Two alleged Bloods gang members shirk court appearance
MYSTERY surrounds the whereabouts of two alleged members of the Clarendon-based Bloods gang, who on Wednesday were a no-show for a plea and case management hearing, one of whom investigators say is “believed to be dead”.
The two are among six alleged members of that outfit who are facing charges of murder and conspiracy to murder and were scheduled to appear before Supreme Court Judge Justice Vinnette Graham-Allen. When the matter was called up, two of the accused appeared remotely, while another two — the court was told — could not appear because the facilities where they were being held were experiencing technical difficulties. The whereabouts of the remaining two accused, the court heard, could not be ascertained.
Prosecutors on Wednesday said one of the accused, Steven Williams, who had been granted bail in the parish court prior to the matter being transferred to the Home Circuit Court, took up his bail and “disappeared”.
On Wednesday a citizen who stood surety for Williams told the court that the accused had been reported as missing to the Spanish Town police from August of 2021. A prosecutor further informed the court that investigators had confirmed the missing persons’ report and furnished a receipt but said that Williams is believed to be dead. According to prosecutors, checks made with the Registrar General’s Department have not uncovered any “records of his death”.
The judge, in noting that it has to be proven that Williams is dead, informed his surety that he was still bonded until it was proven that this was so and that the police would inform him when evidence was found. Prosecutors, in response to queries from the judge, informed that they would not be able to unearth evidence to prove that Williams was dead in time for the next court date.
The second accused, Alex Miller, who was also a no-show, the court was told, had his bail extended when he appeared before the Home Circuit Court on May 11 but up to 12:55 am on Wednesday did not answer calls placed to his phone. Furthermore, there were no records from the court’s entrance register to show that he entered the court’s premises.
On Wednesday the judge ordered the two accused who appeared remotely be remanded. She further ordered that a bench warrant be issued for Miller, adding that he should be given no bail when arrested.
The six accused are implicated in 10 murders committed in the Clarendon area that go as far back as 2017.
— Alicia Dunkley-Willis