Gang populated by dons, lieutenants and footsoldiers, witness tells court

over 2 years in Jamaica Observer

The first of two Crown witnesses in the trial of 33 people accused of being members of the feared Klansman gang yesterday testified that the gang was a well-organised criminal enterprise with members holding titles ranging from don to footsoldier.The witness, who was testifying via video link from a remote location, told the court of at least five dons linked to the gang who were responsible for protecting specific turf assigned to them in communities in Spanish Town.Below the dons were lieutenants, while soldiers and footsoldiers were placed lower down the hierarchy and had to carry out any order they were given by the alleged leader of the gang, Andre "Blackman" Bryan or another high-ranking member.While he claimed they were all killers, he said rank could be determined by the number of murders a member of the gang committed, and some killers received more respect than others."It all depends on the amount of people somebody kill in the gang. They gain their respect by killing people. Whatever the footsoldiers are told to do, they have to do it," the witness told the trial being held under tight security at the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston.He said that Bryan's brother, Kevaughn Green, was a top-tier member of the One Don faction of the Klansman gang and confidently identified Green as the man "standing right beside Blackman"."I have known him for around seven to eight months. He used to come to my yard a lot of times to his brother, Andre "Blackman" Bryan. He comes inside and plays video games," the witness said."Sometimes when I go up to the apartment where he lives with his brother, off Shortwood Road, I see him up there. I saw him up there a whole heap of times. I can't count it."He carries out orders for his brother, Andre Bryan. I heard him tell him to get the gun ready or the gunshots and where he would want a specific person to be, locking the lane at a certain time of the day to protect the lane [Jones Avenue]. I was right there at the apartment," the witness told the court.The witness also told the court that Stephanie Christie, the only woman among the 33 accused, was a top-tier member of the gang."She does all the gang's business. She pays for lawyers and she is the one who communicates with the police officers. If there is a problem, she is the one who goes to the police station to find out what is the problem. Blackman would give her messages to give somebody who he doesn't want to talk with on the phone," the witness said.He referred to a man by the name of Sickhead, claiming that he was responsible for an area in Spanish Town called Top Banks."He gave all orders in Top Banks," the witness said.He also identified a man known to him as Smokey, who he recalled picking up in a car on Waterloo Lane in Spanish Town on the orders of Bryan. Smokey, the witness said, had a level of clout in the gang.The witness also said he saw Smokey twice at a studio on Jones Avenue and always spoke to him on the phone about guns."Yes [I have spoken to him]. He always called me telling me to tell Blackman that he needs some more guns up at Waterloo Lane. He is the gentleman in the yellow shirt," the witness said, identifying the accused.The witness, who first took the stand last week, also told the court of a man named Dylon, who he sometimes saw at the studio on Jones Avenue protecting Bryan. He also identified Dylon for the court."Sometimes it was at nights and sometimes in the afternoon. Sometimes I would go and buy food for [Dylon and Bryan], so I get very close," the witness said.He told the court that he also knew of a man by the name of Cappa, who, he said, he saw more than five times."He is the Rasta in the short sleeve," the witness said, identifying the accused man. "I know him from Jones Avenue. At nights he watches the lane. He has a rifle down there, walking up and down ensuring nobody comes up the lane," he said.The case includes the largest number of accused ever to be tried together in a single matter and is being handled by 40 attorneys. The accused are being tried under the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organisations) (Amendment) Act, commonly called the anti-gang legislation, with several facing additional charges under the Firearms Act for crimes that they are alleged to have committed between 2015 and 2019.The offences for which they are being charged include being part of a criminal organisation, murder, conspiracy to murder, arson, illegal possession of firearm, and illegal possession of ammunition. Bryan is charged with, among other things, being the leader of a criminal organisation - Klansman/One Don gang.Those on trial are Andre Bryan, Kevaughn Green, Tomrick Taylor, Damaine Elliston, Kalifa Williams, Daniel McKenzie, Michael Whitely, Pete Miller, Dylon McClean, Dwight Hall, Carl Beech, Lamar Simpson, Donavon Richards, Tareek James, Stephanie Christie, Fabian Johnson, Jahzeel Blake, Roel Taylor, Rushane Williams, Kemar Harrison, Joseph McDermott, Jermaine Robinson, Rivaldo Hylton, Jason Brown, Andre Golding, Marco Miller, Chevoy Evans, Brian Morris, Andre Smith, Dwayne Salmon, Ricardo Thomas, Ted Prince, and Owen Ormsby.

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