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Man accused of shooting is ‘a member of Parkside’, says police expert

Photo by Tamell SimonsAccused: A police expert told a jury that he considerd shooting accused Sanchey Grant (centre) to be a member of the Parkside gang.

A man accused of a double shooting was named as a member of the Parkside gang by a police expert.Sergeant Alexander Rollin of the Gang Targeting Unit said he knows Sanchey Grant from the Court Street, Elliot Street and Middletown Lane areas, which are the gang’s territory. He told the jury in Mr Grant’s trial he is known by the nickname ‘Bully B’.“I have seen him in the company of other known Parkside gang members. I consider Mr Grant to be a member of the Parkside gang,” he said.Sgt Rollin showed the jury a photograph of Mr Grant from a website. He explained it shows Mr Grant with a group of other Parkside members making the gang’s ‘P’ symbol with their hands.Prosecutors allege Mr Grant opened fire on footballer Shaki Minors and his pregnant girlfriend Renee Kuchler as they left the Southside Cinema in St David’s late on November 13, 2009. Both were left seriously injured by the alleged gang-related attack, and Ms Kuchler lost her baby.When Mr Minors, 28, gave evidence on the opening day of the trial, he admitted he was an “associate” of the 42nd “crew” at the time of the attack, which was engaged in a war with Parkside. He believes that is why he was shot.Sgt Rollin said yesterday of the victim: “I consider Shaki Minors to be a member of the 42nd gang.”A second man, Jahmel Blakeney, 30, is on trial alongside Mr Grant. He’s accused of masterminding the attack after spotting Mr Minors and Ms Kuchler at the cinema. Mr Minors named Mr Grant as being part of Parkside, and Mr Blakeney as an associate of the gang.Sgt Rollin told the jury he usually sees Mr Blakeney in the company of known Parkside members and “I consider him to be associated to the Parkside gang”.Earlier in the trial, the jury heard from DNA expert Candy Zuleger that Mr Grant and Mr Blakeney could “possibly” have left their DNA on a gun said to have been used in the attack. According to Ms Zuleger, there was DNA from at least five people on the pistol grip. She named two other people, Skyah Furbert and Kinte Smith, who are not on trial in relation to the shooting, as other possible contributors.Asked by prosecutor Cindy Clarke for his opinion on Mr Furbert and Mr Smith, Sgt Rollin named Mr Furbert as a member of Parkside and Mr Smith as a member of Middletown, a gang that falls under the umbrella of Parkside.Cross-examining the officer, Mr Grant’s lawyer Jerome Lynch QC noted that Mr Smith was originally charged and indicted “for complicity in this attempted murder” although the charge has now been dropped.The jury also heard evidence about another man investigators were interested in as part of the case. Detective Inspector Michael Redfern confirmed, in answer to a question from Mr Lynch, that a “to be arrested” instruction has been issued for a man named Ayinde Eve.According to Sgt Rollin, Mr Eve is a member of Parkside. The jury heard last week that Mr Eve’s DNA was found, together with component particles of gunshot residue, on a left-hand glove found in a car Mr Grant and Mr Blakeney were travelling in when they were arrested over the shooting.Det Insp Redfern issued a “to be arrested” instruction for Mr Eve as a result of the DNA discovery. However, he said, Mr Eve has left Bermuda for the UK and he has been unable to contact him.Det Insp Redfern travelled to the UK himself in June 2010 to interview Jalicia Crockwell, Mr Blakeney’s ex girlfriend, who spent time with both defendants on the night of the shooting.Ms Crockwell confirmed yesterday, when quizzed by Mr Lynch, that she gave police statements saying Mr Grant visited her family home in Pembroke from some time after 10pm on the night of the shooting until roughly 11.45pm.Detective Inspector Redfern agreed with the lawyer that, if this were true, Mr Grant could not have been at the scene of the shooting when it occurred around 11.30pm. However, he said, he felt Ms Crockwell’s times were “a bit mixed up” and the statement did not give Mr Grant an alibi.Mr Blakeney and Mr Grant deny charges of attempted murder and gun possession and the case continues.