| Focus in Peterson trial shifts to pliers and DNA Expert says she found no blood on needle-nose tool that held hair September 8, 2004 By Jason Dearen, STAFF WRITER The needle-nose pliers that detectives found in Scott Peterson's boat with strands of hair attached had no visible signs of blood or other forensic evidence, a California Department of Justice expert testified Tuesday in the fertilizer sales-man's double-murder trial. Sarah Yoshida, a senior criminalist with the state, also said her analysis of the pliers determined that they were rusted shut and had not been used recently. Investigators searching Peterson's warehouse Dec. 27, 2002, found hair attached to the pliers, and Yoshida tested the tool for traces of forensic evidence two months later. Prosecutors believe that Peterson could have used the pliers while preparing to sink his wife's body in San Francisco Bay. Today they will begin presenting DNA evidence. Since the hairs collected have no root, prosecutors will rely on mitochondrial DNA, a less accurate form of identification than nuclear DNA, the method most commonly used in court. While Yoshida said she looked over the pliers for blood, tissue and saliva, she also acknowledged that samples taken from the pliers were never scientifically tested for forensic evidence. She also said that while the pliers were rusted shut, they had been in a pool of saltwater in the bottom of the boat and could have rusted quickly in the two months between their collection and her analysis. Yoshida tested the pliers to see if they had been used to cut chicken wire that investigators found in Peterson's truck. Prosecutors have intimated that Peterson used chicken wire in the disposal of his wife's body, but Yoshida said the cut marks on the wire did not match the cutting edges on two sets of pliers she tested. "Clearly neither of these tools had anything to do with the cuts in the chicken wire, right?" Defense attorney Mark Geragos asked while cross-examining Yoshida. "Right," she replied. "And there was no sign of recent use (of the pliers) whatsoever, correct?" Geragos asked. "Correct," Yoshida said. Yoshida also tested a piece of plastic material found wrapped around the neck of the Petersons' unborn fetus. Law enforcement officers who collected the tiny corpse also provided Yoshida with other material found amid the detritus that washed ashore with the fetus. Geragos has argued that the plastic wrapped around the fetus' neck is proof that the baby was extracted from Laci Peterson's womb before she died. Geragos also said during his opening statement that he will call an expert to the stand who will testify that the fetus died weeks after Christmas Eve 2002, the day Laci Peterson disappeared. If the defense attorney proves the baby was born alive, or weeks after Laci's disappearance, it could exonerate his client, whose every move was followed by police after Dec. 24, 2002. Prosecutors say the plastic wrapped around the fetus' neck while it floated in the Bay. AUTOPSY INDEX HOME INDEX LACI TRIAL SCOTT ALIBI-WITNESS LIST PLIERS INDEX DNA EXPERT DOGS WIRETAPS AMBER |
| LACI & CONNER'S FAMILY "I am so sorry for your loss of your beautiful daughter and grandchild!" BETTY ~ WISCONSIN ~ GUESTBOOK |
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| LACI & HER DAD, DENNIS |
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