Golden State Killer suspect fights DNA collection effort

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The former policeman accused of being the Golden State Killer will appear in court Thursday to fight prosecutors’ efforts to collect more of his DNA.

Joseph DeAngelo is scheduled to appear in a Sacramento courtroom with his public defender, Diane Howard.

She’s filed a motion to block a warrant obtained by the district attorney to take DNA, fingerprints and photos of DeAngelo’s body.

Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert obtained the search warrant last week.

DeAngelo, a 72-year-old former police officer, was arrested last week and identified as the suspect in at least a dozen murders and more than 50 rapes between 1976 and 1986.

Prosecutors say they used DNA and a genealogical website to identify DeAngelo, decades after the case had gone cold.