Amanda Knox case: Knife had no DNA from victim

Amanda Knox case: A DNA expert testified Wednesday in Italy that the so-called murder weapon, a knife, had no DNA on it from the victim. His testimony supports the defense of Amanda Knox and her boyfriend.

U.S. student Amanda Knox's defense got a boost on Wednesday when a new DNA test on a kitchen knife failed to conclusively prove that it was the murder weapon used to kill her British roommate.

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An expert witness testified that the minuscule DNA trace on the knife handle near the blade showed "considerable affinity" with Knox's own DNA.

That confirmed what was already known from two previous trials: that Knox's DNA was on the knife handle, identified through another trace.

No DNA belonging to the slain British student, Meredith Kercher, was identified. Previous genetic evidence on the blade linked to Kercher had been contested at earlier stages.

Outside the court, Knox defense lawyer Carlo Dalla Vedova told The Associated Press that the testimony confirms his contention that the knife was used by Knox solely for preparing food. "The report confirms that this is a kitchen knife. It is not a murder weapon," Dalla Vedova said.

Luca Maori, a defense lawyer for Knox's co-defendant Raffaele Sollecito, said the trace's very existence also indicated the knife had not been washed. "It is something very important," he said. "It is absurd to use it for a murder and put it back in the drawer."

Prosecutors deferred comment for their summations, due later this month.

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Amanda Knox case: Knife had no DNA from victim