Family members wept silently yesterday as Stanford Glenfield Archibald, 38, appeared in Magistrates' Court to be charged with the 1985 murder of 19-year-old Aaron Glen Easton.

Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves presided over the formalities and Archibald was represented by Mark Pettingill and Larry Mussenden.

He was remanded in custody until October 29 when the matter will come up for mention. Mr. Pettingill asked that the mention date be brought forward a week so that the matter can be sped up. He told the Magistrate that because of the "vintage" nature of the case the Director of Public Prosecutions had had evidence for a long time and should not need that much time to prepare his file.

Mr. Pettingill said he was aware that DNA evidence formed part of the Crown's case and that may take as long as a month to be checked out overseas once it was presented to the defence team.

His client, he said, was on vacation here with his wife and family. "One day spent in custody for a man who does not need to be there is too long," said Mr. Pettingill.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Khamisi Tokunbo accused Mr. Pettingill of "grandstanding" and said whether the remand period was one or two weeks had no bearing whatsoever and the defence team will be served with papers as soon as possible.

The proceedings, which were also attended by the Commissioner of Police and about a dozen Archibald well-wishers, were held under extra security. Police blocked off a section of Reid Street some 30 minutes before the accused man was brought to court in a Police van. Traffic was also curtailed when he left the courtroom some 20 minutes later

About a half dozen plainclothes officers were on hand in the courtroom. Archibald appeared calm and relaxed and made gestures of reassurance to his supporters as he was led away.

Archibald, of Rockywold Drive, Sandys, has been living in Scotland with his wife and two children for a number of years.

He was arrested on Saturday shortly after arriving on the Island last week. Aaron Glen Easton was found lying in a pool of blood on Laffan Street on May 4, 1985. He had been stabbed repeatedly and left to die. Police said at the time that the murder was drug related.

Hours after the killing Police had to rescue a 30-year-old man from being lynched by a mob which was convinced he had committed the crime.