An Auckland man has launched a new appeal of the double-murder convictions of Scott Watson, who is serving a life sentence over the 1999 deaths of Ben Smart and Olivia Hope in the Marlborough Sounds.
Brian McDonald has filed a Royal Prerogative of Mercy (RPOM) application to the Governor-General.
The appeal includes a forensic scientist's report critical of the handling of evidence, including hairs, said to be Ms Hopes - the only physical evidence linking Ms Hope and Mr Smart to Watson, Fairfax reports.
"The new evidence focuses on the how the hair samples were mishandled and how the evidence can't be looked at in isolation," Mr McDonald told Fairfax.
Forensic scientist Sean Doyle's report concludes "there were significant 'weaknesses' in the way ESR handled and identified the hairs which were found on a blanket aboard Watson's boat," Fairfax reports.
Watson, who maintains his innocence, and his father Chris both read the report and are behind the appeal.
"Scott is optimistic, hopeful, with a touch of pessimism about the whole thing," Chris Watson said.
Previous appeals by Watson to the Court of Appeal and the Privy Council proved unsuccessful. A RPOM filed in 2009 was also rejected.
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