Three members of a gang of six charged with conspiring to murder a radio announcer last year have been granted bail.
Keshorn Dempster, Brent La Croix and Donna Dyer secured their conditional release from High Court Judge Hayden St Clair-Douglas last Friday after the 120-day period they were denied for without the possibility of bail under the Anti-Gang Act, expired.
However, only Dempster was able to walk into the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court without a police escort and handcuffs for the continuation of their case yesterday, as the rest were unable to meet their bail conditions.
Their co-accused Ishmael Ali was not so fortunate, as St Clair Douglas rejected his bail application last Friday.
Similar applications from the last two accused men—Dyer’s husband and Ali’s brother Rajaee and friend Brandon Borneo—are expected to be heard this Friday.
Their court appearance yesterday was to be their first before Magistrate Ejenny Espinet, who replaced Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar after she recused herself from the case in March.
Ayers-Caesar had upheld an application from the group’s lawyer Criston J Williams, who claimed she might appear biased because her security detail included officers from the Criminal Gang and Intelligence Unit, which had led the investigation in the case.
Espinet was not present yesterday and the case was adjourned by Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington to May 26.
Yesterday’s hearing was short and relatively uneventful, as prosecutors are yet to complete disclosing their evidence to the group’s legal team to begin the preliminary inquiry.
Besides being accused of conspiring to murder Slam 100.5 FM announcer Kevaughn “Lerbz” Savory on November 27 last year, the six are charged with being gang members and for possessing a gun and ammunition with intent to commit a gang-related activity.
All except Rajaee Ali are charged for intending to use the gun under the direction of a gang leader. Rajaee is also charged with being a gang leader.
Ismael faces charges for possession of a gun and ammunition with intent to endanger life and for assaulting a police officer when he was arrested in Woodbrook on the night the attack on Savory was allegedly due to take place.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) George Busby is prosecuting.