CA: Judge allows DNA sampling for felony arrestees

Bob Egelko reports:

A federal judge refused Wednesday to block a voter-approved California law requiring anyone arrested on a felony charge to provide DNA samples, saying genetic information is similar to fingerprints and helps police solve crimes.

U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer of San Francisco rejected an American Civil Liberties Union request to halt enforcement of the law, which took effect in January, while a lawsuit that the group filed proceeds. He said the ACLU is unlikely to prove that mandatory DNA samples are an unconstitutional invasion of privacy.