Strange request from a convicted Murderer

[DearAbby]

Prisoner Seeks DNA Testing on Victim


NEW HAVEN, Conn. (Dec. 8) -- Alex Palmieri was 15 when witnesses say he was repeatedly beaten with a baseball bat in a Bridgeport, Conn., garage in 1984.

"But boss! But boss!" he pleaded as he fell to the floor, they said.
The teenager, who had shown promise as an opera singer, was then stuffed into a refrigerator that was dumped in Bridgeport Harbor, the witnesses said. Two years later, a sneaker and foot bones washed ashore. His girlfriend identified the sneaker as Palmieri's.

Now, 25 years later, the man convicted of the killing is trying to win a new trial with DNA testing. But there's an unusual twist: Thomas Marra Jr. wants DNA tests done on the bones to determine whether authorities actually found the victim.

The Connecticut Supreme Court hears arguments Wednesday on Marra's appeal.
A Superior Court judge last year decided against requiring Palmieri's brothers to give DNA samples to be compared with the remains.

Kenneth Fox, Marra's attorney, said that for now, he is only seeking access to the bones to have them tested to see whether DNA can be extracted. He argues in court papers that comparing the DNA samples with samples from the victim's family will show that the bones did not belong to the victim.

DNA testing was not available at the time the bones were found.

DNA cases typically involve showing whether a defendant matches physical evidence from a crime scene. Fox says the case is unusual because it involves using DNA to challenge the identity of the victim.


Link
http://news.aol.com/article/convicted-murderer-thomas-marra-jr-seeks/807768?icid=main|

[Shell Beau]

1. I think DNA should be done on the bones just in case it is some other

missing person. I mean, why wouldn't they test them with today's advances? I am guessing it is probably the kid if the shoes matched. And what a terrible terrible way to go. Poor kid. So sad.