KAREGA 'Che' BARNES and Marlon 'Backto' Brown were last Friday convicted in the Kingston Circuit Court for the August 2005 shooting death of security guard Edward Green at the Caymanas racetrack.

The men are to be sentenced on Thursday, March 25, ending a four-year battle for justice, after Green was cut down while on duty in full view of members of the horse racing fraternity involved in an inter-departmental football match at a nearby playing field.

Maxine Jackson and Sahai Whitingham-Maxwell led evidence for the prosecution in the case that rocked Caymanas Park.

Evidence was given that a senior member of the Caymanas Park security detail saw the men near the Gregory Park entrance to the racetrack.

After spending between 10 to 15 minutes along the nearby train tracks, the witness said the men entered the property and shot Green. They stole his gun during the ordeal and fired shots in the air while exiting the compound, sending staffers at the playing field running for cover.

virtual peace

Police sources from the Caymanas station this week said after news of the men's conviction reached the Gregory Park area Friday afternoon, residents openly rejoiced.

It is said that since their arrest, residents of Gregory Park have enjoyed virtual peace. In addition, other members of the Road and Gulf gangs have been either imprisoned or killed by the police.

The entire community, the police source said, had feared the return of particularly 'Backto', as he was expected to challenge for turf he had lost while in custody.

Barnes and Brown join Wilberforce Mattherson, another Gregory Park gang member, who was convicted and sentenced to a long prison term in 2009 for a shooting offence.

The St Catherine South police continue to reap success with murders committed in and around the Caymanas Park area.

Recently, Christoper 'Egg Head' Scarlett, one of the men wanted for last November's shooting death of trainer Donovan Bruce was afterwards killed in a shoot-out with the police at Portmore Lane.

Another suspect, wanted for the murder of trainer Donovan Phillipps some years ago, was killed on the Caymanas compound.