NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Chuckling and engaging in confrontation with spectators outside of court yesterday, 42-year-old Seron McQueen was escorted into the Magistrate Court, charged with the shooting death of Antoine Barron Roberts.
According to police reports, shortly after midnight on May 4, 2019, a group of persons were sitting in front of an abandoned building on Hospital Lane, when they were approached by a lone gunman who opened fire in their direction.
Roberts was shot and the gunman ran away.
Paramedics were called to the scene and attempted to revive Roberts, but they were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Before the arraignment got underway on Monday, McQueen uttered death threats through a window in court to those he previously engaged with outside, saying, “I wish I could ‘juck’ her head off her body.”
McQueen appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt and was charged with one count of murder.
He was not required to enter a plea and has been remanded to The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until June 19thfor a Voluntary Bill of Indictment.
McQueen was also arraigned on further charges stemming from a separate incident.
The defendant was charged with one count of possession of an unlicensed firearm and one count of possession of ammunition.
According to court documents, on May 7, 2019, police discovered a .42 Luger firearm and 15 live rounds of ammunition in McQueen’s possession.
McQueen pleaded not guilty to both counts and has been remanded to The Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until May 28, where he will appear before Magistrate Derrence Rolle for fixture of trial hearing.
Before departing, McQueen’s attorney, Nathan Smith, expressed to the chief magistrate that his client alleges that he was severely beaten while in police custody at the Central Detective Unit.
He claimed police placed a fish bag over his head and physically abused him, which led to him suffering from injuries to the neck and ribs.
The defendant also alleged that due to this maltreatment, he was forced to sign documents and make untrue statements.
