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Forum URL: http://www.webbsleuths.com/cgi-bin/dcf/dcboard.cgi
Forum Name: more and more JBR
Topic ID: 2112
Message ID: 4
#4, RE: DNA REVISITED & UPDATED
Posted by Margoo on Jan-29-04 at 04:30 PM
In response to message #3
Moving a previous post here:

11. "RE: Answering a BORG question - or 2"
In response to message #10

Someone wondered about Lin Wood's statement that "half a dozen" foreign DNA markers from the fingernails were found to be "in common" with the foreign DNA in the panties. This person's question was "What about the other markers from under the nails that didn't match"? I think that's an EXCELLENT question.
What I believe the answer to that question is:

There were only half a dozen CODIS-specific markers extracted from the foreign DNA under the nails. All of those matched the same six CODIS markers in the foreign DNA found in the panties (if Lin Wood has his information correct and I believe he does - he's a very cautious man IMO).

One should wonder why. We don't really know, but it could be that the kit used to extract the DNA information was designed to only draw information from six markers.

Or, it may have been due to an error (contamination) in the collection of the DNA under the nails AND in the first blood spot (at autopsy, storage of the sample, at the crime scene). It may have been an error (contamination) in handling at the lab. It may have been due to degradation (environment).

The Reporting on the DNA in this case has been VERY poor all around. Given into the hands of us posters, it has been further Misconstrued, IMO.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, most DNA kits used by the labs only look at six (or so) CODIS-specific markers. A "half dozen" markers in common between the fingernail DNA and the pantie DNA would then be all that was established.

Keep in mind that the DNA is not so "minute" that there is nothing there but the six or ten or thirteen CODIS markers. There is a whole lot of OTHER DNA information there. What is extracted for the purposes of a profile for DNA comparison are very specific loci that separate us from each other for identification purposes.

I also believe the first blood spot was not as good a specimen as the second spot and base that belief on recent quotes. I could be wrong.