DNA doubts - By Russell of Palmerston North
To the LundyTruth Committee – I apologise for the novel but:
Does everyone watch television, read the newspapers. Everyday DNA proves this, proves that, BUT does it. CSI, NCIS, CSI Miami and a host of others, always right and always the criminal convicted because the DNA evidence was correct and our heroes (the actors) vindicated (all in one hour I might add). Hail the Scientists, Forensic Doctors and Police.
There have been many failures in our own back yard, David Doherty for example. We are being conditioned (brainwashed) into believing that DNA testing is the only way a criminal is going to be caught, sure it has its place and I don’t deny that DNA testing is necessary and an important tool BUT I question the absolute 100% faith the system and the public puts in DNA testing and how its being rammed down our throats. "If the DNA test matches then he must be GUILTY, GUILTY, GUILTY". These tests are only as good as the person conducting them and the protocols in place to assure 100% accuracy without any question of errors or contamination.
I understand that the evidence in ML’s case was compromised, unauthorised police having access to the evidence room keys and access to ML’s car, where incidentally the shirt was examined 58 days after the car was seized. I believe ML was convicted on emotions, and the shirt evidence ONLY backed it up, the police doing a great character assassination of ML, because nothing else stacked up.
Herein lies my concern, shortly after ML was convicted I read an article in the Dominion Newspaper where a Forensic Laboratory, in the USA had made errors in a huge number of cases where the accused had been found guilty. These cases were all being reviewed. One of the major faults was that Investigating Officers were telling the scientists what they were looking for, consequently the scientists were confirming what the Police had asked. The Supreme Court, judged that these results were unsafe and ruled accordingly. I was in court where a Forensic doctor said that the DNA was xxx million times more likely to have come from this particular person than any other person. Did she test xxx million people? No, its a mathematical equation to leave us in awe of her great ability and the power of DNA testing, but I digress, this test that confirmed the presence of brain tissue on ML’s shirt, can it be TRUSTED. From your website links I have read about Dr Miller and, that Detective Grantham contacted multiple forensic laboratories in NZ, Great Britain and the USA and was told they could not assist but he was told about Dr Millar, and some forensic private company, plucked out of good ole Texas, US of A who devised the test, on a chicken, after being told what to look for (see above) and lo and behold a positive match. YEAH RIGHT.
I attended some of ML’s trial and it always concerned me that this shirt evidence was dodgy, from a smear while removing overalls, to a grain of rice size droplet on a polo shirt invisible to the naked eye, to a stain as described by Dr Miller, well what was it, all three come on, get real.
This countries prisons are full of people with Questionable convictions. Thomas (released & pardoned), Doughty (released, not guilty) ,Ellis (released after serving sentence), Tamihere, Bain, Barlow, Watson, Lundy and who’s next, you, me.
As I said I was at some of ML’s trial and I saw some appalling things, some of those things were the way the NZ Police conducted themselves. I believe they distorted things to achieve an end, regardless of the truth, they made errors that were overlooked, some of the officers couldn’t even agree on who started the clock in a timing test, they failed themselves, the NZ public, ML, and more importantly Christine and Amber.
I'm sure they all got plenty of bouquets for the guilty conviction but they are just as deserving of a few brickbats as well.
I was bought up to believe that the Police were the people you could trust, always depend on to help you and you should always help the police, like ML did.
The NZ POLICE, the biggest patched gang in the country supported by the Government and an unknowing, head in the sand, brainwashed NZ Public, GOD help us all because no one else can.
Good luck to the Lundytruth Committee, I hope you find what you are looking for.