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Title: **Italian forensic expert defends DNA evidence against Amanda Knox** Post by: Coach Hank Crisp on September 06, 2011, 11:37:16 AM http://news.yahoo.com/italian-forensic-expert-defends-knox-dna-evidence-154610246.html
Quote PERUGIA, Italy (AP) — A police forensic expert who conducted the original investigation in the Amanda Knox case insisted Tuesday that there was no contamination on crucial pieces of evidence linking the American student and her co-defendant to the murder of her British roommate. Patrizia Stefanoni examined DNA traces in the aftermath of the 2007 killing of Meredith Kercher in Perugia. But her work was criticized by independent experts appointed by the court to review the evidence. They have alleged glaring errors in evidence gathering, below-standard testing which they said raised doubts about the attribution of DNA traces, and possible contamination of the evidence. Knox and Raffaele Sollecito were convicted of sexually assaulting and killing Kercher in the apartment that Knox and the 21-year-old Briton shared while studying in Perugia. Knox was sentenced to 26 years in prison; Sollecito to 25. Both deny wrongdoing and have appealed the December 2009 verdict. Debate over DNA evidence has taken the center stage at the appeals trial, with genetic experts taking the stand in the frescoed courtroom in Perugia. A verdict is expected by month's end. |