Clansman Gang Trial | Another defendant freed

One of the 27 remaining defendants in the Clansman One-Don Gang trial was this afternoon freed of anti-gang charges.

Carl Beech was found not guilty of being a part of a criminal organisation and two counts of facilitating an applicable offence by a criminal organisation.

Beech was charged for facilitating the murder and conspiracy to murder of a person called 'Outlaw' on November 2, 2017, in Lauriston, St Catherine.

A former member of the gang had testified that Beech was a member and that while transporting defendant Tareek James to carry out the murder, Beech saw them and volunteered to come along.

The witness, who was one of the gang's drivers and a former community don, had testified that when Beech saw James he said," From dem man yah inna de car mi know say somebody ago dead."

Reputed leader Andre 'Blackman' Bryan had reportedly ordered the murder and instructed James to do it.

The witness said he was also told to carry defendant Michael Whitely or Dylon McLean, but while on his way to pick up those men, he saw Beech.

But, the presiding judge Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, in handing down the verdict, said the evidence by itself does not prove that Beech was a member of the organisation or that he knew that James and the driver were members of a gang.

The judge also highlighted that no evidence was presented during the trial that Beech had attended gang meetings or had conversations with the two main witnesses.

While one of the main witnesses had only mentioned him in this murder, the judge pointed out that the other main witness made no mention of Beech.

The judge said he accepted that Beech was not involved the planning of the murder.

- Tanesha Mundle

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