Feb 8, 2008 1:27 pm US/Pacific
Oak. Judge Postpones Muslim Bakery Kidnap Case
OAKLAND (BCN) ―
The preliminary hearing for Your Black Muslim Bakery leader Yusuf Bey IV and three colleagues on charges they kidnapped and tortured two women last May was postponed for two months Friday because the attorney for one of the defendants was injured in a car accident.
Because of the minor injuries to Patrick Hetrick, the defense lawyer for Richard Lewis, a 23-year-old former football star at Mission High School in San Francisco, Alameda County Superior Court Judge Eric Labowitz scheduled the hearing to resume on April 3 and 4.
The purpose of the preliminary hearing, which began on Jan. 24 and met for a second day Feb. 1, is to determine if there's enough evidence to have the defendants stand trial on charges that they kidnapped the two women last May 17 and tortured them in an effort to steal money.
The remaining defendants in the case are Lewis, Yusuf Bey IV, 22, his half-brother Yusuf Bey V, 21, and Tamon Halfin, 21.
In a surprise move last week, 19-year-old Joshua Bey, a half-brother of the other two Bey brothers, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping in return for getting only a three-year state prison sentence if he testifies truthfully against the other defendants in the case.
If they're convicted, the four remaining defendants could face life in prison without the possibility of parole for aggravated kidnapping for ransom and extortion and an additional term of life with the possibility of parole for kidnapping to commit robbery.
Joshua Bey began testifying last Friday and will continue his testimony when the hearing continues.
According to a declaration filed in court by Oakland police Officer Jesse Grant, Joshua Bey and Halfin admitted their involvement in the kidnapping after being arrested at the bakery on Aug. 3, but Yusuf Bey IV initially denied direct involvement, claiming he had been at the bakery all night.
But after being confronted with cell phone records indicating that he and Joshua had exchanged phone calls and text messages during the incident, Yusuf Bey IV admitted driving one of the two cars that allegedly were used during the kidnapping, Grant said.
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