Murder Trial: Defence Questions Gang Expert

The trial of a man accused of murdering a rival gang member continues in Supreme Court, with a Police officer identifying the defendant Antonio Myers as a high-ranking member of the Middletown gang, and the victim to be a high ranking member of the 42nd gang.

30-year-old Kumi Harford was killed at around 5am on St. Monica’s Road on December 5th, 2009, when he was hit by multiple bullets while driving home. Antonio Myers, 25, of Rambling Lane, Pembroke was arrested and charged with the murder in May, 2010, charges which he denies.

During yesterday’s [Mar.17] cross examination Jerome Lynch QC made this observation to Bermuda Police Gangs Expert Sgt Alexander Rollin: “You’re white”.

The QC went on to ask how well he knows the defendant and his associates. To this observation and query, Sgt Rollin replied that he knew “some better than my own family.”

Continung his cross-examination, QC Lynch asked Sgt Rollin how and who gathered gang intelligence. Sgt Rollin said that it was done by himself assisted by three others and that the process was a mix of direct observation and infomation gathered by patrolling and sighting.

Sgt Rollin had previously spoken on three gangs during the trial. Middletown gang, whose turf or area, he said, consisted of Middletown Lane, Rambling Lane, and King Street. He said that Middletown gang associated itself with Parkside gang and was an offshoot of Parkside gang.

Sgt Rollin gave evidence that Parkside gang’s turf was Court Street, Dundonald Street, Princess Street, and Elliott Street. He described 42nd Street gang’s area consisted of St Monica’s Road and Mission Lane and the many side roads that came off this. Sgt Rollin said that there would be a clash if any gang went another un-allied gang’s territory and that the result could be anything from fighting to the use of firearms.

In addition to identifying both the defendant and the victim as gang members, Sgt Rollin identified others including Mr Harford’s brother Jakai Harford as a ‘shot caller’ of the 42nd gang.  Using photos, he also identified approximately ten additional people as members of either the Middletown or Parkside gangs, which he said were affiliated.

Sgt Rollin said that he had known Antonio Myers for eight years, but with the last five to six years more continuously. Asked if he had ever gone into Spinning Wheel nightclub, Sgt Rollin said that he had.

The next witness was Mr Andrew Lawes who said that at the time he lived in a tent just off Parson’s Road and behind Car World; and that he lived with Mr Edwin Darrell, an earlier witness.

Mr Lawes asserted that he had known Antonio Myers since he was in Primary school; and that this was because his son Jahkil Samuels was his friend. Mr Lawes said that he had known Mr Myers all through Victor Scott, Dellwood Middle School, and Cedarbridge Academy.

Mr Lawes said that he recalled the early morning of 5th December 2009. He said that he recalled hearing what sounded like five or six gunshots that came from “across the pond”. Questioned further by Prosecutor Rory Field as to how he knew that they were gunshots, Mr Lawes replied that he had experience of guns having been shot himself.

Mr Lawes continued giving evidence saying that after hearing the shots he had gone to sleep and later that morning had walked up to Middletown where he saw Mr Meyers in conversation with another man.

Mr Lawes said that he had observed a patch of burnt ground and overheard part of a conversation between the two men in which they said that the “clothes” should have been brought to Mr Lawes who would have known what to do with them. Lawyer Rory Field asked what that meant and Mr Lawes replied: “If I would have had them no one would have found them.”

Continuing with his giving of evidence, Mr Lawes said that he had never known the defendant’s father or even if he was on the Island. Asked to describe Antonio Myers, Mr Lawes said that he knew him as a confident young man but not too bright.

The case continues.

[File photo of Antonio Meyers]

#AntonioMyers #KumiHarford #MagistratesAndSupremeCourt #Murders #Shootings

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