But first we go to the Magistrate’s Court where today police formally charged Darren Banks for shooting at Richard Russell on Thursday morning. Banks was arraigned in Magistrate’s Court for two counts of attempted murder jointly with Steven Zelaya. Police allege that both men shot at Richard Russell and Alex Myers just before mid-day on Thursday on Central American Boulevard. Thursday’s shooting is believed to have been retaliation for Wednesday night’s murder of Dillon Bennett on Mahogany Street.
In court this morning, Banks and Zelaya were denied bail and remanded to prison. But the story tonight doesn’t end there because Banks’ family is speaking out. Today his mother Elida Williams Bonnell and his wife Deseree Banks told 7NEWS that Darren is being unfairly targeted. His wife Deseree, who was initially detained with her husband, says he’s innocent and she says the police know fully well because he was with a police officer when the shots were fired on Thursday morning. But more than that, she says her husband was beaten inside the holding cell – not by police but by other detainees who pulled out his dreadlocks.
Deseree Banks, Darren Banks’ Wife
“He was home doing his statement with Palomo for the killing because
we heard Dillon died. We went to the police station, they detained us, locked us up, locked my husband down by the male cell and locked me up by the female cell. About 10:30, 11 in the night I asked them why am I here, please can’t I go home because I need to go and check on my children. And then they said I don’t know who you are under and so I said no problem.
While in custody, Thursday evening or afternoon they threw a chicken in the Ghost Town cell, that was cell number one. In that chicken, when they decided to brush down the night, the Thursday night about 5:30 to 6 they found a dagger in the chicken. The handle alone was about 4 to 5 inches, the blade alone was 6 to 7 inches. They found a cell phone and they found some razor blades. So instantly one of the inspectors Mr. Casey they called him and he said this dagger was meant for Darren.”
Elida Williams Bonnell, Darren Banks’ Mother
“I am Darren Banks’ mother, Mrs. Elida Williams Bonnell. I am tired of this. When he was in the cell this time they threw a knife in there and wanted to kill my son and they pulled out his dreads, all these things are wrong. And these things are happening because the police are doing these things to the boys them. If you cannot sell crack and cocaine for them, they want to kill you. This thing is with the policemen and the whole public has to know about this.”
Deseree Banks,
“It is time that that stops because it is plain to see that they are bullying my husband. Attempted murder? Common on ‘notorious Darren Banks,’ if he was so notorious he must have a conviction, he must would have been convicted by now. Come on, common sense. People are here with sense not with nonsense. Education without common sense is no sense at all.”
Elida Williams Bonnell,
“I want them to know that my son is not badder than anybody else. He is not worse than anybody else.”
Keith Swift,
But your son has a bad reputation.
Elida Williams Bonnell,
“Alright if my son has a bad reputation, who gives him the bad reputation, the police give it. They are the ones who are doing this. My doesn’t have a bad reputation more than what they give him. They are the ones who say he has a bad reputation but I will not say that about my son and nobody who knows my son would say that.”
And following up on those threats and the incident inside the holding cell, today police charged Jervis Valencia, Deon Bennett-Bracket, and Ervin James for possession of an article blade. The charge is for the 4 inch blade that was found in the holding cell. The officer on duty reported that on Saturday morning Valencia, Bennett, James, and Myers were inside holding cell number one where a cream colored blade with a chrome handle was found stuck inside a piece of chicken. Myers wasn’t charged today but the other three all pleaded not guilty and were granted bail.
But they weren’t free to go because Deon Bennett owed the court a thousand dollars, Jervis Valencia owed the court $205 and Ervin James owed the court $305. Valencia paid $100 immediately and was given time to pay the rest and Ervin James paid all $305. Bennett couldn’t pay the one grand he owed and was remanded to prison. All three are due back in court on December 11th.
