Comments on: Fake DNA http://www.confidentialresource.com/2009/08/18/fake-dna/ Sources & Methods for the Investigator Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:45:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Alex http://www.confidentialresource.com/2009/08/18/fake-dna/#comment-35053 Alex Fri, 21 Aug 2009 16:18:26 +0000 http://www.confidentialresource.com/2009/08/18/fake-dna/#comment-35053 In most countries a conviction on solely DNA evidence is not possible so my guess is that re-examining DNA is only needed in just a few cases where there is only little (but just sufficient) supporting evidence. In most countries a conviction on solely DNA evidence is not possible so my guess is that re-examining DNA is only needed in just a few cases where there is only little (but just sufficient) supporting evidence.

]]> By: Richard McEachin http://www.confidentialresource.com/2009/08/18/fake-dna/#comment-35021 Richard McEachin Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:32:41 +0000 http://www.confidentialresource.com/2009/08/18/fake-dna/#comment-35021 The test is new, the ability to fake the DNA is not. That raises the question of whether past DNA evidence was faked. Just because somebody says he is the first to "discover" a method of faking DNA doesn't mean he actually was the first to discover it. That is the issue we now face with DNA evidence. We also must now question the reliability of the test for fake DNA. If the test proves reliable, then should we be applying it to past cases? Will this create a stampede of appeals? The test is new, the ability to fake the DNA is not. That raises the question of whether past DNA evidence was faked.

Just because somebody says he is the first to “discover” a method of faking DNA doesn’t mean he actually was the first to discover it. That is the issue we now face with DNA evidence.

We also must now question the reliability of the test for fake DNA. If the test proves reliable, then should we be applying it to past cases? Will this create a stampede of appeals?

]]> By: Alex http://www.confidentialresource.com/2009/08/18/fake-dna/#comment-35018 Alex Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:08:19 +0000 http://www.confidentialresource.com/2009/08/18/fake-dna/#comment-35018 But that is not the whole story. There is a test to see whether DNA is faked. Faked DNA, which in fact is amplified DNA, is not methylated, meaning it lacks certain molecules that are attached to the DNA at specific points, usually to inactivate genes. This can be tested easily. The only consequence is that DNA labs over the world now have to include this extra test. But that is not the whole story. There is a test to see whether DNA is faked. Faked DNA, which in fact is amplified DNA, is not methylated, meaning it lacks certain molecules that are attached to the DNA at specific points, usually to inactivate genes. This can be tested easily.
The only consequence is that DNA labs over the world now have to include this extra test.

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