Media Contact: Barbara Fornasiero, EAFocus Communications, cell: 248.260.8466, barbara@eafocus.com
Southfield, Mich. — April 21, 2016 — Neil Rockind, founder of Southfield-based criminal defense law firm, Rockind Law, was selected by Comcast Newsmakers for a feature interview conducted on April 7 on the topic of “Who owns your biological evidence?” Comcast Newsmakers is a locally produced feature that airs as a regional cut-in on CNN Headline News.
In January 2015, Rockind became the first attorney in Michigan to get an acquitted client’s blood samples returned. In the Comcast interview, he notes that in many crimes where the individual is cleared, the blood samples are not destroyed, but remain in the possession of the Michigan State Police and stored in a crime lab. Rockind urges that a law be established to clearly state that the rights to one’s biological evidence in the case of an acquittal belong solely to the individual.
In his particular case, Rockind ultimately retrieved the blood samples of his client after obtaining an order compelling the Michigan State Police Department to do so. At the time he explained the challenges of getting the blood sample returned.
“Initially, the department refused and claimed the blood drawn from the client belonged to the prosecuting agency or the arresting agency,” Rockind said. “However, there is no law supporting the department’s claim. The department also claimed there is a policy that all blood samples must be kept for two years, with no distinction or exception for persons acquitted of a crime. Again, we found no law supporting that.”
The interview with Rockind is scheduled to run several times a day on the CNN channel in Detroit, as well as in other Comcast markets including Flint, Lansing, East Lansing and Grand Rapids in May. The interview can be viewed here.
About Rockind Law
Rockind Law is a Southfield, Michigan-based criminal defense law firm aggressively pursuing justice for individuals facing criminal charges, including white collar crime, drunk driving, narcotics and assault. To find out more about the firm’s services and resources, visit http://www.rockindlaw.com/.
