By Anthony Bruno
(Continued)
Los Angles County Sheriff's Department criminalist Steve Renteria took the stand next and testified that genetic material matching Spector's DNA profile had been found on Clarkson's left breast. Renteria said that the victim's genetic markers had been found in Spector's groin. In both cases the genetic material most likely originated from saliva. Renteria told the jury that he found DNA, again most likely from saliva, that was neither Clarkson's nor Spector's in a different area of Spector's groin. Spector's genetic markers were not found on the murder weapon.
A Bloody Mist
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| Lana Clarkson |
The prosecution called Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department firearms expert, Jim Carroll, to the stand to address the defense's contention that Lana Clarkson's death was an accidental suicide. Carroll testified that the murder weapon could not have discharged accidentally because it took considerable force to pull the trigger.
County coroner criminalist Steve Dowell then testified that the gunshot residue on Clarkson's hands proved nothing. The "decedent may have discharged a firearm or had her hands in the immediate area of the gun," he said. "I cannot tell you which of those occurred."
As for the gunshot residue found on Spector's hands, Christine Pinto,
criminalist for the Sheriff Department's crime lab, testified, "I cannot identify the shooter based on the results of this test."
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| Dr. Lynn Harold |
The prosecution continued to present testimony regarding the state of Lana Clarkson's body when it was found. Another Sheriff's Department criminalist, Dr. Lynne Herold, testified that she had uncovered evidence that the body had been moved after death and that her face had been wiped of blood after which blood from her nose streamed over the smeared area. Since Spector was the only other person in the house, "by inference," Herold said, these acts were done by the defendant.
Herold detailed her findings, explaining to the jury that Clarkson's head had been turned from right to left. She also pointed out that Clarkson's purse was hanging backwards on her shoulder, calling this an "awkward" way for a woman to carry her bag.
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