DNA evidence connects Chen to murder scene

By Andy Nelesen

Testimony in the case against Jie Chen ended Wednesday without the murder suspect taking the stand in his own defense.

Prosecutors wrapped up their presentation with detailed scientific evidence using DNA analysis to connect Chen to Yuechan "Susan" Gong, who was bludgeoned to death on Oct. 22, 2004, inside her De Pere home.

Jury deliberations should begin today.

None of the fingerprints found around Gong's home matched Chen's, but there was plenty of deoxyribonucleic acid — the building block of life — which forensic scientists use to identify the owners of bodily fluids and skin cells.

Melissa Schwandt, a DNA analyst with the state Crime Lab, testified Wednesday that she found Chen's DNA on a meat cleaver used to beat Gong and on a shirt spattered with Gong's blood.

Chen, 35, is on trial in Brown County Circuit Court for killing Gong, 33, the co-owner of China King Buffet in De Pere. He faces charges of first-degree intentional homicide and burglary. Wednesday was the third day of testimony.

Schwandt testified that she was certain the DNA on the cleaver came from Chen, which means statistically the chance of finding another person with the same DNA profile exceeds one in 6 trillion. The population of the planet, Schwandt noted, is around 4 billion people.

Forensic chemist Joseph Wermeling testified that he was able to match a metal fragment found in Gong's skull to the cleaver with Chen's DNA on it, which investigators found freshly washed near the sink in Gong's kitchen.

Wermeling, who also works for the state Crime Lab, said he was able to precisely match the tiny fragment to a notch in the cleaver's blade.

"I was able to fit it back into the blade by a physical match," Wermeling said. "It is my opinion that the fragment was at one time part of the meat cleaver."

Schwandt testified that she was certain Chen's DNA was found on a shirt found inside of Gong's home. The shirt, which had Chen's DNA on the collar and sleeve cuffs, had Gong's blood spattered across the front, Schwandt said. Schwandt testified that she also found Chen's DNA on a cigarette butt dropped near the murder scene the day Gong died.

Schwandt said DNA found beneath Gong's fingernails likely came from Chen, but was not scientifically certain. The chance of finding someone other than Chen with the DNA profile found in the fingernail material was in the billions, but did not meet the threshold of scientific certainty used by the state Crime Lab.

Schwandt testified that all of the blood stains found around the home — except the one on the cleaver — belonged to Gong. That included blood found on two hammers, the dining room floor and Gong's socks.

The scientific evidence was the end of prosecutors' case and Chen's lawyer, Joseph Norby called no witnesses.

Brown County Circuit Court Judge Mark Warpinski asked Chen if he wanted to testify in his own defense, a decision that Warpinski pointed out was Chen's alone to make.

During one conversation facilitated by an interpreter, Chen said he did not know if he wanted to testify and asked for more time to think about it.

"I am not psychologically ready to decide," Chen said.

After the state's last witness, Warpinski again broached the topic with Chen, who at the time seemed confused about what he was being asked.

"Do you understand why you're here?" Warpinski said at one point.

"No," Chen replied.

Warpinski allowed Chen an additional 15 minutes to talk with Norby and warned Chen that he would have to make a decision once court reconvened.

When Warpinski re-asked the question after the break, Chen said he understood his rights and opted not to take the stand.

The trial resumes today and Warpinski is expected to give the jurors instructions as to procedure and law before the lawyers deliver closing arguments. Once closing arguments are done, the jury will begin deliberating.

If convicted, Chen faces life in prison.

Another man charged in Gong's death, Manuel Angel-Monterrosa, is expected to stand trial on similar charges April 3.