Lawyers to press for dropping of charges May 24

DEFENCE LAWYERS representing reputed One Don gang leader Andre ‘Blackman’ Bryan and 32 of his alleged cronies will on May 24 start to argue their respective cases before Chief Justice Bryan Sykes in a bid to have the charges dropped and their clients freed.

The number of defendants for whom no-case submissions will be made is not yet known, but Justice Sykes instructed the prosecution on Tuesday to prepare an outline of its case against each defendant and to share them with the registrar and defence by May 20.

The judge issued the instruction after the prosecution wrapped up its case against the 33 defendants after calling its final witness in the Home Circuit Court where the defendants are being tried on an indictment with 25 counts under the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organizations) Act and the Firearms Act.

The police witness, a detective constable, was called to the stand on Tuesday to establish the chain of custody in relation to nine spent shell casings that were recovered from a murder scene at a supermarket at Chancery Street, St Andrew, on August 17, 2017.

The victim, Damaine Forrester, otherwise called ‘Doolie’, who was said to be a don aligned to a faction of the Clansman Gang, was reportedly ordered killed by Bryan.

Forrester, who was employed at the supermarket as a cashier, was reportedly shot at point-blank range in the head multiple times.

Tesha Miller, who is serving a prison sentence for accessory to murder, is alleged to be the leader of the Clansman Gang from which the One Don Gang emerged.

The police witness, during his testimony, told the court that he was the cop who had collected the spent casings and had submitted them to the government laboratory.

Following the close of the prosecution’s case on Tuesday, attorney-at-law Kimani Brydson requested to have the prosecution’s main witness recalled to the stand for further cross-examination.

The requested witness is a former toptier gang member and Bryan’s driver who had secretly recorded conversations that he had with some of the alleged gangsters on three cellular phones that have since been turned over to the police.

The trial was adjourned until Thursday.

The judge has asked the other lawyers desirous of asking further questions to come prepared on that day to make use of that window of opportunity.

He also advised lawyers who may want to have other witnesses recalled to inform the Crown or the registrar by May 17.