Maryland v. King (2013)
Overview
Maryland v. King addressed the legality of DNA swabbing during the booking process after a lawful arrest.
Officers took a DNA sample from the defendant, which linked him to an unsolved rape case.
Ruling
The Supreme Court held that DNA collection during booking is a reasonable search under the Fourth Amendment. It serves legitimate state interests in identifying arrestees and solving prior crimes.
Key Holding
“When officers make an arrest supported by probable cause, taking and analyzing a cheek swab of the arrestee’s DNA is, like fingerprinting and photographing, a legitimate police booking procedure.”
Implication
This decision confirmed DNA swabbing as a standard, constitutional identification method during booking, similar to fingerprinting or photographing.
Quick Guide
- DNA collection is lawful upon booking for serious offenses.
- Can be used to link suspects to unsolved or ongoing investigations.
- Officers must ensure samples are handled and logged properly.
- Does not violate privacy rights when done post-arrest under proper procedure.