Laude camp wants ‘Barbie’ present in Pemberton DNA test

The camp of slain transgender woman Jeffrey "Jennifer" Laude on Thursday asked the Olongapo Prosecutor's Office to allow Barbie, a witness in the murder complaint, to be present during the DNA and fingerprint test on suspect US Marine Private First Class Joseph Scott Pemberton.

 

The Laude camp explained that Barbie should identify Pemberton while the procedure being undertaken as to verify that the test is indeed done on the 19-year-old US Marine.

Pemberton is currently held inside a facility at the Philippine military headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. He faces a murder complaint in connection with the Laude killing on October 11. 

 

"The whole process of gathering fingerprints and buccal swabs will be rendered inutile if the identity of the source of said fingerprints and buccal swabs cannot be convincingly established," read the motion prepared by the Roque & Butuyan Law Offices. 

 

The Philippine National Crime Laboratory is supposed to get the US Marine's buccal swabs and fingerprints on Thursday, November 6, as earlier ordered by the prosecution panel. 

 

"It is essential that the person from whom the fingerprints and buccal swabs are to be recovered, and the person identified by the witness during the photo line-up process be one and the same person," the four-page motion said.

 

"It is also respectfully prayed that… Barbie be allowed and directed to identify the respondent… immediately before conducting the recovery of latent fingerprints and buccal swabs," it added. 

 

Barbie earlier identified Pemberton in a photo line-up.

 

Barbie last saw Laude alive together with Pemberton and in a motel. 



— Rouchelle R. Dinglasan/RSJ, GMA News