Defense Wants to Test the Evidence

Casey Anthony defense wants DNA testing on Caylee's shorts

By Anthony Colarossi Sentinel Staff Writer
11:19 a.m. EDT, September 27, 2010

The Casey Anthony defense team wants DNA testing done on a canvas bag found at the discovery site of Caylee Marie Anthony's remains and shorts the prosecution believes Caylee wore, according to a new motion filed in court.

Defense attorneys Jose Baez and Cheney Mason say they want DNA testing done on a canvas bag found at the recovery site and "shorts the State of Florida believes was worn by Caylee Marie Anthony," according to the motion.

The defense also asks that the items be tested by its DNA expert Richard Eikelenboom of the Dutch-based Independent Forensic Services.

"Mr. Eikelenboom is world renowned and highly regarded as a pioneer in the field of touch DNA, an area that could prove useful to the defense," the motion states. "Many laboratories in the United States have not mastered this technique, thereby placing a severe restriction on its [the defense team's] ability to find an expert with this expertise."

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Assistant State Attorney Jeff Ashton has asked that such evidence be tested in the United States and that the lab used be certified by the American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors.

The Casey Anthony defense team in the motion argues that "not all DNA laboratories are crime labs. A vast majority of them are not."

All 15 certified labs in Florida "are directly affiliated with governmental law enforcement," the defense argues.

Read more: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-casey-anthony-dna,0,2190766.story

Hearing Slated In Anthony Case
Casey Anthony Not Expected To Attend Hearing

POSTED: 11:45 am EDT September 27, 2010
UPDATED: 12:07 pm EDT September 27, 2010

~ Snipped ~

The defense has also filed a motion to have some of the evidence in the case sent out of the country.

In the motion, the defense said they've retained the services of a Dutch DNA expert, and they want tested a canvas bag and shorts that Caylee Anthony was believed to have worn that ended up being found along Suburban Drive.

The Anthony defense said their expert is world renowned in the field of touch DNA, and that the information could help their case.

The state is balking at the request, saying the testing should be done at a certified lab inside the U.S. It's unclear whether the request would be taken up so soon at Monday's status hearing.

Read more: http://www.wesh.com/news/25178031/detail.html

What I find interesting is that the defense is calling Dr. Vass, who is world-renowned for his work... and accepted for many years now... "junk science," yet they want this couple in the Netherlands to do their testing for touch DNA because "many laboratories in the United States have not mastered this technique."

What?????

I'm not saying what the Dutch doctors are doing is "junk science"..... just pointing out the discrepancy (one of many) in the defense's point of view.

Snaz~ Jose wants to get some of his own junk science to throw in the pot! kh

Casey Anthony team gets DNA testing
Testing to be done at Pennsylvania lab

By Anthony Colarossi, Orlando Sentinel
3:51 p.m. EDT, September 28, 2010

The judge in the Casey Anthony case filed an order today stating that he will allow DNA testing on a pair of shorts believed to belong to Caylee Anthony and a bag found with the remains of Anthony's dead daughter nearly two years ago.

But Chief Judge Belvin Perry maintains the tests will have to be done in the United States — not at a Dutch forensic lab where a defense-team DNA expert is based.

He decided the testing be done at National Medical Services, Criminalistics Laboratory in Willow Grove, Pa.

The facility is acceptable to both the defense and the prosecution handling the Casey Anthony murder case.

~ Snipped ~

Ashton said he would not object to the items being tested at National Medical Services of Willow Grove, Pa. That facility is also acceptable to the defense team, according to its motion.

Read more: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-casey-anthony-status-20100928,0,1617809.story

Dr. G questioned, Defense allowed to inspect Caylee’s shorts

Last Updated: Wednesday, September 29, 2010 8:22 AM

ORLANDO -- A judge has ruled that defense lawyers for Casey Anthony may conduct DNA tests on a pair of her daughter, Caylee’s shorts, as well as a canvas bag found at the site where the 2-year-old’s body was recovered.

However, Judge Belvin Perry denied the defense’s request to have that testing conducted by a foreign laboratory.

Casey Anthony’s lawyers had a Dutch scientist lined up to do the testing for free, but the judge ruled the evidence cannot be taken out of the country, and must be done by a scientist accredited in the U.S. -- which the Dutch scientist is not.

Instead, both sides agreed on another lab -- National Medical Services, in Pennsylvania -- to conduct the DNA tests.

Read more: http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2010/september/155733/Casey-Anthony---Dr.-G-questioned,-Defense-allowed-to-inspect-Caylee%E2%80%99s-shorts

BBM

Snaz wrote:Casey Anthony’s lawyers had a Dutch scientist lined up to do the testing for free, but the judge ruled the evidence cannot be taken out of the country, and must be done by a scientist accredited in the U.S. -- which the Dutch scientist is not.

Instead, both sides agreed on another lab -- National Medical Services, in Pennsylvania -- to conduct the DNA tests.

Could this be (one of) Bozo's (many) grounds (excuses) for an appeal?

Ju-li, I'm pretty sure the judge is very carefully basing ALL his decisions on law in order to avoid any appellate issues.

IMO, JP made exactly the right decision.

Maybe this ruling will finally help JB and Co. understand that while 'death is different', THEY are not special.

Snaz, I agree, although I can picture Bozo trying anything.

Touch DNA has the ability to provide the DNA of ANYONE who ever touched those shorts.... including the store clerk, shoppers, etc... even anyone who ever helped Caylee go potty while wearing those shorts... or dressed her in them. IIRC, touch DNA was used in JonBenet Ramsey's case, and was determined to belong to the employee who worked at the manufacturer of her panties... or something like that.

I can't see how any DNA they MIGHT be able to find could be of any use at all. And that's assuming they can even find any DNA. Remember, at this point, we have seen in discovery that no DNA was recovered from the duct tape. Not even Caylee's. That ought to tell us something.

Snaz wrote: IIRC, touch DNA was used in JonBenet Ramsey's case, and was determined to belong to the employee who worked at the manufacturer of her panties... or something like that.

I remember hearing that too.

Contact DNA testing

Posted on September 27th, 2010 by Valhall

Richard Eikelenboom is the expert Casey Anthony’s defense team would like to perform additional DNA testing on the laundry bag and shorts found with Caylee’s remains. Richard and his wife, Selma, are Dutch forensic scientists who started their own business, Independent Forensic Sciences, a few years back in the Netherlands. They specialize in several areas of forensics including trace evidence, bloodstain analysis, and DNA testing. The type of testing that Casey’s team wants performed by Eikelenboom is referred to as “touch DNA”, or “contact DNA” testing.

Contact DNA testing involves attempting to obtain blood, sperm, saliva, sweat or epithelial cells, (i.e. skin cells) that belong to a perpetrator and were transferred to a victim or an item of or connected with the murder of the victim during the commission of the crime. In other words, when you touch something or someone you almost invariably transfer some amount of yourself (cells) to that surface. In the case of skin cells the issue is that they usually are very problematic in producing a full DNA profile unless you get a significant amount. But if you can get enough of them and you perform an adequate number of cycles of amplification, you have a chance of producing a usable profile for DNA identification. (Please see my former articles pertaining to nuclear DNA testing and mitochondrial DNA testing to refresh your memory on how DNA testing is performed.)

Read more: http://www.thehinkymeter.com/2010/09/27/caylee-anthony-case-contact-dna-testing/

I think I saw it on tv, they were interviewing the former investigator, can't remember his name. I think he retired. That's all I remember and that they mentioned DNA was tracked to the factory where the panties were made.

AJ....Check the JonBenet Ramsey thread here at RC....I have a link to post.

As Ju-li mentioned, please check the JonBenet Ramsay thread for discussion, and post all appropriate discussion there.

Thanks!

AJ, you are correct. I did bring it up.... as a reference to touch DNA having been used in the JBR case and found to belong to someone OTHER than the murderer. However, in no way did I imply that the exoneration (I assume you meant of her parents) was incorrect..... I made no allegations whatsoever and used it only as reference. I'm sorry if you misunderstood my intentions.

If anyone is interested in discussing the touch DNA used in the JBR case, that should be discussed on the JBR thread. Easy to find.....

http://www.realitychatter.com/missing-murdered-f30/jonbenet-ramsey-found-deceased-12-25-96-t2791.htm

Is Jose Baez His Own Worst Enemy?

Monday, October 4, 2010
By Diane Fanning

~ Snipped ~

Baez wanted the testing done by Richard Eiekelenboom's Dutch lab, Independent Forensic Services. Baez and his sidekick Cheney Mason argued that the labs in Florida were all connected to law enforcement and therefore, biased against the defense.

Perry granted the defense request to have testing done, but insisted that it be within his jurisdiction so that the lab technicians could be compelled to testify if the defense chose not to use the results at trial and the prosecution wanted the jury to hear that evidence.

If Casey Anthony's touch DNA is found on either item, it would another nail in the coffin the state is building for Baez's client. So why does he even want to go there? But he has. He got what he requested. Now, we'll wait and see if he soon regrets this move, too.

Read more: http://dianefanning.blogspot.com/2010/10/is-jose-baez-is-own-worst-enemy.html

Anthony Defense Gets OK To Look At Coffin Flies, Caylee's Hair
Items To Be Tested By Defense Experts

POSTED: 3:47 pm EDT October 12, 2010
UPDATED: 6:23 pm EDT October 12, 2010

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. -- The defense and prosecution in the Casey Anthony case have hammered out an agreement for her lawyers to re-examine key pieces of scientific evidence.

Court documents filed on Tuesday show arrangements have been made to send the evidence off for further examination by forensic experts hired by Anthony’s defense team.

“Coffin flies” collected from Anthony’s car and the Suburban Drive crime scene where Caylee Anthony’s remains were found will be looked at by entomologist Dr. Tim Huntington.

Prosecutors are expected to argue that the insects, which feed on decomposing bodies, create a scientific link between the Anthony’s car and the crime scene where the remains were dumped.

~ Snipped ~

In order to get access to the evidence, defense lawyers had to agree to waive any claims about the chain of custody during the process. In addition, if any of the samples are damaged or destroyed during the examination or transport, the state will still be allowed to present testimony about them.

Read more: http://www.wesh.com/r/25368899/detail.html