California prosecutor opposes new DNA test in 1983 murders

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California prosecutors are opposing new DNA testing in an infamous 35-year-old murder case, saying previous tests showed the right man is on death row.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Mike Ramos in a statement Monday asked Gov. Jerry Brown to deny Kevin Cooper’s clemency petition.

The 60-year-old inmate is awaiting execution for the 1983 Chino Hills hatchet and knife killings of four people. He escaped from a nearby prison east of Los Angeles two days before the slayings of Doug and Peggy Ryen, their 10-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old neighbor.

Cooper’s attorney says more sensitive DNA testing would prove his innocence.

Prosecutors say previous DNA tests concluded Cooper was the killer.

Interest was renewed by a column last week by New York Times’ columnist Nicholas Kristof suggesting Cooper was framed.