Tony Bennett
Former Member
- Joined
- Feb 9, 2008
- Messages
- 217
- Reaction score
- 11
I should be grateful if anyone could please look over this point from our proposed booklet: "What happened to Madeleine McCann: 30 Reasons which suggest she was not abducted". Is what we say (a) correct and (b) reasonably comprehensible?
It deals with the forensic findings of the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham.
Or if anyone could please piont me to a good source where their findings are discussed, I'd be grateful also:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
30 Reasons
Reason (x). The forensic evidence of the DNA of blood found in the living room of the McCanns apartment, and in the boot of the McCanns' hired car, analysed by the Forensic Science Service here in England
ANSWER:
There have been claims and counter-claims about the significance of the forensic evidence obtained by the Forensic Science Service (FSS) in Birmingham on samples of blood or body fluids found in the McCanns apartment and in the boot of the car they hired. The Doctors McCann and their spokesmen have claimed that the FSS results did not confirm that it was Madeleines dead body in the apartment and in the car.
So let us look carefully at what the FSS found.
In Apartment 5A, Eddie, the 'cadaver dog' and Keela, the 'blood-hound both clearly marked precisely the same location - behind the sofa in the living room (which had been moved by the McCanns from its original location). The tiles where Keela scented the blood were carefully removed and sent to FSS. The blood found by Keela was by then degraded, quite possibly s the result of cleaning agents having been used, and the FSS lab was able to check only 5 markers. Each one of those 5 markers exactly matched Madeleine's DNA.
As for the Renault Scenic, registration no. 59-DA-27, Eddie, the 'cadaver dog' and Keela, the 'blood-hound, both clearly marked the same car and the same location within the car. The blood found there by Keela (beneath the carpeting in the boot) was also degraded. But the FSS lab was able, on its first analysis, to check 15 markers. All of these 15 markers matched Madeleine's DNA.
A second result showed the same 15 markers, but among a total of 37. An individual only has 19 markers. That means that the sample from the car had been contaminated by DNA from another individual. However, with 15 markers all matching Madeleines DNA, that would still give analysts 99.9% confidence that the samples were from Madeleine.
The DNA of the degraded blood was found not to match with the DNA of the twins, Sean and Amelie.
The law differs from country to country as to how many out of an individuals 19 DNA markers are needed to prove that any DNA sample comes from that individual. Many countries accept 15 markers as sufficient proof. Under Portuguese law, however, the courts require all 19 markers to be confirmed.
This was Low Copy Number DNA and so all 19 markers could not be obtained.
The FSS were able to confirm that the results of the analysis were indicative that the blood found was Madeleines. We might, without exaggeration, that these DNA results were highly indicative that it was Madeleines blood that was found. But the FSS felt unable to say that these DNA results, on their own, were conclusive.
The key point to be made is this. The FSS results, on their own, do not provide absolute proof that the blood in the apartment and in the hired car was Madeleines. But the strongly indicative results, with all 5 markers being Madeleines in one sample and all 15 in another, must be taken together with all the other evidence in this case. And we can say without fear of successful contradiction that it is another piece of evidence in the case that points very strongly in the direction of Madeleine being dead in her holiday apartment on 3rd May 2007, the day she disappeared.
ENDS
It deals with the forensic findings of the Forensic Science Service in Birmingham.
Or if anyone could please piont me to a good source where their findings are discussed, I'd be grateful also:
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
30 Reasons
Reason (x). The forensic evidence of the DNA of blood found in the living room of the McCanns apartment, and in the boot of the McCanns' hired car, analysed by the Forensic Science Service here in England
ANSWER:
There have been claims and counter-claims about the significance of the forensic evidence obtained by the Forensic Science Service (FSS) in Birmingham on samples of blood or body fluids found in the McCanns apartment and in the boot of the car they hired. The Doctors McCann and their spokesmen have claimed that the FSS results did not confirm that it was Madeleines dead body in the apartment and in the car.
So let us look carefully at what the FSS found.
In Apartment 5A, Eddie, the 'cadaver dog' and Keela, the 'blood-hound both clearly marked precisely the same location - behind the sofa in the living room (which had been moved by the McCanns from its original location). The tiles where Keela scented the blood were carefully removed and sent to FSS. The blood found by Keela was by then degraded, quite possibly s the result of cleaning agents having been used, and the FSS lab was able to check only 5 markers. Each one of those 5 markers exactly matched Madeleine's DNA.
As for the Renault Scenic, registration no. 59-DA-27, Eddie, the 'cadaver dog' and Keela, the 'blood-hound, both clearly marked the same car and the same location within the car. The blood found there by Keela (beneath the carpeting in the boot) was also degraded. But the FSS lab was able, on its first analysis, to check 15 markers. All of these 15 markers matched Madeleine's DNA.
A second result showed the same 15 markers, but among a total of 37. An individual only has 19 markers. That means that the sample from the car had been contaminated by DNA from another individual. However, with 15 markers all matching Madeleines DNA, that would still give analysts 99.9% confidence that the samples were from Madeleine.
The DNA of the degraded blood was found not to match with the DNA of the twins, Sean and Amelie.
The law differs from country to country as to how many out of an individuals 19 DNA markers are needed to prove that any DNA sample comes from that individual. Many countries accept 15 markers as sufficient proof. Under Portuguese law, however, the courts require all 19 markers to be confirmed.
This was Low Copy Number DNA and so all 19 markers could not be obtained.
The FSS were able to confirm that the results of the analysis were indicative that the blood found was Madeleines. We might, without exaggeration, that these DNA results were highly indicative that it was Madeleines blood that was found. But the FSS felt unable to say that these DNA results, on their own, were conclusive.
The key point to be made is this. The FSS results, on their own, do not provide absolute proof that the blood in the apartment and in the hired car was Madeleines. But the strongly indicative results, with all 5 markers being Madeleines in one sample and all 15 in another, must be taken together with all the other evidence in this case. And we can say without fear of successful contradiction that it is another piece of evidence in the case that points very strongly in the direction of Madeleine being dead in her holiday apartment on 3rd May 2007, the day she disappeared.
ENDS
