Expert still uncertain on shooting

A TAIWANESE-American forensics expert, who has worked on several high-profile US criminal cases, wrapped up a brief fact-finding trip to Taiwan today, saying he was unable to tell whether President Chen Shui-bian staged a mysterious shooting that injured him one day before his narrow re-election last month.

The government invited Henry Lee to help debunk popular conspiracy theories that the president arranged the gunshot that grazed his stomach before the March 20 vote.

But Lee offered little evidence at a news conference that would either negate the conspiracy theories or cast new doubts on the president’s insistence that he had nothing to do with the attack.

So far, investigators have announced no suspects or solid leads.