low copy dna

[jannyneve]

how likley would it be that a mixed partial low copy dna sample stored for 16 years would be contaminated ?do you think it would give a good enough reading to convict someone knowing what has been said about low copy dna in the past few months being unsafe.thanks.

[theprof]

It's very uncertain and I can't offer you any hope. As I biochemist, I know only too well of the drawbacks of the technique and as time goes on, an increasing number of my colleagues have increasing worries about the reliability of it all. Their doubts are to be found almost weekly in the biochemistry and forensic journals. I understand that this is becoming a hot-topic in the legal journals now too so it's a case of "watch this space"

I'm afraid that in common with many other cases in this country, the expertise of the legal team combined with the excellence and renown of of the expert witnesses will be what will lead to an unsafe conviction conclusion.

[jannyneve]

thanks for your answer,someone close to me was convicted of a crime in 2005 on this,and is now trying for an appeal as there was no other evidence,this was before all the recent news about low copy dna.