Criminalist Melissa Dupee back on the stand. On cross by Def atty Al Lopez: Jetta rear windows can be rolled up/down. #SierraLaMar
Jetta' rear windows & child-proofed locks been a focus, not clear exactly why yet. #SierraLaMar
Juror #8 still looks ill, but not blowing her nose constantly. Yesterday she was, & judge gave jury pm off b/c she too sick. #SierraLaMar
Lopez pushing def's contamination theory, suggesting that when Dupee did tape-lifts she cd have brushed vs doors etc. #SierraLaMar
Dupee: no brushing up, but says no one can say w/ certainty that they didn't. But Lopez doesn't score the way he did w Gillis. SierraLaMar
Dupee didn't see any bloodstains in Jetta. #SierraLaMar
#SierraLaMar pants smelled of urine, a deputy had said. Dupee also noted smell at shed where clothes found. But Lopez: many stray cats there
What's happening here is Lopez trying to raise doubt bit by bit, hoping it gives pause to at least 1 juror #SierraLaMar
On re-direct, Dupee says she wore a freshly laundered lab coat 1st day of Jetta search. 2nd day: wore same coat. #SierraLaMar
Boyd: Dupee wore same gray canvas shoes to search #SierraLaMar house & Jetta ( contamination) BUT wore booties covering shoes 2 do Jetta.
Issue is #SierraLaMar DNA on rear doors. Def blames contamination. Dupee says she didnt touch doors w her shoes.
Boyd re absence of blood in Jetta: "Would strangling someone makes bleed"? Also, "Ever seen a dead body w no blood?" #SierraLaMar
Boyd must convince jury in "no body" case that absence of blood, autopsy, method of death doesn't matter. #SierraLaMar
"Would strangling someone make them bleed"? #SierraLaMar
#SierraLaMar'S DNA on inside rear left door on handle. Dupee avoids contamination, including by several-day interval btwn Vic/suspect work.
Dupee (still on re-direct): used point&shoot to shoot ROPE. didn't use light meter, get close-up, or open a leather wider. #SierraLaMar
There are several photos of rope, some she took. Dupee says u can't generally see trace evid (like hair) w naked eye. #SierraLaMar
Again, Def contends no hair on rope at first, got there later b/c cross-contamination. DA: no, poor quality of photos #SierraLaMar
On re-cross by Lopez, he stresses that Dupee's camera had zoom capability, again goes to the rope. #SierraLaMar
Lopez points out Dupee analyzed hair from #SierraLaMar black bag, found near shed. Point seems to once again possibility of contamination
But to get there, Dupee lists each hair: #H-114, 35.5 cm, abt 12 inches. HELP! #SierraLaMar
Deputies wrote there were NINE hairs in package from #sierralamar black bag. But ONE of hairs was missing when Dupee opened it.
One hair of hers was found on the ROPE in Jetta trunk. Def must fight hair plus #SierraLaMar DNA in Jetta, plus his on her clothes.
DA reviews chain of custody for hair secure. Idea is to try to show hairs were secure. #SierraLaMar
Dupee says either 1 hair missing OR cd have been a discrepancy in # of hairs that deputy initially counted. #SierraLaMar
DA seems to be trying to show there was no opportunity for tampering or transfer/contamination. #SierraLaMar
DA making point that the hair cd not have bounced around from place to place, or to her & another analyst. #SierraLaMar
#SierraLaMar trial on lunch recess.
Scary looking dude!
