AU- Australian police find new suspect DNA mix-up

9-24-2008 Australia:

SYDNEY, Australia: Police in Australia said Wednesday they uncovered a possible second case of DNA evidence contamination in a sweeping review of criminal files prompted by a mix-up that led authorities to wrongly charge a man with a double murder.

The Victoria state police Forensic Services Department discovered the potential blunder in a review of 6,000 cases during an audit of its DNA database that began in July.

Police charged convicted sex offender Russell John Gesah in July with the strangulation murders of a woman and her young daughter 24 years ago, hailing a breakthrough in DNA technology that linked the 43-year-old man to semen-stained clothing found at the murder scene.

But police later withdrew the charges after discovering the clothing had been accidentally exposed to Gesah's DNA in the laboratory, prompting the review.

On Wednesday, police said investigators had found a possible cross-contamination of DNA between a car theft and a separate crime involving cannabis cultivation. No one had been charged in either case, although a suspect had been identified in one, police said.

The cases chosen for review all involved DNA hits in criminal databases, police spokeswoman Rebecca Fraser said.

"DNA is incredibly sensitive and it has always been known that there is the potential for contamination to occur as part of the exhibit collection and testing processes," Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon said in a statement. "There are numerous procedures in place at the laboratory to minimize the potential for contamination and to detect it if it does occur. These checks are standard procedure."

The results of the review will assessed later this month by a group of independent professionals who provide advice to the Forensic Services Department. ..News Source.. By International Herald Tribune