October 16, 2018 Press Release
The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals has affirmed the convictions of individuals convicted of Murder and Attempted Murder. These decisions were released on October 10, 2018 and involved jury trials held in Jefferson County.
The Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the Jefferson County murder conviction of Samdrekus Eugene Bester. Bester was convicted of the intentional murder of Caudereo Roseman on May 13, 2016 in the 1700 Block of Alameda Court in Birmingham. Testimony in the trial showed that Bester shot Caudereo after a short verbal argument and then threatened other witnesses to the incident.
Jefferson County District Attorney Mike Anderton said the victim and Bester had just met and that there was no long standing feud between them. “The facts showed that Bester and Caudereo had just met through another witness and Bester pulled a gun, shooting Caudereo. Bester shot Caudereo additional times while Caudereo was on the ground and was kicking Caudereo while he was down. There is absolutely no reason this should have happened. No witness indicated that Caudereo was armed or caused any threat to Bester, “ Anderton said.
Deputy District Attorney Shawn Allen prosecuted the case. Bester received a Life sentence based on the conviction.
The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals also reaffirmed the 2016 Murder and Discharging a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle convictions of Rodney Bowden, convicted in the Attempted Murder of Kerry Laquinn Smith on August 17, 2012 in the 3500 Block of 23rd Street North in Birmingham. Bowden was convicted by a jury of shooting into the car of Smith after Smith had just left a friend’s house. Smith suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was placed on life support. Bowden was identified as having been in an altercation with Smith earlier in the night and pulling a gun, threatening to kill Smith. There was no allegation of Smith having a weapon with him at the time of the shooting. Bowden used alibi as a defense. Deputy District Attorney Dain Stewart was the lead prosecutor for the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. “Obviously, the defendant couldn’t get his feelings hurt without resorting to gun violence. Both men had walked away from the altercation and each could still be here with us today but for Bowden deciding that he was going to have the last word. That did not turn out well,” said Anderton. Bowden was sentenced to a Life sentence and a twenty-year sentence for the two convictions. Those sentences are to be served consecutively.
A charge against a defendant is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
