Six alleged members of a new prison group calling itself the Kings of Khaos appeared in a St. John’s courtroom Friday afternoon, charged with the savage beating of fellow inmate Al Potter.
Potter, a member of the Vikings Motorcycle Club who is awaiting trial for murder, was seriously assaulted by a group of inmates inside Her Majesty’s Penitentiary (HMP) Sept. 20. Potter reportedly didn’t reveal he had been assaulted and his injuries weren’t discovered until the following day.
His injuries were severe and required him to be taken to hospital. He is reportedly still recovering from some of them, more than a month later.
The inmates were charged with assault causing bodily harm in connection with the beating, and were brought from jail into provincial courtroom No. 7 in St. John’s Friday in groups of two.
Calvin Clifford Kenny, 26, is awaiting sentencing on charges related to the kidnapping, robbery and stabbing death of Steven Miller in C.B.S. last year. Kenny was also convicted in connection with a riot at HMP in 2014, which saw fellow inmate Kenny Green serious injured.
Robert Fitzgerald, 42, has been charged with armed robbery in connection with a hold-up at Davanna’s jewelry store in the Avalon Mall in March 2016.
Gary Thomas Hennessey, 33, has been charged along with three others in connection with a series of home invasions, armed robberies and the shooting of two dogs in February of this year.
Douglas Leroy Yetman, 39, is awaiting sentencing on charges of robbery, break and entry, forcible confinement, assault, assault with a weapon, possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose and uttering threats.
Robert White, 31, has been charged with robbery, break and entry, theft and mischief.
Ibukun Akindele Adetifa, 30, is being held at HMP awaiting proceedings for allegedly violating immigration laws.
In addition to the assault charge, Adetifa, Hennessey and White are also facing charges of breaching court orders.
Potter, 54, has a lengthy criminal record and is known to be a member of the Vikings, alleged by police to be affiliated with the Hells Angels.
Potter and fellow Viking Daniel Leonard, 35, are charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 39-year-old Dale Porter in North River, Conception Bay North, in 2014.
Porter was found in the driveway of his home. Police said in a news release his murder was “committed for the benefit of, at the direction of, or in association with a criminal organization.”
The investigation into Porter’s murder lead to Project Bombard, which included the arrest of 10 more men said to be affiliated with the Vikings on drug trafficking charges in September 2016.
With the exception of Adetifa, none of the men charged with assaulting Potter seemed particularly bothered as they made brief appearances before Judge Mark Pike Friday, who set the case over until Nov. 16.
The inmates are set to appear individually via video link from the penitentiary to enter a plea.
Twitter: @tara_bradbury
