Friday, March 14, 2008

Day Four: "DNA is like a book"

Shown exhibits by the prosecution, Forensic Scientist Andrea Lester identifies them as her two reports and notes generated in this case. She is also showed a list of the chain of evidence in connection to the case.

Once she received evidence items from the secure vault, Lester says that she takes precautions such as wearing gloves, eye glasses, hairnet, and disposable lab coat in order to not mix her DNA with that of the DNA she is testing.

Lester explains DNA as "the blueprint of the body," and the translator, and then the judge ask her to slow down again.

"DNA is like a book. In that book are pages. In those pages are chapters. In those chapters are paragraphs. In looking at those "paragraphs" they're looking for a particular repeat of "words" in the paragraph," Lester says, describing her work.

Prosecution asks if DNA is the same in every cell of the body. She says yes, except red blood cells, which do not contian a nucleus, and thus, don't contain DNA.

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