DNA evidence links suspect to Haines Junction crime scene

A DNA expert told a Whitehorse jury this week there is evidence connecting the suspect charged in an attempted murder case to the crime scene.

Chris Cornell is charged with robbery, assault, evading police and attempting to kill a police officer who was pursuing him.

DNA testing links him to some evidence seized from the getaway vehicle but not to a rifle used to put a bullet into a police car involved in the pursuit.

The jury was told Cornell's DNA matched that found on a crack pipe in the getaway vehicle and a sample taken from the handle of a pallet jack used to remove a heavy safe from Madley's General Store in Haines Junction, Yukon.

However a number of samples from a rifle taken from the scene near where Cornell was arrested failed to turn up any usable DNA samples.

Cornell's lawyer attempted to discredit the results. Under cross examination, the DNA expert admitted Cornell's DNA could have been transferred to the objects by police officers who touched Cornell during his arrest. However Michelle Fisher absolutely rejected the defence lawyer's suggestion she might provide biased results to the RCMP investigators because they pay her salary.

The jury also heard from a man whose vehicle was involved in thehigh speed police chase.

Ray Falle saidhe last saw his GMCBlazer parked outside his home near Whitehorse. In court, he identified the vehicle from police photographs shown to him.

Fallesaid the chainsaw, generator and other tools that were thrown from the vehicle to slow police during the chase on the Alaska Highway did not belong to him. Falle was also shown photos of crack pipes and hypodermic needles seized from the getaway vehicle and testified those too were not in the vehicle when it was stolen.

The trial is expected to continue all next week.