Quote:
I realize this might cause some trouble for the legal beagles (just a phrase, no insult intended), but it would seem to me that using a reasonable standard, it would be difficult to credit "lab made" DNA as being a plausible defense.
|
Another article, a bit more detailed is here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/18/sc...8dna.html?_r=1
The Israeli company that brought this to our attention also makes a forensic testing solution that will detect "lab made" from "natural" DNA. If the defense challenges the DNA evidence then the State lab can verify if the sample was lab-made or not. Apparently the lab-brewed examples lack a compound and are "not methylated" like natual DNA.
Of course, if the police want to frame someone, there are easier ways to do it than requiring a biolab. False testimony, faked lab results, planted evidence, etc.
I suspect that until the Israelis raised this issue, few people even
suspected it could be done easily. I would think that it would be rare for prior cases to be reviewed
solely because someone claims fake DNA was created. It might be workable when the
only evidence tying the suspect to the crime was DNA evidence in police custody for months or where DNA evidence was believed and multiple
credible "alibi" witnesses were not.