Taped Jailhouse Conversation Raises Questions

An ongoing probe into last summer’s assassination of Bay Area reporter Chauncey Bailey has uncovered secret police recordings strongly suggesting there were others involved in the crime besides the one lone gunman under arrest for the slaying, and raises serious questions about the Oakland police investigation into the internationally noted killing.

The video tape recordings were obtained by the Chauncey Bailey Project, a group of about a dozen Bay Area news organizations, including KTVU Channel 2 News.

Chauncey Bailey was shot to death last August 2^nd blocks away from downtown Oakland while walking to work at the Oakland Post. He had been writing stories about a West Oakland business called “Your Black Muslim Bakery,” a business with a troubled past of criminal allegations.

The day after the killing, police raided the bakery and arrested Devaughndre Broussard, 20, who worked at the bakery as a handyman. He has been in custody since and remains the only person charged in the death of Bailey.

Yet, police tapes secretly recorded just four days after the slaying suggest direct involvement in the killing by the young head of the bakery, Yusef Bey IV, 22.

Police had arrested Bey IV in connection with a separate kidnapping and torture case and were holding him for several hours in a San Leandro jail cell. In the recording, Bey IV often lowers his voice and speaks to two other bakery associates about the Chauncey Bailey killing.

Project reporters were able to enhance the audio and hear almost every word.

Among Bey IV’s remarks are explicit descriptions of how Bailey died, how Bey IV had possession of the shotgun used to kill the reporter, among other seemingly incriminating statements.

Some independent legal experts say the recording leads them to conclude there is ample evidence to also charge Bey IV in connection with the killing.

Neither Oakland police or the Alameda County District Attorney would comment for the story. Bey IV maintains he is innocent of any involvement in the case.