Two suspects charged with the 2007 shooting death of an editor for the Oakland Post newspaper, entered not guilty pleas Thursday. Yusef Bey IV and Antoine Mackey are charged with first degree murder for the shooting death of Chauncey Bailey in 2007. Bey was known in his Oakland California community for being a leader of the “Your Black Muslim Bakery.” The bakery was started by his father and had ties to a security service, school, and other businesses but other sources of income lead many to believe it was involved with criminal activities. Bey is charged with ordering the killing of Bailey and two other men after Bailey began investigating the bakery’s finances. Mackey is charged with being the get-away driver.
The presiding judge, Judge Morris Jacobson, also made the decision to release transcripts of grand jury testimony. The transcripts set for release are over 800 pages long and include testimony from witnesses, including former bakery handyman Devaughndre Broussard who accuses Bey of paying him to kill Bailey. Broussard pled guilty to two lesser counts of voluntary manslaughter in exchange for his testimony against Bey and Mackey. The judge also lifted a gag order, allowing lawyers to discuss the case with the media. Despite the lift of the gag order, the prosecution and the defense have still agreed not to do so.
