S2E38: Defending their Work

A former senior forensic scientist has defended his work practices in the 1990s, maintaining he never took shortcuts and followed the protocols of the time. During day 38 of the Claremont Serial Killings trial, Martin Blooms rather cheekily said on the stand that DNA doesn’t ‘just fly around’ when asked whether there was any chance DNA samples from the Karrakatta rape victim could have come into contact with intimate samples from Ciara Glennon, both of which he tested. The trial has previously heard there is no evidence to suggest Jane Rimmer and Ciara Glennon were sexually assaulted before their deaths, but Mr Blooms said there was no way to ever tell whether the women were raped, because decomposition and time had decayed any sperm or semen, if any existed in the first place. In Episode 38 of the trial, Tim Clarke, Alison Fan and Natalie Bonjolo also discuss Mr Blooms evidence, how even in the 1990s, the lab technicians knew technology would only advance, so they took measures to ‘future-proof’ the exhibit, so they could be tested with technology that didn’t exist yet. Also hear Alison Fan’s take the surprise appearance by WA’s police commissioner Chris Dawson in the public gallery the day before, and why a strong focus by the defence of a label could be an important piece of evidence. For more coverage on WA’s trial of the century, head to thewest.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.