Illinois state police receive Robbins rape kits dating back to ‘86

 Posted on June 07,2013 in Criminal Defense

The United States seems to have a great government and justice system, but it can only be kept that way if the people working for our country are kept in check just as any business would keep its employees in check. Recently, Illinois found that it had a bit of work to do to keep it’s law enforcement system running smoothly when it was found that evidence from rape cases were not being submitted for testing in labs.

The Illinois State Police were sent 51 sexual assault kits from previous cases to the Illinois State Police for investigation after being found untested in the Robbins Police Department evidence room according to Tom Dart, Cook County Sheriff.

Dart said, “The victims should know they will have their cases heard, and they will be treated like they should have been treated. My goal is to bring justice to these folks.”

He added that the untested kits date back as far as 1986 and they were found alongside guns that were supposed to be sent into the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to trace the ownership for cases as well.

This case, which began a few months ago was just the beginning of a national problem, spreading across the country to Denver, Col. as well as other areas of Illinois.

When the Downers Grove Police Department also found untested rape kits in their storage facility, Deputy Chief Kurt Bluder argued, “If every department sent in every piece of evidence to be examined we’d bring the system to its knees.”

Blunder also said that he thinks it best to first see where the case is headed before sending in the rape kits to be tested only when it is absolutely necessary.

The Denver Police Commander, Ronald Saunier, responded to the issue similarly, saying that many of the kits collected are merely for documentation of the incident and there is never an intention of sending those in for tests.

The CALL7 Investigators from the ABC Denver news station did a little research of their own on this incident and found that nearly 72 percent of the rape kits collected since 2007 have never been tested.

The Robbins Police Department is buckling down, trying to eliminate the possibility of evidence going without testing. If you have been accused of a crime, contact an Illinois criminal defense attorney to help you fight the evidence. Contact an experienced Illinois criminal attorney for assistance now. Christopher M. Cosley and attorneys at his office will fight for you in Rolling Meadows, Ill. today.

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