McCanns on 'scent of death' alert
Updated on 17 September 2007
The legal team representing Gerry and Kate McCann, the parents of missing Madeleine, are so concerned about evidence picked up by a British sniffer dog that they have made contact with the lawyers of an American murder-suspect charged using similar techniques.
Two dogs were brought to Portugal in early August. One - a cadaver dog - is capable of detecting blood and human remains.
It picked up what reports described as the "scent of death" on a range of the McCann's belongings - including some of Kate McCann's clothes and Madeleine's toys.
The dog also went "crazy" - reports say - when it approached the Renault Scenic hire car the McCann's used in the wake of their daughter's disappearance.
'At the moment there are no formal charges and therefore there is no formal allegation against which the McCann team can work. We are having to work a little bit in the dark.'Source close to McCanns' solicitors
The family lawyers fear this evidence will take centre stage in the case the Portuguese police have built. The police believe that Kate McCann may have accidentally killed her daughter and subsequently sought to hide the body.
That's why the McCann lawyers are in touch with the legal team for Eugene Zapata.
During his Madison, Wisconsin murder trial, cadaver dog evidence was used against Mr Zapata who was charge with the first-degree murder of his wife Jeanette.
The dogs sniffed human remains in the basement of the family's former home.
Last month, however, the judge in the case dismissed the charge citing unreliable evidence.
Mr Zapata's defence team had analysed the success rate of the dogs in question and concluded that their discoveries proved incorrect between 62 and 78 per cent of the time.
A source close to the McCanns' solicitors said: "The legal team are in touch with the lawyers who represented the defendant in the case.
"The court papers, giving the legal submissions, are on their way to the McCann team for consideration.
"At the moment there are no formal charges and therefore there is no formal allegation against which the McCann team can work. We are having to work a little bit in the dark.
"But given that we understand the central plank of what the police are alleging involves sniffer dogs - albeit British ones which are said to be particularly good - this is important and relevant, and will be raised with the police and brought to the judge's attention."
