Amanda Knox Case Update: DNA Expert Says ‘Contamination’ At The Crime Scene Isn’t Enough To Convict Meredith Kercher Roommate Of Murder? [PHOTOS]
Yet one more DNA Expert has spoken out about the controversial Amanda Knox case, disputing the prosecution's case that DNA at the scene of Meredith Kercher's 2007 Perugia, Italy murder points to both Knox and her boyfriend at the time, Raffaele Sollecito as the murderers.
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In a new book, titled Misleading DNA Evidence: Reasons For Miscarriages Of Justice, UK DNA Expert Dr. Peter Gill devoted an entire chapter to the evidence collected at the scene of Kercher's murder claims that contamination is most likely to blame for the forensic evidence, which has been heavily disputed throughout the case's history.
Pointing to two crucial pieces of evidence used in the case, including a kitchen knife retrieved from Sollecito's kitchen and Kercher's bra clasp, where a trace of his fingerprint was found, Gill says that fumbles made by investigators at the scene could be responsible for the DNA being transferred between items-and cannot conclusively point to Knox and Sollecito as murderers.
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About the bra clasp specifically, Gill writes "There is strong evidence to show that the failure of investigators to change their gloves in between handling items and potentially touching door handles is high risk, giving credibility to the defense proposition that Sollecito's DNA was transferred as a result of cross-contamination."
Knox, ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito and a third man, Rudy Guede were all arrested in connection to Kercher's death back in 2007. While Guede was convicted of murder and given a 16-year sentence, Knox and Sollecito both pleaded not guilty and served four years in an Italian prison before their convictions were overturned in 2011.
In January of this year, the Italian Court reconvicted Knox and Sollecito in a retrial that was reportedly focused on DNA evidence. At this trial, Knox was sentenced to 28 years in an Italian prison, while Sollecito was sentenced to 25 years.
Knox and Sollecito are officially appealing their reconvictions, and are set to receive verdicts early next year. If the Supreme Court of Cassation confirms the convictions, Sollecito, who is still in Italy, will be brought to prison.
Know, who resides in Seattle, Wash., would then become the focus in what would likely be a long extradition fight between the U.S. and Italy.
Back at the time of her January reconviction, Knox said she would never willingly go back to Italy and serve her sentence.
"I'm not prepared. I will never willingly go back," she said. "I'm going to fight this until the very end."
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