Now Chairman Williamson has some questions. He’s asking about the 98 percent matching of DNA from weak samples. Meehan explains that even though a person matches a weak sample, so do 2 percent of everyone else in the world, so it doesn’t mean much.
Williamson: What was the genesis of your understanding that you were only to include matches in your report? Meehan: Our directive was to report anything that matched the evidence. (Man, did this person ever take a scientific methodology course?)
Williamson asks Meehan to read the order for analysis. It specifically says that DSI should look for any matches to the 46 lacrosse players. Meehan says that’s where he got the understanding that this was what he wanted.
Williamson: Did you ever discuss with Nifong what he wanted? Meehan: Had a conversation about Y chromosomes that may match any of the 46 players. This was a phone conversation. Williamson: Did you specifically discuss this with Nifong on April 10? Meehan: Can’t say for sure. Says they discussed the findings to that point, Y chromosome tests, DNA profiles, etc., from all of the samples.
Williamson: Did you tell him at that time that the male DNA you found at that time were not lacrosse players? Meehan: Yes.
Williamson: Did he respond, react? Meehan: I’m sure he did. Williamson says to be sure and asks him again. Meehan says “the best I can recall” is that “he reacted that it was good that we got some DNA, so there’s something there, and I don’t think he had any specific reaction to that it didn’t match anyone.” “My sense is that he was encouraged that we found some male DNA.”
Williamson asks him again if Nifong ever had a reaction to the unidentified DNA. Meehan sounds evasive, says “I’m sure he did” but he can’t give any specifics or give any details of his reaction. He’s rambling. Can’t remember which meeting, etc. “He did tell us that there were some other reference specimens to be sent in and we would need to compare those.”
“He was at our mercy at that point because this is not what he does,” Meehan says.
Williamson: You seemed to think it important to give notice that there was other “non-probative” information out there. Why didn’t you put in there what that evidence was, simply to say that the testing revealed other male DNA not connected to the players. Meehan: “Hindsight is a wonderful thing.”
