By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused in a deadly 2023 bar shooting had his second bail appeal dismissed yesterday by the Court of Appeal.

Cordero McDonald, 32, was denied bail by Justices of Appeal Milton Evans, Gregory Smith, and Bernard Turner as he awaits trial on charges of murder, three counts of possession of an unlicenced firearm, and two counts of possession of ammunition.

Prosecutors allege that McDonald, along with accomplices, shot and injured Theo Williams while driving a black Nissan Note. The shooting occurred around 10pm on March 24, 2023, outside a bar on Hospital Lane.

An off-duty officer reportedly pursued the fleeing vehicle, which was later abandoned on Hay Street after the suspects exited it. McDonald was allegedly found in possession of three pistols and 26 rounds of ammunition. A witness reportedly identified him as one of the shooters.

Williams, 29, died of his injuries on May 10, 2023.

McDonald’s first bail appeal was dismissed by Justice Neil Braithwaite on February 19. At that time, the defendant argued the evidence against him was weak and noted that two co-accused had already been granted bail.

Justice Braithwaite denied the application, citing the presence of a prima facie case, eyewitness identification, the plausible nature of the case, potential flight risk, threat to public safety due to multiple gunshots being fired in a public space, the risk of retaliatory violence given alleged gang affiliations, the risk to the defendant himself, and the potential danger to witnesses. He concluded that no bail conditions could adequately mitigate these risks.

The prosecution maintained that McDonald had known gang affiliations.

In his second appeal, McDonald argued that the prior judge had erred in assessing the risk of witness interference, failed to distinguish his case from that of his co-accused, improperly denied bail on the basis of his own safety, misjudged the strength of the evidence, and failed to properly exercise judicial discretion.

Although the Justices of Appeal disagreed with the finding that McDonald posed a risk to witnesses due to his proximity to them, they upheld all other reasons for denying bail.

The court also cited broader safety concerns, noting that since November 2021, 55 electronically monitored individuals had been killed, 22 of them in 2022 alone. They further emphasized that McDonald was already on bail and being monitored in connection with attempted murder and two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

McDonald will remain on remand at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. His trial is scheduled to begin on May 18, 2026.

Geoffrey Farquharson represented the defendant, while Dornell Dorsette appeared for the prosecution.