Murder Accused Claims Brother Killed Minors
The murder trial of two brothers who stand accused of murdering Shane Minors continues in the Supreme Court, with one brother claiming the other brother confessed to the murder.
The trial of Ronniko Burchall, 22, and his half brother Leroy Symons, 21, began on June 16th. Both men are accused of being involved in the murder of Shane Minors, who was found dead in the entrance of his home in South Terrace, Friswell’s Hill, Pembroke on December 17, 2009.
Mr Burchall [below left] is alleged to be the actual shooter, while Mr Symons [below right] is alleged to have provided assistance.
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Yesterday [June 21] Police officer took the witness stand and was shown a video-taped interview with Leroy Symons. The interview took place on 3rd January 2010 and was about Mr Symons activities on the night Shane Minors was shot. Mr Symons said that he used to hang with his friends in the Deepdale area, but that he used to sell drugs “and stuff” up at 42nd.
He also said he had a girlfriend whom he used to visit after her mother went to work, and leave before her mother came back. He heard two shots about 1:00am on the morning of Shane Minors’s killing; at the time he was “chilling” with friends.
Approximately six times in the last five minutes of the interview, Mr Symons said “I did not shoot Shane Minors”. Twice he said: “I am innocent.” Several times he said that he had nothing to hide.
Defence lawyer Shade Subair confirmed that the officer had several years experience as an investigator with the Jamaica Police Force and had four years experience as an investigator with the Bermuda Police Force.
The officer confirmed that the date and time-stamped videotape showed that the interview ended at 22:17hrs [9:17pm] on 3rd January. Ms Subair asked what time Mr Symons, who was in Police custody, had been returned to the custody cells. The officer said immediately after.
However, Ms Subair said that the police custody record showed that Mr Symons had not been returned to the custody cells until 21:50hrs [9:50pm]. The lawyer asked what had happened in the intervening thirty-three minutes. The officer provided no answer except to say that he stood by his earlier assertion.
Ms Subair asked if a person named Jahkil Samuels was also in police custody in police cells that night; and that Mr Samuels was known to the police and that the police had a great interest in him. The Police officer agreed that was so. QC Jerome Lynch asked no cross-examination questions at that point.
An additional interview took place a few days later in which Mr Symons alleged that his brother confessed to him that he killed Shane Minors.
He said he told the Police about his brother killing Mr Minors as word was out on the streets that Mr Burchall had killed Mr Minors, and that people had pulled a gun on his [Mr Symons] child’s mother due to it, and that his family was at risk over his “foolishness”. He also said that prior to the murder his brother allegedly showed him a gun.
At the beginning of the trial, the Prosecutor said that the murder victim was not part of a gang, however his brother Shaki Minors was said to be affiliated with 42nd, and it is believed that his why he was targeted. The brothers are said to be affiliated with Parkside.
It is alleged that the shooting of Mr Minors was in retaliation for the murder of 22-year-old Gary ‘Fingas’ Cann, which occurred only two days prior in 2009.
The brothers deny the charges, and the trial continues…
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Bernews, what is meant by “He said he told Police about his brother killing Mr Minors as word was out on the streets that Ronniko Burchall killed Mr Minors, and people had pulled a gun on his child’s mother due to it and that his family was at risk over his “foolishness”. He also said that prior to the murder his brother showed him a gun.” ?
Whose child’s mother? Burchall or Symons’s?
Mr Symons. Sorry, we adjusted to try and make it more clear.
thanks, was just curious.
Talk about brotherly love! lol
If my ‘brother’ murdered an innocent soul in cold blood you’re damn right I’ll turn him in. ESPECIALLY if I was being accused of his dumbness. That’s what’s wrong with Bermuda today. Everybody’s got ‘brotherly’ love and no love for GOD and society. No LOVE for justice and righteousness. Brotherly love ain’t NOTHING if you can’t love your brother human being. Let my family kill somebody’s brother unjustly and i’ll love the deceased MORE than my own blood. How’s THAT for brotherly love.
@White Christ – You say that now… but it’s very easy to say what you would do or wouldn’t do from the comfort of your p.c. You can’t say with absolute certainty that you would turn in your brother if you were in the same situation.
Protip: Less talk – more action.
So these are the faces of some of the punks causing chaos on our island??? These guys don’t even look like tough guys; not at all, especially the geeky-looking one in the glasses. He don’t even look like he could kill a fly.
Anybody that goes around murdering people with a gun while hiding behind a visor, a bandana, or the cover of night are nothing but cowards. If found guilty, the law should come down hard on these guys. Life sentences, no parole.
Historically and internationally the best criminals (homicidal murdering maniacs) are the ones that appear to be nerdy or really good-looking. These are the sociopaths. What is really interesting is that they dress up for court to appear as law-abiding citizens. Really… going to court is like going to a play… there are many layers underneath the observable appearances.
these kids are mimicking the movies they see on t.v and watching those music videos trying to impress girls trying to make it rain and crap. Bermuda is a small island and these “up starts’ don’t realize their hurting their own families. at the end of the day when you want to turn your life around what r u going to put on your resume how much people you murdered and the gold chains you have. Street Cred you can’t add you your application.
Just think
The streets of bda