Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Darlie Routier; Death Row Texas; She is fighting to have additional DNA tests; Earlier DNA testing on her nightshirt revealed her blood but excluded any blood from her children - a finding that is described as favourable to her case. Altoona Times.

 
STORY: "Mother believes daughter will be cleared of killing two sons," by reporter Phil Ray, published by the Altoona Mirror  on January 19, 2014.

GIST: "The mother of Darlie Lynn Routier, the former Altoona- area woman on death row in Texas for killing two of her children in 1996, believes more than ever that someday her daughter will be cleared and will come home. "It may be awhile, but I know she will be coming home," said Darlie Kee, who also lives in Texas but who was visiting relatives in the area in recent weeks. Kee said late last week the 44-year-old Routier, who is being housed at the Mountain View Unit in Gatesville, Texas, is fighting to have additional DNA tests performed on the circumstantial evidence used to convict her on Feb. 1, 1997......... Assistant Attorney General for Texas Tomee M. Heining submitted a report in December indicating DNA testing had been done on Routier's nightshirt, and 24 of the 26 cuttings revealed her blood but excluded any blood from the children, a finding that was favorable to Routier. A bloody sock was found outside the home. That controversial piece of evidence contained blood primarily from the child, Devon. The defense believes more testing of that sock is warranted because if Routier's blood was found, it would tend to prove Routier was cut before the sock was transported outside the home. That finding, the defense contends, would counter prosecution arguments that Routier took the sock outside the home as part of her effort to stage an attack by an intruder and then went back to the home to cut herself as part of the ploy. The defense, court records show, believes the sock was dropped by the intruder - the killer - as he fled. The prosecution and defense are working together on further DNA testing - now mandated by Texas law - and therefore asked the federal court to continue the stay. There are many issues involved in the case. The defense wants additional DNA testing of the sock, hairs found on the sock, more testing of the stains on Routier's nightshirt, untested blood stains on the murder weapon, blood stains on pillows in the room where the murders were committed and testing of a bloody fingerprint on a coffee table. That print has never been identified and the defense believes DNA testing could show if it came from an unidentified individual."

The entire story can be found at:

http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/578282/Mother-believes-daughter-will-be-cleared-of-killing-2-sons.html?nav=742
 
PUBLISHER'S NOTE:

Dear Reader. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog. We are following this case.

I have added a search box for content in this blog which now encompasses several thousand posts. The search box is located  near the bottom of the screen just above the list of links. I am confident that this powerful search tool provided by "Blogger" will help our readers and myself get more out of the site.

The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:

http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith

Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:
 
http://smithforensic.blogspot.ca/2013/12/the-charles-smith-award-presented-to_28.html
 
I look forward to hearing from readers at:

hlevy15@gmail.com.


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