Three defendants in the long running, One Don Klansman Gang trial were freed of all charges by Chief Justice Bryan Sykes on Tuesday.
This brings to nine the number of individuals who’ve been freed of all charges since the trial began.
Thirty-three defendants were initially on trial.
One of the accused Andre Smith, was shot and killed in August last year, while he was out on bail.
Twenty-three defendants remain on trial, including the convicted leader of the One Don faction of the gang, Andre ‘Blackman’ Bryan.
More in this report from Robian Williams.
Bryan’s brother, Kevaughn Green, was found not guilty of being part of a criminal organization.
In handing down the verdict, Justice Sykes noted that the Crown wasn’t able to establish Green’s involvement in any of the three charges against him.
According to Justice Sykes, “it’s important to note that none of the witnesses were able to point to any details of conduct engaged in by Green. One of them said Green took instructions from Bryan to lock guns but no details were forthcoming to suggest this. Nothing other than just the naked assertion. It wasn’t fleshed out”
Attorney Anna-Kay Kelly and Shannon Clarke represented Green.
We spoke with Ms. Kelly on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, another defendant, Khalifa Williams was found not guilty of being part of a criminal organization.
Williams’ defence was that he has been in custody since January 16, 2017 at the Spanish Town lock up.
He said he was transferred to the Horizon Remand Center in April 2017 and has remained there to date.
He denied being a top shooter of the gang.
The prosecution witness, a former gangster, said he saw Williams on several occasions at gang meetings on Jones Avenue and at other locations, mostly in the year 2015.
But Justice Sykes says in 2015 the witness was not yet a member, so that aspect of evidence about the meetings is unreliable.
Additionally, he said the former gangster told the court that he became a member of the gang in 2016.
He adds that if he saw Williams at these meetings it would have had to be in the latter part of 2016.
The defendant Pete Miller was also found not guilty on the basis that he too was in custody at the times it was said that he was seen out and about.
Miller was in custody from November 20, 2012 to August 11, 2017.
He was re-arrested in September 2018 and held at the Spanish Town lock up.
He was transferred to the Horizon Remand Centre in 2019 where he remains to this date.
Shadae Baley and Gavin Stewart represented Miller.
We spoke to Ms. Baley.
Miller’s brother Marco Miller, is still on trial.
Justice Sykes will resume his summation on Wednesday morning at 10.
Robian Williams, for Nationwide News.
