Mon | Dec 1, 2025

Clansman Gang Trial | Proceeding halted for case management hearing

Published:Wednesday | February 16, 2022 | 1:28 PM
Expectations were high as the court was to begin hearing secret recordings of conversations between the former gangster and alleged members of the gang.

The Clansman-One Don Gang trial came to an abrupt halt this morning.

The proceeding was adjourned by the presiding judge Chief Justice Bryan Sykes who informed that he and the lawyers for the prosecution and the defence would need to have a case management hearing.

Sykes informed that the hearing is to be held in chamber with the parties.

This arose from a certain indication from one of the prosecution's star witnesses who resumed his testimony this morning.

Expectations were high as the court was to begin hearing secret recordings of conversations between the former gangster and alleged members of the gang.

When the trial started this morning, the witness identified the three phones that he had used to capture the conversations.

However, only one recording was played partially as the witness had indicated that he was not able to hear the conversation properly from his remote location though he was able to identify the person with whom he was having the conversation.

The former gangster-turned-state-witness had testified that he had recorded the conversations using three cell phones and had handed them over to the police.

The judge earlier this week ruled that the recordings were admissible and later accepted three transcripts of the recordings into evidence.

A few of the defendants were seen huddled together going through copies of the transcripts.

Reputed leader of the gang Andre 'Blackman' Bryan and 32 other alleged gang members are being tried on an indictment with 25 counts under the Criminal Justice (Suppression of Criminal Organizations) Act and the Firearms Act.

The One Don Gang is a breakaway faction of the Clansman Gang.

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.