A United States forensic specialist has told the Philip Polkinghorne murder trial that a mark on the stairs at his home in Auckland’s Remuera was the accused man’s blood.
Warning: This article contains content that could be disturbing to some people.
This contradicted earlier evidence from the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) that no blood was found at the spot in question.
Polkinghorne, 71, is accused of killing his wife Hanna by strangling her and making it look like a suicide at their home at Easter 2021.
The Crown maintain he was caught in web of infidelity, money troubles and meth and in a steeply declining marriage.
His defence team said there is nothing sinister and that Hanna, 63, working long hours in a stressful job, ended her own life.
On Monday, Dr Timothy Scanlan, who runs a forensic consulting firm, has been giving evidence by video link from New Orleans.
He is a former sworn officer and is currently used by local law enforcement at major crime scenes.
Scanlan was commissioned by Polkinghorne’s lawyers and flew to New Zealand to look at his and Pauline Hanna’s home.
However, this was on March 8, 2023 – almost two years after Hanna died.
Scanlan said a sample he took on this visit was sent to a Virginia lab for testing.
One test was used to check for blood, which came back positive. The second was a DNA comparison with Polkinghorne, which came back as a match.
But whether the markings on the stairs was indeed blood has been battled in the trial.
Scanlan said it was his understanding ESR did not test the specific area for blood.
“She sampled around that area but not that exact area,” he said.
But Crown prosecutor Brian Dickey said a police photo from the initial investigation and Scanlan’s photo two years later appeared different.
“Miraculously, on the right we have two tracks of red,” he said. “Aren’t we dealing here with really obvious scene contamination?” Dickey asked.
“I think it’s a possible explanation but not the only explanation,” Scanlan replied.
Comparing the photos, Dickey said: “The stain looks different to the eye. Let’s be honest, it is different.”
“I mean, his DNA is present in that location,” Scanlan said.
Neighbour never saw Polkinghorne disparage Hanna
Dominic Foote — another person who knew Polkinghorne and Hanna from time they spent at their Coromandel bach — was the next witness to be called.
His holiday property was two doors down.
Foote said he first met the pair in 1997, or thereabouts.
He told defence lawyer Ron Mansfield he had never seen Polkinghorne use drugs or be around drugs.
He also said he had never seen Polkinghorne be disparaging, rude, demeaning, or controlling of Hanna.
Foote said Polkinghorne had a very dry sense of humour.
He had a habit of accidentally sinking his boats and started to name them after famous boats that had sank, he said.
