Daniel's bones 'laid on table'

The committal hearing into Daniel Morcombe's murder continues on Thursday.
Source: The Courier-Mail

WHEN search crews uncovered bones from the dirt of a Glass House Mountains crime scene, they drove them to the house of a senior pathologist and laid them on the table under his veranda.

The initial examination of a left humerus, left tibia and left fibula thought to be Daniel Morcombe's was in stark contrast to later examinations of bones carried out in sterile laboratories behind screens preventing scientists from so much as breathing on them.

The unusual revelation was made on day three of the committal hearing into Daniel Morcombe's murder during the cross-examination of Professor Peter Ellis, a pathologist of more than 30 years experience.

Brett Peter Cowan, 43, has been charged with five offences, including murder, over the teenager's death.

DAY 1: COVERAGE OF COURT PROCEEDINGS, MONDAY, NOV 26

DAY 2: COVERAGE OF COURT PROCEEDINGS, TUESDAY, NOV 27

DAY 3: COVERAGE OF COURT PROCEEDINGS, WEDNESDAY, NOV 28

The Brisbane Magistrates Court heard the bones were driven to the professor's house by Detective Sergeant Graeme Farlow and forensic biologist Kirsty Wright on August 21, 2011.

Police at the time had been seeking advice to ensure the bones were human.

Prof Ellis later conducted an autopsy, but was unable to determine a cause of death from the remains recovered.

Follow rolling coverage here when Day Four of the Daniel Morcombe committal hearing begins.

Defence lawyer Michael Bosscher said that while steps were taken to prevent contamination, it had "clearly" not been a controlled environment.

"You indicate in your statutory declaration that that was done using careful isolation protocols to maintain DNA integrity," he said.

Prof Ellis agreed, saying he changed gloves between the handling of each bone and placed a sterile sheet over the table.

"Kirsty Wright is actually a forensic biologist so she made sure that we were suitably protected, if that's the right word, or the bones were suitably protected from me by having the mask and the sterile unused gloves," he said.

"It was actually done on the table under the veranda, quite literally, and that was covered by a sheet.

"Not one of our sheets, but a disposable paper sheet to protect it from anything on the table."

On Tuesday, the court heard some of the bones later underwent DNA testing in a New Zealand laboratory where scientists worked behind screens and wore hats, face masks, glasses, lab coats, booties and two pairs of gloves.

"I have an image in my mind of a James Bond movie where you are all in semi-space suits," Mr Bosscher told NZ-based forensic scientist Catherine McGovern.

Ms McGovern said there was no indication the samples had been contaminated.

It is believed Cowan will contest the charges.

Follow rolling coverage here when Day Four of the Daniel Morcombe committal hearing begins.

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