Kavon Young: District of Columbia: Question of the day: What happened to the missing DNA that led to John Pernell's release after five-and-a-half years in custody awaiting trial?" As News4 Reporter John Pernel reports: "When John Pernell was shot to death on Nelson Place SE in July 2010, witnesses told police the retired protective service officer fought with one of four men trying to rob him and others. Pernell and his friends were setting up their barbecues for a traditional Fourth of July get together when the men jumped a fence and announced a robbery. The investigation went nowhere until 2019, when a witness told police they should look at a man named Kavon Young. According to a document filed in D.C. Superior Court, police said DNA discovered under Pernell’s fingernails matches the DNA profile of Young. The probability the DNA did not belong to Young was one in 3.4 billion in the United States African American population. But that DNA evidence — presented in court as a match in 2019 — suddenly became a mismatch two days before trial. Prosecutors at the U.S. attorney’s office, the defense attorneys and the private lab that did the original testing will not say why.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “It’s shameful. We have a right to know what happened,” said Pernell’s daughter, Yolanda Pernell-Vogelson."

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PASSAGE OF THE DAY: "Court records show the private lab that did the testing, Bode Technology Group Inc., lost the evidence and it cannot be retested. The judge told the prosecution and defense that at trial, the jury would be told “the government’s labs and/or agencies negligently lost the DNA extract in this case” just before the trial was set to begin. In an April 9 filing, prosecutors noted again the DNA “matched the defendant” “as reported by Bode Technology” — a result prosecutors relied upon for five-and-a-half years until deciding two days before trial it was unreliable. Bode Technology group declined to comment."

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STORY: "Shameful': DC murder case dismissed after DNA evidence lost," by Paul Wagner, published by News4, on June 4, 2025.

SUB-HEADING: "The suspect was released after five-and-a-half years in custody awaiting trial."

PHOTO CAPTION: "On the eve of a murder trial, prosecutors decided the evidence they had against a defendant — who was in custody for more than five years — was not good enough. News4’s Paul Wagner explains the victim’s family’s fight to learn why the case was dismissed."

GIST: "Days before a D.C. murder trial was to begin, prosecutors decided the evidence they had against the defendant — who was in custody for more than five years — was not good enough, and the victim’s family still wants an explanation.

When John Pernell was shot to death on Nelson Place SE in July 2010, witnesses told police the retired protective service officer fought with one of four men trying to rob him and others. Pernell and his friends were setting up their barbecues for a traditional Fourth of July get together when the men jumped a fence and announced a robbery.

The investigation went nowhere until 2019, when a witness told police they should look at a man named Kavon Young.

According to a document filed in D.C. Superior Court, police said DNA discovered under Pernell’s fingernails matches the DNA profile of Young. The probability the DNA did not belong to Young was one in 3.4 billion in the United States African American population.

But that DNA evidence — presented in court as a match in 2019 — suddenly became a mismatch two days before trial. Prosecutors at the U.S. attorney’s office, the defense attorneys and the private lab that did the original testing will not say why.

“It’s shameful. We have a right to know what happened,” said Pernell’s daughter, Yolanda Pernell-Vogelson.

Two days before the trial was set to begin, Pernell-Vogelson and her sister, Ayana Pernell, say they got a call from Michael Spence, the prosecutor in the case, who told them the initial calculations were wrong.

“To this day, have not been given a full, understandable explanation as to why this has happened,” Ayana Pernell said. “I mean, we are essentially victims also.”

Court records show the private lab that did the testing, Bode Technology Group Inc., lost the evidence and it cannot be retested. The judge told the prosecution and defense that at trial, the jury would be told “the government’s labs and/or agencies negligently lost the DNA extract in this case” just before the trial was set to begin.

In an April 9 filing, prosecutors noted again the DNA “matched the defendant” “as reported by Bode Technology” — a result prosecutors relied upon for five-and-a-half years until deciding two days before trial it was unreliable.

Bode Technology group declined to comment.

Pernell’s daughters said they wrote letters to all lawmakers in the city.

“We extend our condolences to Mr. Pernell’s family and friends, including his daughters," Washington Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Lindsey Appiah said in a statement Wednesday. "I’ve contacted them regarding his case, and we are investigating the matter to see if there is anything additional the District can do to be of assistance to ensure justice.”

Young was released in April. News4 couldn’t reach the attorneys who have been representing him."

The entire story can be read at:

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/shameful-washington-murder-case-dismissed-dna-evidence-lost-rcna211094

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:  I am monitoring this case/issue/resource. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments. 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.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com.  Harold Levy: Publisher: The Charles Smith Blog.

SEE BREAKDOWN OF  SOME OF THE ON-GOING INTERNATIONAL CASES (OUTSIDE OF THE CONTINENTAL USA) THAT I AM FOLLOWING ON THIS BLOG,  AT THE LINK BELOW:  HL:

https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/120008354894645705/4704913685758792985

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FINAL WORD:  (Applicable to all of our wrongful conviction cases):  "Whenever there is a wrongful conviction, it exposes errors in our criminal legal system, and we hope that this case — and lessons from it — can prevent future injustices."

Lawyer Radha Natarajan:

Executive Director: New England Innocence Project;

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FINAL, FINAL WORD: "Since its inception, the Innocence Project has pushed the criminal legal system to confront and correct the laws and policies that cause and contribute to wrongful convictions.   They never shied away from the hard cases — the ones involving eyewitness identifications, confessions, and bite marks. Instead, in the course of presenting scientific evidence of innocence, they've exposed the unreliability of evidence that was, for centuries, deemed untouchable." So true!

Christina Swarns: Executive Director: The Innocence Project;

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