THE FIRST CANADIAN CONVICTION WITH DNA EVIDENCE

On April 10, 1989, forensic history was made when the RCMP forensic laboratory system became the first law enforcement agency in North America to introduce DNA evidence derived by its own police forensic laboratory into a court of law. Prior to this date, a few cases involving DNA evidence had been presented to North American courts but the analysis had been conducted by either private industry or university institutions. DNA typing was used to prosecute the assailant of 68 year old Ottawa woman who was sexually assaulted in her own home. The DNA profiles derived from semen stains left at the crime scene matched the DNA profile processed from a blood sample that was voluntarily provided after legal counsel advice from the accused. The estimated probability of selecting an unrelated individual at random in the Canadian population with this specific profile was one in 70 billion. In the middle of the trial the accused changed his plea from not guilty to that of guilty. (Reference - R.V. McNally, [1989] O.J. No 2630, Ontario District Court-Ottawa- Carleton, Ottawa, Ontario, Flanigan D.C.J., April 4,1989)

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