The Trial Continues

OAKLAND- -After a plan to cross examine three suspects at the San Leandro Prison failed, the Oakland police created a plan to “conveniently” have a flat tire on their way back to Alameda Prison. The three men they detained were then placed in a room where they were secretly videotaped discussing their involvement in the Chauncey Bailey murder.

In a courtroom just a few blocks from where Chauncey Bailey was murdered, a set of 16 jurors, who have been meeting since the first trial on November 15, 2010, met once again on Monday April 18 at the Alameda County Court House.

Bailey, editor-in-chief of the Oakland Tribune, was in the process of writing stories about Your Black Muslim Bakery, which was once a prominent Oakland African American Organization and is no longer in business. The stories included the bankruptcy with some $900,000 in debts and allegations of criminal activities that employees were pursuing involving the Bakery.

After his killers found Bailey’s residence, on August 2, 2007, they attempted to stalk him on his usual walk to work to the Tribune. The killers looked for Bailey and did not find him. Shortly after ordering his usual breakfast at McDonald’s, Bailey was shot in broad daylight, allegedly by an employee of Your Black Muslim Bakery.

Witnesses say Bailey was shot by a masked gunman with a shotgun three times. Then his murderer fled to a van that drove away from the scene.

The day following Bailey’s assassination, members of the Oakland Police and SWAT ambushed the homes and business properties of Your Black Muslim Bakery's owners and associates. The son of the founder and current CEO, Yusuf Bey IV along with 19 others were detained under the suspicion that they had involvement in the death of Bailey.

Devaughndre (Dre) Broussard was one of those detained. Police reported that he was found with the shotgun at his home that was used to kill Bailey. His home was literally connected with the Bakery through the back door.

Broussard confessed to killing Bailey then later retracted the statement. Broussard said Bey IV influenced him to take the responsibility for the shooting because it would benefit the Bakery. He then pleaded pled guilty to manslaughter in exchange for a 25 year sentence and a full testimony at the trial of Bey IV and the others accused.
Court began at 10:14 a.m. with defendants Yusuf Bey IV and Antoine Makey on trial. Prosecutor Melissa Krum called upon Oakland Officers and asked questions regarding their involvement with the case.

Officer Steve Mork discussed findings testified he found of gun shells on the roof of Your Black Muslium Bakery. Officer Ryan Goodfellow chronicled his search of a black Dodge Charger that was parked behind the Bakery. The car was registered to Ameena Bey and contained various receipts some from Wells Fargo. Sergeant Daniel Donovan took the stand to speak about his search through Bey IV’s room where he found and watched a videotape on the funeral of Yusuf Bey Sr.

Jesse Grant, a Berkeley officer, took the stand. In May 2007 Grant worked for the Oakland Police Department and participated in the investigation of the case.

Yusuf Bey IV, Devon Halfon and Joshua Bay were arrested for being suspects in Bailey’s murder. On August 6, 2007, the three suspects were brought to the San Leandro Prison. Grant discussed wanting to sit and talk to all three suspects but when he attempted to interview Joshua Bey he asked for a lawyer. The plan failed. Then Grant along with his partner, Oakland Officer Ryan Goodfellow created a rouse to have a flat tire when they were about to transport the suspects back to the Alameda County jail. This led to the three men being held in a questioning room, where they appeared to be alone. Unbeknownst to the men, they were being videotaped and audio recorded through a two way mirror.
The jury of the Bailey trial watched the video tape on Monday. The video tape showed three men, the Bey brothers in orange jumpsuits and Tamin Halfin in the yellow.

After Joshua Bey asks where Bailey was shot at, Yusuf Bey IV replied the head and the three men began laughing. Yusuf Bey IV then goes on to converse on how he drove by the scene after Bailey was killed.

Yusuf Bey IV also knew he was being followed by police, saying “They was following my car though. Ever since it happened.” He then continued with “…first we went by the lake and talk about it- they know about that-and they know about us going to IHOP.”

Yusuf Bey IV then goes on to say, “The night before [the raid], the gun that was used was in my closet.”

The murder was pinned on Broussard. According to Yusuf Bey IV, Oakland Police investigator Derwin Longmire said Broussard should take the fall for the murder or Yusuf Bey IV would be pinned as the murder and it would “make the bakery look terrible”.

“The reason why they didn’t pin the murder on me was because of Longmire even though they wanted to pin it on me. They wanted to make it seem like since I was in charge , and he [Dre] worked for me, that I gotta point it to him. Even though he said he didn’t’ do it,” said Yusuf Bey IV.

Joshua Bey exchanged a life term for kidnapping and torture for three years in prison and to truthfully testify about the people involved in the Bailey trial. He was called to testify against his half brother Yusuf Bey IV.

Joshua Bey discussed moving back and forth between his parents in Oakland, CA and Florida. He finally moved to Oakland for his senior year of high school. After his half brother, Antar Bey died, Joshua Bey spelling and Yusuf Bey IV quit school to run the Bakery. Joshua Bey decided to work at of security while Yusuf Bey IV ran the bakery. Joshua Bey talked of various jobs where he stalked people and would call Yusuf Bey IV when certain people were leaving from their destination. The Bakery that was in debt at this time would get money for these types of jobs.

Court then dismissed for a lunch break at 12:45 p.m.

Those who attended the trial on Monday included Thomas Peele and Bob Butler of The Chauncey Bailey Project. The Project is a group of journalists around the Bay Area who have banned together to devote their time to continue Bailey’s work and to prove that “You can’t kill a story by killing a journalist”. ."

They have been reporting on the process of the trial and any news that has come out of the case.

The court dates are on Monday through Thursday from 9:30a.m.-noon and from 1p.m.-4:30p.m.