MEDIA CONTACT: Pat Vaughan Tremmel at (847) 491-4892 or at p-tremmel@northwestern.edu

April 27, 2004

Warden to Talk About DNA Revolution

CHICAGO --- Rob Warden, executive director of the Center on Wrongful Convictions at Northwestern University School of Law, will speak May 12 and 13 about “DNA and Justice” in the Center for Genetic Medicine’s Silverstein lecture series.

Warden will talk, on both Northwestern campuses, about the impact of the DNA forensic revolution and how it has awakened the public to the criminal justice system’s flaws.

He will present “DNA and Justice” at 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 12, at the Pritzker Auditorium, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, 251 E. Huron St., Chicago, (reception to follow at 7:30 p.m.) and at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 13, in the Louis Room of the Norris University Center, 1999 Campus Drive, Evanston (reception precedes the event at 6 p.m.).

Warden’s lecture will trace the evolution of forensic applications of DNA technology, assess its impact on solving crimes and exonerating the innocent and explore its larger ramifications for the criminal justice system.

“Though DNA analysis is far from a cure-all for the criminal justice system’s ills, the role it has played in recent years in solving crimes and preventing wrongful convictions cannot be overstated,” says Warden. “Beyond that, DNA has awakened the public to wrongful convictions and fostered a political climate to improve the criminal justice system.”

The talks are funded by the Herman and Bea L. Silverstein Medical Research Fund in the Center for Genetic Medicine. Sponsors include the Northwestern University Center for Genetic Medicine, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare and Northwestern Memorial Hospital.