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DNA evidence is not always infallible

April 28, 2016 / 01:57

This episode of 48 Hours covers the wrongful accusation of Kevin Brown in the murders of Barbara Nantes and Clare Hoff, highlighting DNA evidence's reliability.

The episode begins with the 1978 murder of 15-year-old Barbara Nantes and her boyfriend Jim Alt, who survived the brutal attack on Tory Pine State Beach in San Diego. Barbara was sexually assaulted and murdered, with details of the crime remaining shocking.

In 1984, another murder occurred on the same beach, that of 14-year-old Clare Hoff, with similarities to Barbara's case. Both cases went cold for decades until they were reopened in 2012.

New DNA testing identified two suspects, including convicted rapist and former criminalist Kevin Brown. The defense argues that the case against Brown is based on misinterpretation and rumors.

Two criminalists from the same lab as Brown raise doubts about the evidence, questioning the reliability of the DNA findings in this case.

TLDR

Kevin Brown faces wrongful accusations in two beach murders tied to flawed DNA evidence.

Episode

1:57

00:00:00

I'm Richard slesinger 48 Hours ever since DNA was introduced it's been considered the gold standard in forensic

00:00:07

science but it is not infallible if mistakes are made in handling DNA it can convict an innocent man and the central

00:00:17

question in this case is did DNA identify an elusive killer or did it lead an innocent man to be accused of a

00:00:26

horrible crime it was 1978 when 15-year-old Barbara Nantes and her 17-year-old boyfriend Jim alt were

00:00:34

attacked as they slept on Tory Pine State beach near San Diego Jim was beaten almost to death but did survive

00:00:44

Barbara didn't she was sexually assaulted and beaten and strangled one of her breasts had been

00:00:51

mutilated 6 years later in 1984 14-year-old Clare Hoff was murdered on the same beach in the details of that

00:01:00

crime were scarily similar to Barbara's there was no solid evidence at the time the cases went cold for decades but then

00:01:10

in 2012 the cases were reopened and new DNA testing revealed two suspects one was a

00:01:17

convicted rapist the other suspect was a man named Kevin Brown he had been a criminalist in the San Diego Police

00:01:26

Department lab that accusation was was shocking but the defense argues that cases built on

00:01:33

misinterpretation and rumors about Kevin Brown's life and before you Chu that up

00:01:40

to just some defense tactic listen to what two criminalists who worked in the same lab as Kevin Brown have to say they

00:01:48

will cast some serious doubts on the evidence in this case that's this week on 48 hours

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Episode Highlights

The Fallibility of DNA
DNA is considered the gold standard in forensic science, but it’s not infallible.
“DNA can convict an innocent man.”
@ 00m 07s
April 28, 2016
Reopening Cold Cases
In 2012, the cases of Barbara and Clare were reopened with new DNA testing.
@ 01m 11s
April 28, 2016
Doubts About Evidence
Two criminalists cast serious doubts on the evidence against Kevin Brown.
“Listen to what two criminalists have to say.”
@ 01m 42s
April 28, 2016

Episode Quotes

DNA can convict an innocent man.
DNA evidence is not always infallible
Did DNA identify a killer or lead to an innocent accusation?
DNA evidence is not always infallible
The details of Clare's murder were scarily similar to Barbara's.
DNA evidence is not always infallible
Listen to what two criminalists have to say.
DNA evidence is not always infallible

Key Moments

DNA Evidence00:03
Cold Cases01:06
Shocking Accusation01:27
Criminalists Speak Out01:48