ACCUSED SHOOTER PRESTON BREWER INDICTED ON 3 FELONIES

VICTIM’S FAMILY OPPOSES BOND, CITING FLIGHT RISK & CRIMINAL HISTORY

but did not fire it. The criminal history also includes Brewer’s 2005 arrest in Georgia for possession of methamphetamine and possession of a gun by someone under a temporary restraining order.

“The facts of this case already show that Brewer is a danger to the community. The above criminal history further reaffirms that he is a danger,” the memo states.

Now back to the indictment — and what is a grand jury, anyway?

For anyone who even surfs past national news, the terms “indictment” and “grand jury” have become inescapable in recent weeks. So, what is an indictment and what does it mean? And what is the grand jury that decides on indictments?

Maria Cramer summarizes it well in a June 8 New York Times article, “Here’s how indictments work in the United States’ legal system”:

June 22-25

• One of Key West’s most notable indigenous delicacies, the mango, will take center stage Thursday through Sunday, June 22-25, when the island city’s seventh annual Mango Fest salutes the flavorful fruit and its heritage. Visit mangofest.com for a schedule of events.

Sunday, June 25

• Queer Keys will host its second annual “Coming Out Party” at Key West Theater. Doors open at 4 pm and the show starts at 5 pm. The event is limited to ages 18 and older due to recent legislation. Come on out dressed in your favorite hippie, flower child, boho, free spirit, or queer extravaganza finery. Tickets are $50 and are available online at thekeywesttheater.com. If the price of the ticket is a barrier, please email info@ queerkeys.org. We have sliding-scale tickets set aside.

Tuesday, June 27

Agrand jury last week indicted Preston Brewer, 57, who is accused of fatally shooting Garrett Hughes, 21, outside a Key West bar on Feb. 13.

He was indicted on three felony charges: firstdegree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and violation of a concealed firearm permit, meaning a grand jury decided there is enough evidence against Brewer to warrant a trial on those charges. (More on indictments and the grand jury in a moment).

Brewer has been in jail since the Feb. 13 shooting in the parking lot behind Conch Town Liquor & Bar, and the victim’s family is requesting he stay there until trial. A pre-trial hearing currently scheduled for July 6 could include a request that Brewer be released on bond until the trial begins.

Police say Brewer shot Hughes upon seeing the victim, who was drunk, urinating on the side of a neighboring building behind Conch Town. In interviews with police immediately after the shooting, Brewer said that Hughes had come at him, and that the shooting was in self-defense. But prosecutors have said the security footage of the incident does not corroborate a self-defense argument.

A memo filed by the Hughes family’s attorney, Stuart Grossman, on June 8 asked the court to deny any bond requests and keep Brewer in jail until trial, given his financial means, his family’s out-of-state real estate holdings and his ownership of a boat, all of which “could be used to facilitate flight,” states the memo filed on behalf of the Hughes family.

The memo also details Brewer’s criminal history, which includes a 2021 domestic battery charge in which Brewer allegedly punched his girlfriend in the face, then retrieved a gun from the kitchen pantry,

“An indictment, whether it is handed up in federal or state court, is a formal accusation — not a conviction — and it is among the first moves a prosecutor can make to bring a case to trial. When a person is indicted in a criminal court in the United States, it means that a grand jury composed of residents chosen at random believed there was enough evidence to charge that person with a crime. Such panels, generally convened by judges at the request of prosecutors, meet for weeks, and can hear evidence in a variety of cases. The judge is not present during grand jury proceedings after the jurors are chosen, and jurors are able to ask the witnesses questions.

Unlike a criminal trial, where a jury has to reach a unanimous verdict, a grand jury can issue an indictment with a simple majority.

Grand jurors hear evidence and testimony only from prosecutors and the witnesses that they choose to present. They do not hear from the defense or usually from the person accused. … That one-sided arrangement often leads defense lawyers to minimize indictments and argue that prosecutors can easily persuade jurors to indict.”

The members of a grand jury are kept confidential, as are the cases they review.

In the matter of Brewer, a grand jury on June 8 voted to indict him, meaning they believe there’s sufficient evidence to try him for first-degree murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and a violation of a concealed weapon permit for having a gun in a bar.

The grand jury would not have heard any evidence or arguments from the defense on behalf of Brewer. And members of the grand jury will not sit on the jury that eventually hears the case at trial.

A pretrial hearing before Judge Mark Wilson is scheduled for 9 a.m. July 6.

• Schooner Wharf Bar hosts Backcountry Cleanup around Archer Key, Mule Key and Cottrell Key. All vessels, kayaks and personal watercraft are welcome to participate. Casual lunch will be provided. To volunteer, sign up at the Sebago office on Lazy Way Lane or call or text Ali at 850-508-2713. Also participating are Danger Charters, Appledore Star, Green Turtle Charters and Captain Rios Charters. Local rental companies are donating kayaks for the event. An after-party at Schooner Wharf Bar will offer free Bombora Vodka drinks and live music.

Wednesday, June 28

• In celebration of Monroe County’s 2023 bicentennial, Corey Malcom, PhD, lead historian at the Florida Keys History Center, will present “Monroe 200,” an overview of the forces and events that have shaped Monroe County from its inception to current day. The presentation will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 28, at the Key West Public Library, 700 Fleming St. The presentation is free, but seating is limited.

Thursday, June 29

• The College of the Florida Keys invites prospective students, family members, and the community to learn about CFK Academy at an information event and Dual Enrollment showcase. 5:30 p.m. at the new CFK Academy building on the Key West campus.

The event will highlight the benefits of Dual Enrollment, a program that allows students to simultaneously earn high school and college credits. The event will include tours of the new CFK Academy and beyond onto the main college campus. RSVP at CFK.edu/ CFKAcademy.

June 30-July 4

• Key West’s Key Lime Festival will celebrate the world’s most sensational citrus with a bountiful array of festivities across the very island where Key lime pie was conceived.

ALEX RICKERT alex@keysweekly.com