deadmonton - the trial of michael white - december 4th, 2006
Liana White, 29, was stabbed to death July 12th, 2005.
Michael White, now 29, was charged with second-degree murder and offering an indignity to a dead body.
<< november 30th, 2006 | the michael white trial | december 5th, 2006 >>
The last witness in the trial of Michael White took the stand – via a video link from his office in Tacoma, Washington.
It was earlier stated the defence consultant was too ill to travel to Edmonton to attend the trial in person.
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Dr. Jon Nordby, an independent consultant in crime scene analysis and forensic science, qualified himself as an expert through his work for the FBI and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Nordby said he helped process human remains at the World Trade Centre towers in New York following the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001.
According to Nordby's web site, his firm – Final Analysis Forensics – charges $3000/day billed at $500/hr for testimony, and $275/hr or $3000/day for forensic analysis.
The defence called on Nordby to offer his opinion on the evidence presented at White's trial.
The expert said there was not enough blood present in the Whites' home for a stabbing to have occurred.
According to earlier testimony from Alberta's assistant chief medical examiner, Dr. Bernard Bannach, Liana White would have lost two to three litres of blood.
“I’m left with a question: Where’s the blood?” Nordby asked. "I don't know where it is. I would have expected a lot more blood."
Nordy told the court that even if you accept all the evidence of blood in the bedroom from the police testing and combine it with the bloody items found in garbage bags it would still not be the amount expected.
"We're still missing some bits of evidence."
Nordby told the jury blood stains on the bedroom wall may not indicate a stabbing.
“The stains on the wall came from sort of impact of a blood source,” he said. “Could be a fist, could be a foot, could be a knife – but I would put that low on my list.”
Nordby cited an absence of castoff stains if a knife had been used.
Defence lawyer Laura Stevens did not ask Nordby if the bedroom blood stains were consistent with a nosebleed.
Nordby was critical of police methods, and asked why floorboards in the Whites' master bedroom were not removed to locate more evidence of a heavy blood loss.
He also attacked police use of the chemical Luminol to locate traces of blood in the couple’s bedroom and in the back of Liana’s Explorer.
Nordby stated Luminol is only a presumptive test for blood and cited debate in the scientific community about its accuracy.
He said luminol also tests positive for copper, iron, vegetable matter, bleach and other cleaners.
At the body recovery site, Nordby said insect samples should have been taken to aid in determining a more exact time of death.
Soil samples should have been taken, he said, to see if Liana had bled out in the ditch.
"It would be interesting to know how much."
Nordby said the samples would also help determine whether she was killed there.
The Crown cross-examined Nordby on several points.
Nordby admitted that less blood found in the home would be consistent if Liana White was strangled or if a stabbing resulted in mainly internal bleeding.
He also said insects aren't a perfect indicator of when a person died.
When questioned about his testimony, Nordby said his findings were limited to photos and exhibits, not an actual inspection of the crime scenes.
Closing arguments were set for December 5th, 2006 and the case would likely go to the jury the next day.
The trial continued December 5th, 2006
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