With this page, I will be able to clearly pinpoint the specific occasions in which the chain of custody of the only inculpatory evidence of this case–the green fitted sheet, took place. Below, I will present the actual Plantation Police Department property receipts’ chain of custody, the BSO Crime Lab internal logs and the DNA technician Donna Marchese’s conflicting testimony at trial, where she gets impeached on the stand by Assistant State Attorney Dennis Siegel.
Plantation Police Department Property Receipt’s Chain of Custody
The Plantations Police Department property receipt unambiguously demonstrates that the green fitted sheet left the Plantation Police Department on 5-18-95 at 11:15 and it was logged into the BSO Crime Lab on 5-18-95 at 11:40. Furthermore, it demonstrates that DNA technician Donna Marchese performed her analysis on 6-13-95 and it was later on returned back to the Plantation Police Department on 6-21-95 at 11:50.
Then the receipt shows that the “sheet only” left the Plantation Police Department on 6-30-95 at 11:50 and it was logged into the BSO Crime Lab on 6-30-95, at 12:30.
Then again, the receipt shows that “item 4” [the green fitted sheet] left the Plantation Police Department on 2-1-00 at 11:30 and it was logged into the BSO Crimes Lab on 2-1-00, at 11:56.
Last, the receipt shows that DNA technician Donna Marchese performed her new analysis on 2-2-00 and finally the green fitted sheet was returned back to the Plantation Police Department by Det. Steven Geller on 6-29-00, at 13:50.
BSO Crime Lab Internal Logs, Email Inquiry and Reports
Franziska Kaltenbach contacted the BSO Crime Lab via Public Record Request on December 29, 2018, inquiring specifically about this “green fitted sheet” arriving at the Crime Lab and its internal logging procedures. In January and February 2019, the BSO Crime Lab emailed a Report to Ms. Kaltenbach, which was generated by Laboratory Administrative Coordinator, Dianna Edwards. Ms Edwards’ Report, unambiguously reveals that the sole inculpatory evidence in this case, “the green fitted sheet,” contrary to Ms. Marchese’s testimony at trial, was never logged into the Crime Lab Vault on 6-30-95. In fact, her Report clearly shows that all the evidence submitted to the BSO Crime Lab and logged on those days of inquiry did not include in any way, shape or form, the “green fitted sheet” related to this case. Additionally, it confirms that on two separate occasions this particular inculpatory piece of evidence was unaccounted for the following terms: from June 30, 1995 to October 8, 1995 and from February 1, 2000 to June 29, 2000. Both times it disappeared in excess of 100 days.
DNA Technician Donna Marchese’s Conflicting Testimony at Trial
During the State’s redirect examination of expert witness, DNA technician Donna Marchese, she told the jury, while being impeached by the Assistant State Attorney Dennis Siegel, that the green fitted sheet did not come into the BSO Crime Lab until Friday June 30, 1995. This testimony, of course, was contrary to her initial testimony where she stated that all the evidence had come into the Laboratory on May 18, 1995.
After further inquiry from Assistant State Attorney Dennis Siegel, Ms Marchese stated that she had assumed that that was what had happened in this case. Otherwise, she would have tested every piece of evidence if all the evidence had arrived on the same day. However, apart from Ms Marchese’s conflicting testimony at trial, these clear discrepancies in the logging of the only incriminating evidence of this case, not only shows a significant break in the inculpatory evidence’s chain of custody but also supports the high probability of tampering with such evidence. Furthermore, this fact also goes directly to the DNA technician Donna Marchese’s credibility at trial. For more information about this State’s expert witness’ testimony at trial and/or access to the whole Trial Transcripts go to Ernesto’s Court Documents and click on – (Trial Transcripts Vol 7, pgs. 878 – 1009. Specifically, pgs. 999 – 1003).
DNA MANIPULATED CONVICTION 