Mass. Governor Proposes Eliminating Statute of Limitations for Rape When DNA Evidence Exists

ProPublicaCenter-LeftEN 3 min read 100% complete by Willoughby MarianoFebruary 3, 2026 at 04:45 PM

AI Summary

medium article 3 min

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey is proposing to eliminate the statute of limitations for rape cases where DNA evidence exists. This proposal, included in her budget for fiscal year 2027, aims to address the current 15-year deadline that prevents prosecution in older cases, even with DNA evidence. The move follows a WBUR and ProPublica investigation highlighting that most other states allow more time for rape charges, often due to advancements in DNA technology. While similar proposals have failed in the past due to opposition from defense attorneys, State Rep. Adam Scanlon believes media attention has helped push the issue forward again. If passed by the Legislature, the change would apply to cases where the statute of limitations hasn't expired and future assaults, but not to older, already-expired cases.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Legislature 50% Adam Scanlon 60% WBUR ×370% ProPublica ×270% Massachusetts ×680% Maura Healey ×490%

Keywords

dna technology 90% dna evidence 90% prosecution deadline 80% statute of limitations 80% rape cases 70% massachusetts law 60%

Sentiment Analysis

Neutral

Score: 0.00

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Source

ProPublica

Political Lean

Center-Left (-0.40)

Far LeftCenterFar Right

Classification Confidence

90%

This article was automatically classified using rule-based analysis. The political bias score ranges from -1 (far left) to +1 (far right).

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dna technology dna evidence prosecution deadline statute of limitations rape cases massachusetts law

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