Sykes ‘satisfied’ Blackman was leader of Clansman One-Don Gang

Chief Justice Bryan Sykes says he is satisfied that on the evidence presented in the Clansman One-Don Gang trial, Andre 'Blackman' Bryan was the leader of the gang between January 2015 and June 2019. 

The judge further indicated that he feels sure, based on the evidence presented, that Ted Prince, Jahzeal Blake, Andre Golding, Fabian Johnson and Stephanie Cole-Christie are members of the gang. 

Bryan, who was initially indicted for 17 counts on the now reduced 25-count indictment, now faces eight counts, including the leadership of a criminal organisation.  

“I am satisfied that on this evidence presented, a criminal organisation existed and having regard to the role he [Bryan] played, he was the leader,” the judge said today in the Home Circuit Court while assessing the evidence. 

Bryan is among 27 defendants remaining in the trial. Five were previously freed when their no-case submissions were upheld, while another was murdered last August. 

With the exception of Bryan, all 26 defendants are facing a charge of being part of a criminal organisation. For some, it is the only count that they are on, while others are on multiple counts. 

But Justice Sykes, while signalling that he has accepted that Bryan is a leader and that the other five defendants are members, has not officially handed down a verdict on the specific counts on which they are charged, as he is still reviewing the evidence. 

The judge, however, came to the conclusion about the defendants while speaking about an unindicted incident which was detailed by one of the former gang members. In that incident, the ex-gangster testified that Bryan ordered the shooting of three men in Fisheries, St Catherine and that Blake, Prince and Golding were involved in the planning and execution. 

He also highlighted an arson incident involving a financial institution in Spanish Town, St Catherine, which the  ex-gangster testified that  the gang had burned down after the owner had refused to pay extortion money. The lone female defendant was fingered as being involved in the arson attack along with Bryan, Johnson and a now deceased member called 'Mackerel'. 

Justice Sykes said he found that Cole-Christie was a member of the gang based on the evidence led in relation to the arson, which is another incident for which no charges were laid. 

The judge, however, stressed that an unindicted incident can be used to prove leadership and membership of a criminal organisation. 

The case continues tomorrow. 

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