DPP, Bailey hail gang convictions as victory for Jamaica

While hailing the conviction of 15 members of the Clansman-One Don Gang as a win for Jamaica, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn lauded the two ex-gangsters for putting Jamaica first by helping the State to put the hoodlums behind bars.

The two self-confessed ex-gang members and drivers, who doubled in their gang roles as banker and community don, gave key evidence about its operations and criminal activities, which were instrumental in securing the convictions against leader Andre 'Blackman' Bryan and his cronies.

One of the ex-gangsters provided secretly recorded conversations between himself and other members, which the judge used to rule that some of the defendants were gang members.

Reacting to the outcome of the trial, the DPP said, “The administration of justice and Jamaica succeeded."

However, she said the victory would not have been secured without the help of the two main witnesses.

“Although they have the antecedent as being a former gangster, in the final analysis, they chose to put Jamaica first, and for that, they should be commended, and we certainly – both the police and prosecution – are grateful that they chose to put Jamaica first.

“And this was a case where the credibility of the Crown’s case really rested on the two cooperating witnesses who are former members,” Llewellyn said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey, who is in charge of crime and security, was equally pleased with the conviction.

“It is a victory for the criminal justice system and law enforcement in Jamaica, " he said, “The verdict, in this case, represents to the world and Jamaica that there is a robust criminal-justice system in Jamaica.”

Bryan was found guilty of being the leader and facilitating seven murders by the notorious St Catherine-based gang, including a double murder and arson, while 14 of his henchmen were convicted of being members.

Like Bryan, some were also convicted for facilitating the gang’s murder and murder conspiracy, and one was found guilty of gun charges.

The majority of the convictions were handed down in the Home Circuit Court on Wednesday by Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, wrapping up the trial, which commenced in September 2021.

Of the 33 defendants initially hauled before the court, 17 were freed and one was killed.

Among those convicted are ex-soldier Jermaine Robinson and so-called St Thomas pastor Stephanie Cole-Christie, the lone female member.

Others convicted were Tomrick ‘Fancy Ras’ Taylor, Dylon McLlean, Lamar ‘Sick Head’ Simpson, Michael ‘Stennet’ Whitley, Tareek ‘C. J.’ James, Fabian ‘Crocs’ Johnson, Jahzeal ‘ Squeeze Eye’ Blake, Donavon Williams, Roel ‘Rel’ Taylor, Brian Morris, Joseph ‘Papa' McDermott, and Andrae ‘Raetae’ Golding.

However, of the 17 freed, the cases for five of them were previously conceded by the prosecution following the no-case submission by the defence. But for those who made it to the end, some were found not guilty because the evidence was insufficient while others escaped conviction after the counts on which they were charged failed.

The charge for leadership of a criminal organisation attracts a maximum sentence of 30 years while membership and facilitating both has a maximum of 20 years. The judge also has the power under the anti-gang legislation to order at least two consecutive sentences.

'CITY PUSS' FREED

Among those freed was Jason ‘City Puss' Brown, who the court heard was the deputy leader, and based on the recorded conversation attributed to him, was a strong supporter of and loyal to Bryan.

Brown was heard in the recording tracing the gang’s history from the infamous leader Donovan 'Bulbie' Bennett to his alleged successor, Tesha Miller, down to Bryan.

In that recording, he was also heard bragging about how he had killed the father of one of the now-freed defendant’s and how he had also ordered an attack on a police station.

However, although Brown was said to be a member of the gang, none of the two witnesses had seen him. As such, he was identified by an inspector, who had heard his voice on a recording and went undercover to speak to him while he was in custody.

The police officer blundered in identifying one of three recordings, resulting in the judge finding that his identification was not safe.

Brown will remain behind bars, however, as he is serving a life sentence for murder.

In handing down his ruling on the membership charge for a number of the gangsters, including the 48-year-old pastor, as well as Johnson and the soldier, Justice Sykes pointed to their conversations.

The judge questioned the rationale behind the discussion that the two males were having with the ex-gangster about guns, among other things. He noted that their conversations were consistent with the evidence given by the witnesses.

He also pointed to the ease with which they conversed, how they answered to the names that they were called, and the references made to the leader by the different names by which he was called.

With regard to Cole-Christie, he said the conversation was consistent with the evidence by the witnesses about her role, which was the gang’s fixer, which included police mediator and procurer of lawyers and bailers for members. He said that the conversation also showed that she was a person of influence inside and outside of the gang.

WELL-INVESTIGATED CASE

The DPP, while congratulating the police, highlighted that the case was well investigated and that the police amassed a lot of useful and crucial evidence.

Similarly, she also hailed the four prosecutors for the “high-class professional job” in bringing the matter before the court despite many challenges.

Citing one of the challenges, Llewellyn said that the police had difficulties finding willing civilian witnesses.

“It is very unfortunate that apart from maybe one civilian witness, we did not have anybody – even a person to even identify the murdered victims. There was nobody to even identify the body of their loved one who had been murdered. So it tells you the great challenge we have in putting matters like this before the court,” the DPP said.

“So we had to use our experience, knowledge of the law, emotional intelligence, and our sense of strategy to try to put forward the best material, which was cogent, credible, admissible, and reliable before the court, Llewellyn said.

Bailey, for his part, said: “This investigation represented the effectiveness of stakeholders involving the police and other law-enforcement agencies as well as the prosecution. It also demonstrated that the Jamaica Constabulary Force has the capacity and the integrity to investigate criminal organisation.

“I believe with adequate resources we can, as a law-enforcement body, bring crime and violence to tolerable levels using the legal processes,” he added while thanking the various law-enforcement agencies, including the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Branch, involved in the investigation.

Bailey, however, noted that a number of legal perspectives emanated from the trial and that there were lessons to be learnt and that the police would be doing its own evaluation to identify the gaps and have them addressed.

In the meantime, the crime boss, when asked about the concerns regarding a possible flare-up of violence in St Catherine, said: “We are prepared for any eventuality, and we are law enforcement, and we have a responsibly to protect the nation, people, and community, so we are prepared.”

The convicts will be sentenced on July 3.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com