WASHINGTON, May 25 (Reuters) - A DNA expert in the perjury trial ofRoger Clemens testified he matched the former pitching ace sgenetic profile to articles of medical waste kept by the trainerwho says he injected Clemens with performance-enhancing drugs. Prosecution witness Alan Keel, who works for Forensic ScienceAssociates in California, said he found blood on a cotton ball anddeposits he believed to be pus on another that matched the geneticprofile of Clemens. He also said he found a handful of cells on aneedle, which he attributed to Clemens. This genetic profile is compatible with Mr.
Clemens, he said,referring to DNA found on the needle. Keel said he was able to extract enough DNA from the waste,particularly the cotton balls, to establish a genetic profilematching that of Clemens. I would expect this profile to be unique to only one person thathas ever lived on the planet, Keel said. His testimony was an important piece of the government s case thatthe retired pitching star lied to a congressional panel when hedenied using performance-enhancing drugs.
The crux of the government s argument has been a batch of medicalwaste turned in to authorities in 2008 by Brian McNamee, Clemens former strength and conditioning trainer, who says he personallyinjected Clemens with the drugs. Clemens, 49, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner as best pitcher, isbeing tried for a second time on federal charges of lying in 2008to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight andGovernment Reform, which was investigating drug use in Major LeagueBaseball. His first trial ended last year in a mistrial. Reinforced Cord
RAISING DOUBTS ABOUT THE NEEDLE Clemens lawyer, Michael Attanasio, attacked what he called weak evidence linking Clemens to the needle, which a forensicanalyst said on Thursday had tested positive for steroids. Keel said he had extracted between six and 12 cells from the needlethat would match the genetic profile of one in 449 Caucasians inthe United States. That s a pretty weak statistic in your field, Attanasio said. Attanasio s attempts to cast doubt on the DNA expert s connectionbetween the needle and Clemens were enough to prompt jurors tosubmit almost half a dozen questions regarding his conclusions. But Keel argued the evidence was enough. Polyurethane Parts Manufacturer
We have two cotton balls and the needle, and then we have astatistic. The material in the needle is only found in one in 450(people). That means Mr. Clemens is the likely source of thatbiology, Keel said. Attanasio also pressed Keel on whether the cotton balls matched toClemens could have taken on his DNA after being stuffed into a beercan. Polyurethane Rubber Sheet
The two cotton balls had been in a Miller Lite beer can along withneedles, gauze and a broken steroid ampoule. McNamee said Clemensgave him the beer can in 2002. Have you ever drank a beer from a can? the defense lawyerasked. Isn t it accurate that ... there is liquid at the bottomof the can that ..
would be beer and saliva from the mouth? It s not implausible, Keel said. When asked by a prosecutor if he saw evidence the cotton balls hadbeen exposed to a bunch of beer, Keel replied that the stainson them would have diffused, which, he said, had not occurred. Prosecutors said they had at least two more witnesses to call.Clemens lawyers said they would begin presenting their case nextTuesday.
Clemens, he said,referring to DNA found on the needle. Keel said he was able to extract enough DNA from the waste,particularly the cotton balls, to establish a genetic profilematching that of Clemens. I would expect this profile to be unique to only one person thathas ever lived on the planet, Keel said. His testimony was an important piece of the government s case thatthe retired pitching star lied to a congressional panel when hedenied using performance-enhancing drugs.
The crux of the government s argument has been a batch of medicalwaste turned in to authorities in 2008 by Brian McNamee, Clemens former strength and conditioning trainer, who says he personallyinjected Clemens with the drugs. Clemens, 49, a seven-time Cy Young Award winner as best pitcher, isbeing tried for a second time on federal charges of lying in 2008to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight andGovernment Reform, which was investigating drug use in Major LeagueBaseball. His first trial ended last year in a mistrial. Reinforced Cord
RAISING DOUBTS ABOUT THE NEEDLE Clemens lawyer, Michael Attanasio, attacked what he called weak evidence linking Clemens to the needle, which a forensicanalyst said on Thursday had tested positive for steroids. Keel said he had extracted between six and 12 cells from the needlethat would match the genetic profile of one in 449 Caucasians inthe United States. That s a pretty weak statistic in your field, Attanasio said. Attanasio s attempts to cast doubt on the DNA expert s connectionbetween the needle and Clemens were enough to prompt jurors tosubmit almost half a dozen questions regarding his conclusions. But Keel argued the evidence was enough. Polyurethane Parts Manufacturer
We have two cotton balls and the needle, and then we have astatistic. The material in the needle is only found in one in 450(people). That means Mr. Clemens is the likely source of thatbiology, Keel said. Attanasio also pressed Keel on whether the cotton balls matched toClemens could have taken on his DNA after being stuffed into a beercan. Polyurethane Rubber Sheet
The two cotton balls had been in a Miller Lite beer can along withneedles, gauze and a broken steroid ampoule. McNamee said Clemensgave him the beer can in 2002. Have you ever drank a beer from a can? the defense lawyerasked. Isn t it accurate that ... there is liquid at the bottomof the can that ..
would be beer and saliva from the mouth? It s not implausible, Keel said. When asked by a prosecutor if he saw evidence the cotton balls hadbeen exposed to a bunch of beer, Keel replied that the stainson them would have diffused, which, he said, had not occurred. Prosecutors said they had at least two more witnesses to call.Clemens lawyers said they would begin presenting their case nextTuesday.