When Marion Ross was murdered, a search of the victim’s house came up with a thumbprint. This thumbprint was matched to a British policewoman, Shirley McKie. Shirley claimed she had not been to the victim’s house, and she was later accused of perjury after testifying at the court trial. Shirley’s house was searched, she was strip-searched and her career was ruined.

Yet Shirley persisted that she had not been in the victim’s house. It was The Scottish Criminal Records Office that had originally detected Shirley’s thumbprint at the crime scene, and four experts had all stated the print belonged to her. Shirley still claimed her innocence and was acquitted during her trial after two American fingerprint experts claimed the thumbprint was not hers.

Finally, after so much media attention and bother, a member of the Scottish parliament requested for a number of experts to examine the print and give their views. A total of 171 experts from 18 different countries concluded that the thumbprint was not Shirley’s. A civil trial is to be held in February 2006. The death of Marion Ross remains a mystery, but Shirley McKie may have been proved innocent.