Massachusetts’ 15‑Year Rape Deadline

Massachusetts time‑bars adult rape prosecutions after 15 years, even if a later DNA match, confession, or eyewitness emerges. WBUR/ProPublica report that most states either have no limit or extend deadlines when DNA exists, but every effort to lengthen Massachusetts’ window has failed since 2011. A separate state privacy law keeps rape police reports secret, masking how often cases expire. — It spotlights how a procedural cutoff can nullify modern forensic advances and deny victims their day in court, inviting scrutiny of statutes of limitations and transparency rules.