DNA analyst: Staton’s blood found on knife

By Phil Ray, pray@altoonamirror.com

HOLLIDAYSBURG — A state police DNA expert says the blood of homicide suspect Andre Staton was found on a knife handle in the kitchen of the home where he is alleged to have killed his estranged girlfriend more than two years ago.

The DNA report prepared by forensic scientist Pamela J. Call of the Greensburg Crime Laboratory stated that Staton’s blood sample matched the DNA profile from the handle.

The odds that the DNA could have come from another person are one in 550 quintillion (550,000,000,000,000,000,000) if that person is Caucasian, one in 19 quintillion for a black person and one in 440 quintillion for a Hispanic person.

Defense attorneys Don Speice and J. Kirk Kling said in a petition filed with Blair County Judge Elizabeth Doyle that they only recently learned of the DNA match.

Prosecutors provided the defense with the DNA report March 23, and the defense immediately contacted an expert to review the tests.

The defense petition stated that as of Friday afternoon, the defense’s DNA expert has not received a copy of the report.

The defense warned that unless their DNA expert receives the report soon, it will be difficult to prepare for trial, which is to begin a week from today with jury selection.

Speice and Kling asked to delay the trial by at least two months.

The defense team said they also did not receive copies of hospital emergency room reports on the treatment to the victim, Beverly Yohn, 26, until March 24 and ambulance company reports until March 29.

Information on the backgrounds of the prosecution’s expert witnesses were not available until April 4.

Staton will be eligible for the death penalty only if a jury finds him guilty of first-degree murder, in which case, Staton’s background will become important.

Kling said he is having difficulty obtaining background information from Maryland police.

Doyle will hear arguments for the trial delay at 2 p.m. Wednesday, according to the order filed Monday.