Let’s take a closer look at the alleged murder weapon that will be examined and reported on in the months to come. All DNA evidence was overseen by Dr. Patrizia Stefanoni, forensic biologist and Chief of the Italian Scientific Police Unit in Rome. Dr. Stefanoni is respected around the globe and she had no vested interest in a particular outcome—she had no dogs in this race, per say. The Marietti knife, which was found in the cutlery drawer in Sollecito’s kitchen and marked “Exhibit 36,” has a 6 ½ inch stainless steel blade. Dr. Stefanoni testified that the knife possessed Knox’s DNA in a groove on the black handle of the knife and Kercher’s DNA on the tip; hence the title "the double DNA knife."
When confronted by police about the knife early-on in the investigation, Sollecito coolly explained that Meredith’s DNA should be on the blade of the knife because he accidentally pricked her with it while he was cooking a fish diner at his place. “The fact that Meredith’s DNA is on my kitchen knife is because once, when we were all cooking together, I accidentally pricked her hand,’’ he said. It was later proven that Meredith had never even been to Sollecito’s place. In fact, she had only seen him once or twice very briefly: remember Knox and Sollecito had only met a week before the murder. Furthermore, the girls who lived in the flat testified that they had never seen the knife at the cottage at Via Della Pergola 7 (site of the murder). Sollecito has not spoken about that statement since and has yet to retract it; he did exercise his right to silence during the original trial.
Several doctors testified that the knife matched the most significant wound on Kercher’s neck—the deepest and fatal wound. During an independent review of the forensic evidence in 2008, Dr. Renato Biondo, the head of the DNA unit of the scientific police, reviewed Dr. Stefanoni’s investigation and the forensic findings. During his testimony he confirmed that all the forensic findings were accurate and reliable. Dr. Biondo and Dr. Stefanoni (Shown in pic above) are among the top forensic experts in all of Italy. The Kercher family hired their own DNA expert, Professor Francesca Torricelli (Director of a genetic facility at Careggi University Hospital). She also agreed with Dr. Stefanoni that Meredith’s DNA was on the blade of the double DNA knife. Moreover, by the admission of Sollecito himself; Meredith’s DNA was on the blade, as he recalled pricking her with it while preparing a meal at his apartment—not only was he not surprised, he confirmed it to be true.
And, as for the bra clasp: there is absolutely no question whether Sollecito’s DNA was or was not on it—it was! There is less than one chance in a trillion that this was not Sollecito’s DNA. This is a mathematical fact, as plenty of his cells were present to provide a reliable test (1.4 nanogram or 1400 picograms—which contains approximately 160 cells). The only thing that can be contested was contamination from the machine, which is virtually impossible to prove—and would almost have to be performed by monkeys to occur, because of the large amount of cells present. Or, due to some type of physical transfer, prior to removal or testing, that would involve an incalculable improbability, considering that Sollecito’s DNA was not found in the cottage anywhere else (other than a cigarette but).
Although the knife & clasp are two pieces of evidence being re-examined, there were a total of 23 separate pieces of forensic evidence in the case.
