In May of this year Ricardo Aguilar, Taedron Bennett, and Joseph Kee - all from the northside - were charged for the sensational mother's day double murder of brothers Phillip and Kevin Brannon from the Yabra area. Well after 8 months on remand - tonight 25-year-old customs broker Ricardo Aguilar is a free man and he is reportedly on his way out of the country.
This morning via a memo, DPP Kirk Anderson instructed Chief Magistrate Herbert Lord to withdraw the charges - reportedly due to a lack of evidence. Aguilar along with Kee and Bennett was facing 13 charges including two murder counts and two attempted murder counts. While today's development left court observers stunned, the Brannon family told us they expected it. We spoke to the mother of the deceased Gilda Brannon and the brother Basil Brannon, who was injured in the shooting. They told Keith Swift that the release of Aguilar doesn't surprise them one bit. According to the Brannons, they have given up on justice.
Gilda Brannon, Mother of Deceased
"I figured that would have happened anyway because I think the police try to their job but people now kill and as you get into court, they get good lawyers and they get off right away. I think the next two will get off too. That is what I think."
Keith Swift Reporting,
You don't think you'll get justice?
Gilda Brannon,
"I don't think so. I think the two of them will get off."
Keith Swift,
Do you feel somehow that because these guys are from the north side, they are getting special treatment?
Gilda Brannon,
"Well I think that too. But I raise my children to be responsible and thing like that so everybody is supposed to be equal, I think. I think we should get justice but I don't see that happening."
Basil Brannon, Brother of Deceased
"I am not surprised at all Keith. I said from when you interviewed me
in my bed at Medical Associates, that nothing is going to be done about this and I am saying it now. So it didn't surprise me."
Keith Swift,
Did you threaten the accused this morning, that you would come home for your gun and go after them?
Basil Brannon,
"You know I am smiling but I am angry because we are not that type of people. I have proven that over the last six months. I have let the system work. It failed us today and I know it is going to fail us on the 29th but at the same time I want people to see what is going on, that people of poor, especially me, colored people, don't have any justice in this place and that is what I want people to see. Of course I have a gun and I could go out and do whatever they did but let justice work and it is failing and it is failing terrible."
Keith Swift,
Do you think you'll ever get justice?
Basil Brannon,
"No, no and I said it from day one. It is not going to work."
Keith Swift,
Doesn't that bother you?
Basil Brannon,
"It kills me. It doesn't bother me, it kills me that it doesn't work."
All three accused are being defended by Ellis Arnold who pointed out in court that police took 2 witnesses into the cellblock this morning to conduct an identification parade. In court Lord said it was wrong and promised to bring it to the attention of the Commissioner of Police Gerald Westby. Reacting to today's development, CIB Chief Chester Williams says it was the DPP's choice to release Aguilar. He however says it is also the DPP's decision that Taedron Bennett and Joesph Kee will face trial for the double murder.
Supt. Chester Williams, C.I.B. Commander
"The file was sent to the DPP and he had in his memo stated that there is adequate evidence to proceed a criminal trial for murder against two of the accused persons. The DPP in his expertise saw that there was no evidence against Ricky Aguilar and he withdrew the charges against him. And he also saw that there is adequate evidence against Kee and Taedron Bennett and they will be going to the Supreme Court."
Taedron Bennett and Joseph Kee will return to court on January 29th.
