Golden State Killer case: Judge allows more of DeAngelo's DNA to be collected

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- The former policeman accused of being the Golden State Killer headed back to court Thursday to fight prosecutors' efforts to collect more of his DNA. Joseph DeAngelo, 72, appeared in a Sacramento courtroom connected to the county jail where he's being held. 

Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Michael Sweet ruled in favor of prosecutors, allowing authorities to collect DNA, fingerprints and body photos of DeAngelo.

Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert got a warrant last week to gather the samples and photographs. Public Defender Diane Howard had filed a motion to stop the evidence collection.

Howard argued in a motion that the search warrant should be stopped because it was approved before DeAngelo was arrested and arraigned last week. Prosecutors argued that the search warrant was still relevant and said collecting the evidence won't be "testimonial in nature." 

The judge said courts have repeatedly upheld collection of such evidence.   

DeAngelo appeared in court handcuffed to a wheelchair. He did not speak to the court.

DeAngelo 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 said they used DNA and a public genealogical online database to identify DeAngelo, decades after the case had gone cold.

DeAngelo has not yet entered a plea.

The Associated Press and other news organizations have filed a motion to unseal the full search and arrest warrants for DeAngelo, which could provide additional details about the DNA techniques prosecutors used to identify him.

A judge was considering the motion and set another court date for May 14.