Transplants raise DNA evidence fear


When DNA evidence links a suspect to a crime, it’s usually a cut-and-dry case. But now, the state crime lab says it's seen a case of duplicate DNA profiles, from two different people.


Anchorage, Alaska - When DNA evidence links a suspect to a crime, it’s usually a cut-and-dry case. But now, the state crime lab says it's seen a case of duplicate DNA profiles, from two different people. That's usually not possible, except when you're dealing with identical twins.

But late last year, after a sexual assault, DNA found at a crime scene was linked to a man who was already in jail. The lab discovered that the man already in jail had gotten a bone marrow transplant from his brother. The brother was later arrested for the crime.
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“You had one person having two genetic profiles. One was identity by inheritance and the other one was identity by transplant,” said Dr. Abirami Chidambaram, state crime lab.

A cheek swab cleared the man already in prison from the crime.

Here’s a plot for another episode of “Law & Order: SVU”

Posted: Wed - November 2, 2005 at 01:41 PM