Crime

Elderly Tourism Man found with ammunition committed to Trial

Published

2 years ago

February 16, 2024

Shanieka

Wilkie Arthur

Freelance Court Correspondent

#TurksandCaicosIslands, February 15, 2024 – An elderly defendant from the United States of America appeared before her Ladyship the Hon Chief Justice(CJ) Mrs Mable Agyemang via video link from his homeland for sufficiency hearing on Friday 9th February 2024.

His attorneys King’s Counsel, Mr Oliver Smith and assisted by attorney Mrs Kimone Tennant did not challenge the sufficiency hearing and conceded that there is sufficient evidence on the papers or in the bundle to commit the accused to trial in the Supreme Court.

MICHAEL-LEE EVANS was allegedly found with seven rounds of ammunition in his luggage upon departure at the Providenciales International Airport just before Christmas last year, on the 12th December, 2023.

He was remanded by the Magistrate’s Court on December until his sufficiency hearing in February of this year, but his attorney KC Smith filed an emergency swift bail application just before the Supreme Court was adjourned Sine Die (without date) for the holidays.

The office of the DPP, in the person of Mrs Nayasha Hatmin opposed bail for the supposedly very ill senior citizen, but the learned Hon lady Justice Ms Tanya Lobban Jackson granted cash and signed bail to the accused and permitted him to leave the country and return for the plea and directions hearing which is now listed for him on March 22nd, 2024.

Hon. CJ, upon request by Mr. Smith, KC, reluctantly granted a far date for the old man’s plea and directions hearing (PDH).

His PDH was to be on the February 22, along with all the other six individuals committed to stand trial at the sufficiency hearing on Friday February 9th 2024.

However, Mr. Smith KC presented meticulous reasoning for his client, even if at the risk of briefly frustrating of the Chief Justice. Smith requested a much later date for the next court hearing, explaining that he needed time for a decision, he was awaiting from the Court of Appeal on a point of law regarding the issue of “Sentencing Disparity and Exceptions Circumstances” that has created a serious public outcry here in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

KC Smith said the matter involves the Attorneys General reference proceedings before the Court of Appeal and waiting the court’s findings, rulings and/or directions.

The CJ told Mr Smith that she’s not minded to push the court date any further because the matter involving the Attorney General has only to deal with sentence and nothing to do with his client going to trial.

The CJ, in a very strong tone of voice said, “Mr. Smith KC, I don’t normally get annoyed with you but I am annoyed now, I don’t see what the Attorney General reference matter has to do with your client’s case now or being put to the next PDH.”

KC Smith still attempted to try get the CJ to see it his way and he added that he’s also not going to be in the jurisdiction at the next PDH on 22nd February. The CJ then reminded him that he’s here today before the court with his assistant Mrs Kimone Tennant allow her to do it, but he said he have conduct of the matter and would prefer doing the matter himself.

The CJ warned him that “you have used up all your Christmas presents indulgence for the year already” as she reluctantly granted him an extra month’s extension for the PDH regarding the American Tourist Michael-Lee Evans. The Plea and Directions Hearing (PDH) is set for March 22nd.

Ms. Tassja Mitchell was for the Crown and took no position throughout but when asked by the CJ her position, she replied, “I’m guided by the Court my lady.”

The accused man’s bail was extended to his next Court date of which he will have to travel back to the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) as ordered by her Ladyship the Hon Ms.Tanya Lobban-Jackson when she granted him bail in December last year.

Bahamas News

Gardiner Transferred to New York; Mystery of Missed Hearing Now Explained

Published

2 weeks ago

May 29, 2026

Deandrea Hamilton

The Bahamas, May 29, 2026 – One of the biggest questions surrounding the Jonathan Gardiner case appears to have been answered.

Weeks after reports surfaced that the Bahamian businessman failed to appear for an expected court hearing in Orlando, newly disclosed court records show the hearing never took place because Gardiner elected to have the matter heard in New York, where federal prosecutors are pursuing the case against him.

According to reporting by the Nassau Guardian, U.S. Magistrate Judge Nathan Hill ruled on May 19 that Gardiner was the person named in the federal arrest warrant and ordered that he be transferred to the Southern District of New York.

“…I find that Jonathan Eric Gardiner is the person named in the warrant for arrest…,” Hill wrote.

The judge noted that no preliminary hearing was conducted in Florida because Gardiner chose to have that hearing held in the district where the prosecution is pending.

That district is New York.

Hill ordered that Gardiner “be held to answer in the district court in which the prosecution is pending” and directed the U.S. Marshal’s Office to transport him to the Southern District of New York.

No date for a New York court appearance was disclosed in the order.

The development helps explain confusion that followed reports of a missed Orlando court date and marks the latest chapter in a case that has captured public attention in both The Bahamas and the United States.

Gardiner first came to the attention of U.S. authorities after surviving an Election Day plane crash off the Florida coast. Federal prosecutors have accused him of participating in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy, allegations he is expected to contest in court.

The matter has attracted even greater scrutiny because federal court documents reference an unnamed “Politician 1”, fueling widespread public speculation about the identity of the individual and whether additional disclosures could emerge as the case progresses.

Meanwhile, a separate investigation has uncovered troubling findings about the aircraft involved in the crash.

According to reporting by The Tribune, investigators say the Panamanian-registered aircraft that ditched into waters off Florida on May 12 did not possess a valid certificate of airworthiness and should not have been operating at the time of the flight.

That revelation has added another layer of intrigue to an already extraordinary case involving a dramatic ocean rescue, a federal drug conspiracy prosecution, political speculation and now questions about how an allegedly unairworthy aircraft was carrying passengers between Bahamian islands.

For now, attention shifts to New York, where Gardiner’s next court appearance is expected to provide the first substantive hearing in a case many continue to watch closely.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

Caribbean News

Bermuda Shaken by Targeted Murder as Crime Returns After a Decade of Calm

Published

9 months ago

September 21, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Deandrea Hamilton | Editor

Bermuda is reeling after the brazen murder of 37-year-old Janae Minors, a mother of two, who was gunned down in her own beauty supply store on Court Street, Pembroke. The attack, which police describe as “targeted,” has rattled the island, not only for its brutality but for what it says about the state of law and order in a country that less than a decade ago was celebrating a dramatic fall in violent crime.

The Attack on Court Street

According to police, at approximately 4:45 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, a lone gunman pulled up on a stolen black motorcycle, walked into the Beauty Monster shop Minors owned, and shot her multiple times. Despite the rapid response of emergency services, she succumbed to her injuries shortly after being transported to hospital.

Detectives say the killer was thin, tall, dressed in dark clothing with a full-face helmet, and wearing bright gloves. CCTV shows him fleeing north on Court Street, down Tills Hill toward TCD, before turning onto Marsh Folly Road. Investigators are pursuing all leads, with a focus on recovering evidence from nearby cameras and eyewitness accounts.

Police Commissioner Darrin Simons confirmed the attack bore the hallmarks of gang-related violence, a chilling indicator that Bermuda’s gang rivalries — long simmering beneath the surface — may once again be spilling into broad daylight.

A Vibrant Life Cut Short

Minors, remembered as a hardworking entrepreneur with “a vibrant, beautiful personality,” leaves behind two children, ages 16 and 18. Her murder has ignited outrage across Bermuda, not just for its senselessness but for its timing: the island had once prided itself on virtually stamping out gun violence.

Then: Near-Zero Murders

Back in 2014, Bermuda made international headlines for reporting zero firearm murders — a remarkable achievement given the small island had endured a spate of gang-related shootings in the early 2010s. Police credited intelligence-led operations, tighter firearms interdictions, and aggressive prosecutions of gang leaders. Community programs and mentoring initiatives also played a role, giving at-risk youth alternatives to gang life.

By 2015 and 2016, gun crime was at historic lows. That period was hailed as proof Bermuda could beat back the tide of violence with coordinated policing, social investment, and political will.

Now: Alarming Resurgence

Fast forward nine years, and the picture looks starkly different. In 2024 and 2025, Bermuda has recorded a rise in gun-related deaths. Rival gangs such as Parkside and 42 have resurged, fueled by a new generation of recruits. Economic pressures, high youth unemployment, and the easy flow of smuggled firearms through maritime routes have undermined earlier gains.

Community trust in the police has also eroded, making investigations harder and retaliations more likely. Opposition MPs and neighborhood leaders warn that without sustained focus, Bermuda risks sliding back into the violent cycles of the early 2010s.

Public Alarm and Political Pressure

Premier David Burt condemned Minors’ killing as “an escalation of community violence that cannot be tolerated,” promising stronger enforcement and deeper engagement with residents. The Bermuda Police Service has appealed for CCTV, dashcam, and doorbell footage from the area, urging residents that even the smallest detail could break the case.

Yet among the public, frustration is growing. People remember the calm of 2014 — when zero murders were recorded — and cannot understand how the island has returned to headlines dominated by gun violence. The contrast is stark: from celebrating the elimination of gun murders to confronting the targeted execution of a businesswoman in broad daylight.

A Test for Bermuda’s Future

The murder of Janae Minors has become more than a single case; it is now a symbol of Bermuda’s struggle to hold on to the progress it once made. The question facing the island is whether the successes of a decade ago can be replicated and sustained in today’s harsher climate of economic pressure and gang rivalries.

For Minors’ family, nothing can erase the tragedy of losing a mother and daughter so violently. But for Bermuda at large, her death is a wake-up call — that the island cannot afford complacency when it comes to crime.

As one community leader put it: “Nine years ago, we had beaten this. Now, we’re back to fearing what happens when the sun goes down. That is not the Bermuda we want to live in.”

Crime

Two Injured in Sunday Blue Hills Shootings

Published

10 months ago

August 29, 2025

Deandrea Hamilton

Magnetic Media & Eagle Legal News

Turks and Caicos, August 29, 2025 – A quiet Sunday afternoon in Blue Hills was shattered on August 24 when bursts of gunfire erupted along Front Street, leaving two people injured and sparking renewed fears in the community.

According to Eagle Legal News Media, residents reported hearing a barrage of bullets around 3:30 p.m., forcing people to run for cover. Videos from the crime scene later showed more than two dozen evidence markers scattered across the roadway, documenting the scale of the attack.

At least two individuals were struck by gunfire, though police sources said their injuries were not considered life-threatening. The victims were treated at Cheshire Hall Medical Centre, where emergency services were briefly disrupted as staff responded to the influx of casualties.

The spray of bullets also damaged property. A small black Japanese car had its window blown out, while a truck parked nearby bore visible bullet holes.

The shooting came on the very same day that senior police and national security officials had gathered for a special church service in Providenciales, where prayers were offered for peace and protection across the islands. Just hours later, residents of Blue Hills were ducking for cover as bullets tore through their community.

The attack also followed weeks of heightened restrictions. Though Blue Hills had only recently emerged from a community-wide curfew, neighboring Five Cays remained under emergency restrictions until August 26. Additional late-night rules — including 2 a.m. closures for businesses and a ban on after-hours alcohol sales — remain in place following the July 27 Hookah Lounge mass shooting that killed four people.

Police cordoned off Front Street during their investigation, but as of press time, no arrests had been announced.