Fifth alleged Klansman freed
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Dwayne ‘Chemist’ Salmon, the man who was on trial for allegedly being the gunsmith for the St Catherine-based Klansman gang, was Tuesday morning the fifth defendant to walk free in the ongoing trial.
Salmon was freed following a successful no case submission by his attorney, Kemar Robinson.
Salmon had been facing charges under two counts on the indictment. The crown last week conceded that it had no case against him in respect of one count, leaving him on the other. On Tuesday morning, however, following a submission by his attorney, the remaining count which charged him with being a member of a criminal organisation also fell.
READ: Prosecutors say they have no case against some alleged gangsters
The crown further failed in its attempt to have the court amend the indictment to place an additional count on the indictment, making it a 26 count indictment as against 25 counts. The 26th count the crown had hoped to have added would have charged Salmon with providing a benefit to a criminal organisation.
The chief justice, however, in turning down the application, said it being made at this late stage of the trial would have been prejudicial to the defendant
The trial, which began with 33 defendants in September last year, now has 28 accused remaining in the docks.