Man accused of nightclub murder

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A 25-year-old man was arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday over allegations he murdered a man and attempted to kill two others at a nightclub earlier this month.

Vernal Johnson, of Dumping Ground Corner, stood before Deputy Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain charged with a single count of murder and two counts of attempted murder stemming from the February 9 incident.

It is alleged that on the day in question, Johnson murdered Rico Taylor, and attempted to murder Anfernee Major and Jarvis Joseph.

According to initial reports, shortly after 11pm on the day in question, a group of people were at a nightclub on Hutchinson Street off Poinciana Drive, when three men entered the club and got into an argument with one of the patrons.

One of the three men subsequently produced a weapon and fired into the crowd, resulting in three male patrons being shot. The suspects then got into a burgundy coloured Japanese vehicle and sped away.

Police were dispatched to the scene and upon arrival discovered that the victims were taken to hospital in a private vehicle and ambulance. A short time later, one of the men was pronounced dead.

The other two men were said to be in critical condition.

Johnson was not required to enter a plea to the charge and the case was adjourned to April 12 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment.

He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services in the interim.

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