DNA analyst maintains Denecho King must have handled swords used in attack

Denecho King's lawyer suggests King never touched two swords used in a bloody attack he's accused of and that King's DNA must have been transferred to the swords by other people.

King, 25, is on trial for murder, attempted murder and aggravated assault in connection with the 2014 attack in a Yellowknife apartment.

One of the victims, John Wifladt, died of his injuries. His best friend, Colin Digness, survived after undergoing several surgeries.

On Tuesday,RCMP DNA scientist Kenneth Hunter testified that a large amount of King's DNA was found on the handles of the decorative swords.

Earlier in the trial, a witness who lived in the apartment below testified King came to her door, and thenleft shortly before the attack.

Defence suggests scenario to explain DNA

During his cross-examination of Hunter on Wednesday, defence lawyer Jay Bran laid out a scenario: the two victims picked up King's DNA fromtouchingbannisters and door handles while making their way up to the apartment unit where the attack occurred.

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Once there, they got more of King's DNA on their hands as they removed their shoes, Bran suggested.

Bran suggested the victims then unknowingly rubbed King's DNA onto the swords as they handled them in the apartment.

Questioning Digness earlier in the trial, Bran suggested he and Wifladt attacked one another. Digness said that didn't happen, but admitted he had no memory of the event because he had blacked out from drinking hours earlier.

Bran also suggested paramedics who tried to help the victims could have transferred DNA to the swords, which were moved several times. Paramedics and police who were first on the scene did not change gloves or put booties over their footwear before entering the unit.

Expert saysDNA likely from direct contact

Hunter agreed that some DNA could have been transferred by the victims and and paramedics, but maintained the large amount of King's DNA found on the handles was likely the result of King having direct contact with the swords.

Theamount of DNA on the handles isonly large by the standards of DNA analysis 12 nanograms on one handle and 10 nanograms on the other, said Hunter. A nanogram is one billionth of a gram.

Hunter said DNA is not always transferred from one surface to another through touch and, when it is, it is typically one nanogram or less.