The lawyer of slain national footballer Shaki Crockwell has hit out at the reprisal culture which has led to a recent spate of gun killings which he said often had the marks of planned executions.

And Charles Richardson said pressure was on the Police to crack the latest case after failing to solve the last two shooting murders — the slaying of 18-year-old Jason Lightbourne in Paget last July and the murder of college student Shaundae Jones in Dockyard in 2003.

Mr. Richardson appeared in court yesterday as the Department of Public Prosecutions went through the formality of dropping charges against Mr. Crockwell for possessing a bladed article and wounding. Charges which he had denied, and which the victim's father last night also denied.

Mr. Richardson said he only knew Mr. Crockwell briefly and added: "I didn't get the impression from him anyone was out to get him."

But he warned Bermuda was on the slide into a culture of gun violence and revenge.

He told The Royal Gazette: "There seems to be a propensity to carry out what appears to be planned executions with impunity. That should be of real concern to all people.

"This island is way too small for this type of — and I use the word reservedly — psychotic mindset.

"This gangsterism is not uniquely American or uniquely Caribbean but it is reminiscent of the type of things you see regularly in those jurisdictions.

"It concerns me a culture appears to be developing in Bermuda's underworld with planned executions — a standard operating procedure where people among us consider it proper to carry out these executions."

He urged people not to allow such violent bloodlust to flourish and take root.

While such incidents had nothing to do with the vast majority of the country everyone felt less safe as a result.

A failure to tackle serious social issues such as single parenthood, the disenfranchisement and disillusionment of young black men was partly to blame said Mr. Richardson and the problem would go on unless society got a grip.

But he said young black men both here and abroad were taking the attitude that if they were disrespected in any way then they would retaliate extremely violently. Getting rid of the reprisal mentality was difficult said Mr. Richardson who said he was once of the same mindset.

Mr. Richardson was given a 15-year jail sentence in 1995 for his part in the infamous Spinning Wheel nightclub shooting before earning a law degree while in prison.

He said he realised some would brand him a hypocrite for speaking out against guns in the light of his violent past.

"Every time something like this happens I feel a sense of responsibility and guilt. I cannot help but question whether or not the incident I was responsible for back in 1994 in any way contributed to anybody at anytime every considering doing something like this.

"The possibility is yes. It causes me to reflect."

He said no person should have the power to decide whether another lived or died.