Two experts told a Supreme Court jury yesterday that DNA identified from three pieces of concrete block left around the body of Aaron Glen Easton matched the profile of murder accused Stanford Glenfield Archibald.

And the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Forensic Laboratories experts testified that the chances of the DNA matching another person was between one in 1.4 billion and one in 1.6 billion.

Archibald, 39, formerly of Somerset, has denied killing 19-year-old Mr. Easton 18 years ago.

Mr. Easton's body was found on May 4, 1985 with 49 stab wounds on his torso. A concrete brick, which had broken into six pieces when it was thrown at his head had also fractured his skull.

Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Kulandra Ratneser, who told the jurors at the start of the trial that the Crown's case would be largely based on DNA evidence, yesterday questioned serologist and forensic biologist Gary Verret and forensic biologist Paul Roussy on their tests on the blood of suspects sent to RCMP labs.

Mr. Verret told the six-woman, six-man jury that Archibald's blood was found on three pieces of concrete block, two of which were of mixed blood samples and a third was exclusively Archibald's.

Mr. Verret said Mr. Easton's blood was found on the three remaining pieces of block.

Defence lawyer Mark Pettingill argued that the use of statistics did not relate to Bermuda.

But Mr. Verret explained that the reason they used the list of frequencies as one in 1.4 billion Canadian Caucasian males was because they did not have access to a reference group of the Bermudian population.

He also said that in May of this year, Archibald's DNA profile was found to be one in 1.6 billion African Americans - a study designed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Mr. Verret said although the numbers changed between the two studies, the differences were statistically insignificant.

Mr. Verret explained that every individual has a unique DNA profile - the only exception being in cases of identical twins.

In cross-examination, Mr. Pettingill asked forensic biologist Paul Roussy about laboratory protocols at the RCMP.

He asked if it would be acceptable for a doctor to bring blood vials in his pocket. Mr. Roussy said the RCMP only received samples from Police departments and they had to fill out a submission form before the samples would be accepted.

Mr. Pettingill then asked if the RCMP harvested the blood samples of suspects, but again Mr. Roussy explained that hospitals take the blood, which is handed in by the Police.

The lawyer then asked Mr. Roussy if the RCMP only dealt with accredited laboratories or hospitals and whether the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital was accredited. Mr. Roussy said he could not comment on whether or not the hospital was accredited.

However, Puisne Judge Norma Wade-Miller said the hospital was accredited, but Mr. Pettingill said that he really wanted to know whether the laboratories were accredited.

Mr. Roussy explained that he received the blood samples by courier in November 1997, and they were in sealed plastic evidence bags.

The RCMP staff then carried out the tests and found that Archibald's blood samples matched the DNA profile that was found on the pieces of block.

Mr. Pettingill is being assisted by lawyer Larry Mussenden.

Representing the Crown is Mr. Ratneser, Crown counsel Juan Wolffe and Cindy Clarke.

The case continues today before Puisne Judge Wade-Miller.