arguments to the nine-woman, three-man jury hearing the case of Clifton Hutchins in Pasadena Superior Court before retiring to begin its deliberations. Hutchins took the witness stand on Thursday to deny his involvement with four sexual assaults that took place between June and November 2001 in La Crescenta and Pasadena.

Thank God for DNA. This is the story of Thomas Doswell who was recently released after spending 19 years in prison for a rape he did not commit. This took place in Pittsburgh, Penn., in 1986 when Doswell, who was 25 years old, was convicted of the rape of a 48-year-old woman. At the time of his conviction, Doswell -- who is African American -- had a wife and two young children. Doswell was convicted largely because he was chosen from a photo lineup by the victim and another individual who had witnessed the attack.

Jacqui Brown If you ever wanted to know how far the apple really falls from the tree, spend some time at the Southern California Genealogical Society's Weekend Jamboree Friday and Saturday in Burbank. Family history and DNA experts from across the country will convene at the Burbank Airport Hilton Convention Center to help genealogists learn how to research, organize and preserve their family's history as well as how to overcome dead ends. For many family historians, this search for ancestral links is a shot in the dark, looking for skeletons of interest, but for others, like June Mueller, an only child, it became an addiction.

Robert Chacon Prosecutors will present DNA evidence today that they say link a La Crescenta man charged with the attempted murder of his neighbors to a pair of gasoline-soaked latex gloves. Gary Glazier, 62, is accused of twice setting fire to his neighbors' home, first in February and again in May. The family was at home during the first blaze, but not the second. Los Angeles County Deputy District Atty. Robert Cheleden will present a DNA report at a pretrial hearing today in Pasadena Superior Court, he said.

A court date has been set to hear a motion challenging DNA evidence gathered from an Altadena man who allegedly raped four women in La Crescenta and Pasadena. Clifton Hutchins, who is being held at the North County Correctional Facility on $4.4-million bail, said errors were made on reports regarding DNA samples. Hutchins was arrested by Glendale Police officers in 2001. He is set to appear in Pasadena Superior Court on Dec. 8. Hutchins lost an earlier motion to dismiss his case on grounds that the original copy of a search warrant and a list of evidence could not be found.

Jackson Bell Rep. Adam Schiff's (D-Glendale) bill to give local investigators increased access to federal DNA databases has been signed into law. President Bush signed it into law Saturday. The law includes provisions written by Schiff that expands the national DNA database by allowing states to use lawfully obtained samples, along with allowing state and local law-enforcement agencies to compare their samples with national databases. "DNA evidence is one of the most powerful tools we have to solve a lot of the unsolved murder, rape and violence-crime cases," Schiff said.