PORTLAND

A Maine man serving a life sentence for murder in the death of a 12-year-old girl cannot be excluded as the source of DNA found on the girl’s T- shirt and scarf, a DNA expert testified Thursday.

Dennis Dechaine is seeking a new trial based on new analysis of DNA evidence. Dechaine has maintained his innocence since he was convicted in the 1988 murder of Sarah Cherry, whose body was found in Bowdoin two days after she went missing while baby-sitting.

At Thursday’s hearing before Justice Carl Bradford, who presided over Dechaine’s 1989 trial, the former laboratory director at the company that analyzed the DNA said that male DNA was found on Sarah’s T-shirt and scarf. Testing could not show who the DNA came from, but it did not exclude Dechaine as the source, Rick Staub said.

Testing on the girl’s bra was inconclusive, he said.

Staub was one of two defense witnesses to testify Thursday. Testimony is scheduled to conclude Friday.

For years, Dechaine has had a large following of supporters who are convinced of his innocence.

But the victim’s family is convinced of his guilt. Sarah’s mother, Debbie Crosman, said outside of court that she and other family members have attended virtually all of Dechaine’s many court hearings over the years. She relives her daughter’s death at each hearing, she said.

“I get angry again,” she said. “And I don’t like getting angry. That’s not me.”