The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

SERGEANT Sheria King, head of the biology unit at the Royal Bahamas Police Force,  testified yesterday that she tested biological evidence in the Kofhe Goodman case, before shipping some of the items for further testing abroad.

Ms King told the court she received several items for testing from detectives on the police force that were collected as evidence in the death of Marco Archer.

Goodman, 38, of Yorkshire Drive, faces a murder charge, which he denies.

It is claimed that between September 23 and 28, 2011, he caused the death of Marco Archer, 11.

Archer, who disappeared from Brougham Street, was found dead days later.

Garvin Gaskin, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, is prosecuting the case with Neil Braithwaite and Darell Taylor.

Geoffrey Farquharson is representing Goodman.

Ms King said she was given sealed items including biological samples, a bone sample a tooth sample, a body tissue sample, a sealed sexual assault evidence kit from an unknown male child, a rectal swab and a blood sample from Tryphemia Ferguson.

She said she opened the sealed items and tested them for blood, semen and DNA.

After which she sent some of the items to the Fair Fax lab for DNA profiling analysis in Virginia.

When questioned by Farquharson on whether the evidence could have been contaminated by unsanitary conditions or by people walking in and out the lab, Ms King said no, each surface of the lab was cleaned thoroughly with ethanol and bleach.

She also said no one was allowed in the lab without being escorted as only she and the director of the Forensic Unit has a key for the lab.

After a short testimony, the court was adjourned until Monday where Ms King is expected to retake the stand.