(CMR) Mikkyle Brandon Leslie (36) was sentenced to 16 years in prison this morning for possession of an unlicensed firearm after he was found guilty in the February 21, 2020 shootout at Globe Bar off Shedden Road. Attempts at mitigating the lengthy sentence by claiming he was firing in self-defense were unsuccessful.
Leslie, also known as Brandon Leslie-Ebanks, was initially charged with attempted murder as he tried to flee the jurisdiction and return to Florida. He was apprehended at the airport and subsequently charged with the shooting. Although two men were shot with one seriously injured, it was later confirmed that Leslie was returning fire after coming under siege.
No one has been arrested for the injuries to the two men.
Justice Phillip St John-Stevens said that the evidence used to convict Leslie “came from his own hand and mouth” as the prosecution relied upon WhatsApp messaging he sent to friends bragging that he was involved in a gunfight and shooting, which led to several individuals being injured. Despite those damning pieces of evidence he testified that it was just “bravado” and a juvenile attempt at bragging for street creds.
However, the judge did not find favor with this testimony being truthful. In fact, at one point, he mentioned a small clip of evidence mentioned on Cayman Marl Road.
The defense submitted in mitigation of a lesser sentence that he only discharged his weapon in response to being shot at. Whilst it appears that accurate, the judge noted that it provided minimal mitigation because “to use a firearm that's loaded that has been carried to a bar to fire back at individuals” in anticipation of an incident cannot offer much mitigation.
Justice St John-Stevens spent a considerable about of time on the impact on the community with the escalation of violence through the use of firearms. He stressed that you could not simply walk around George Town with a loaded semi-automatic gun on you. Stating that there is no legitimate purpose for it, he noted, “there is no lawful or justified reasons to carry that firearm to a bar.”
Finding that there was no exceptional circumstance to consider in this particular case, the judge focused on several aggravating factors, which he found to be extremely compelling.
Turning to the aggravating factors in the case, the judge referred to his previous conviction in 2013 as a relevant and compelling conviction. He was sentenced by the US District Courts to 46 months in jail for the offense of conspiracy to import firearms and ammunition into the Cayman Islands. One of those rounds was found to have damaged property. Justice St John-Stevens noted that his desire to make money and cause further harm to the people of the Cayman Islands was apparent.
He also noted that Leslie's age and previous brushes with the law meant that he was not naive or a young man that was “lured into carrying a gun.” He gave him credit for being smart and shared that he was “clearly an intelligent man who had tried to smuggle guns and ammunition into this jurisdiction.”
These factors allowed the judge to go well above the minimum sentence of 10 years. He noted that credit should be given for time spent in custody as well as while on curfew.
Leslie has had other brushes with the law:
Ezekiel Carter charged with multiple counts in Vic's bar murder
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