Murder accused freed as judge finds evidence too weak for trial

A man accused of murdering a barber and wounding another man during a 2025 gun attack at their home in St Andrew was acquitted after a parish judge found there was insufficient evidence to put him on trial.

Brandon Fletcher, 34, of Gordon Town, was discharged when the matter came up for committal proceedings before Judge Cadeen Barnett in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

Fletcher had been charged with the murder of Clayton Francis, otherwise called ‘Siva’, wounding with intent, possession of a prohibited weapon, and unauthorised possession of ammunition in connection with the December 2025 shooting.

During the committal proceedings, defence attorneys Michael Deans and John Jacobs challenged the reliability of the prosecution’s main eyewitness’ identification evidence. The judge accepted their submissions and ruled that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against Fletcher.

Fletcher maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings, insisting that he was in Portland at the time of the shooting and could not have been involved.

According to the defence, Fletcher said several people, including his pastor uncle, could attest to the fact that he was outside Kingston when the shooting occurred.

The allegations were that some time between 12:30 a.m. and 1:10 a.m. on Saturday, December 27, a lone gunman entered the downstairs section of a house on Gordon Town Road and opened fire.

Francis and another man were shot during the attack. Francis later succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at hospital. The other man, who had been shot in the neck and abdomen, was taken to hospital for treatment.

In his first statement, the witness told investigators that he and Francis, who he had known for more than five years, were downstairs in the same room when the attack occurred.

The witness said he had been smoking and drinking when he heard the door open and gunshots ring out.

He said the gunman pointed the weapon at him before Francis ran towards the attacker. Francis was shot and fell to the ground.

The gunman then stepped on Francis and asked, “Weh di ting deh?”

Francis replied, “Dog, dog,” before the gunman fled.

EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT

The witness said the room was illuminated and, although the gunman was wearing a mask, he could clearly see his eyes. He described the shooter as about 5 feet 8 inches tall, dark in complexion, of medium build, and dressed entirely in black.

He said he would be able to identify the gunman by his eyes, build and height.

In a second statement, the witness identified Fletcher as the shooter, saying he was certain because he recognised his eyes, build, and the shape of his ears, which were visible beneath the mask, when the gunman stood over him after he had been shot.

He also said he recognised Fletcher’s deep voice and had known him all his life.

The witness told investigators that he initially withheld the shooter’s identity because he feared for his own life and that of his mother.

He further stated that the day before the shooting, he received a telephone call from one of Francis’ friends asking about his whereabouts, but the person never visited the premises.

The witness also said Francis had appeared worried on the night of the shooting.

Following investigations, Fletcher was arrested and charged in connection with the incident.

The witness alleged that the shooting stemmed from a dispute over a wall that was being built around the house where the attack occurred.

However, during the committal proceedings, the defence successfully challenged the reliability of the identification evidence linking Fletcher to the offences, resulting in the charges being dismissed.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com