Klansman Gang leader Andre “Blackman” Bryan on Monday disowned his absentee father and seemingly questioned whether the senior Bryan was actually his dad during a sentencing hearing at the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston.
“Mi nuh call nuh man father,” Bryan, who was convicted of being the leader of the notorious Klansman along with several murders in the marathon trial, told the court.
“Mi mother tell me something that mi nuh sure him ah my father,” Bryan added as he spoke on his own behalf during the hearing.
His attorney, senior jurist Lloyd McFarlane noted that the social enquiry report confirmed that Bryan’s father, Trevor Bryan, was not a major part of his son’s upbringing, which the elder Bryan reportedly implied was due to a disagreement over his child’s religious faith.
“It appears that the father Mr Trevor Bryan had wanted Andre to be converted to Rastafarianism and there was a disagreement between the parents based on that,” McFarlane told the court.
In the meantime, Bryan, during his address to the court, painted himself as a conscious man and quoted several scriptures while proclaiming his innocence.
“I didn’t get any subjects at school but I understand oneness, consciousness,” Bryan said. “The motto (of Jamaica) is Out of Many One People but you cannot use ‘one’ and ‘people’.”
He was however asked by trial judge, Chief Justice Bryan Sykes, to delay his speech as it appeared to be lengthy, and allow other defendants to go ahead of him.
The sentencing exercise for Bryan and 14 other convicted members of the St Catherine-based Klansman resumed Monday morning at the Supreme Court amid tighter than normal security.
The trial began in September 2021 with 33 defendants. At the final verdict in March 2023, Bryan and 14 others including sole female defendant Stephanie Cole Christie were convicted of different offences, including being members of a criminal organisation.
Earlier in the sentencing hearing, Bryan attempted to ditch his attorney and represent himself throughout, but he had a change of heart after being persuaded by Sykes against making the move.
READ: Klansman leader Bryan attempts to ditch attorney at sentencing hearing
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