The father of Devaughndre Broussard is asked questions by the media after his son appeared in court (Laura A. Oda/The Oakland Tribune)

The father of Devaughndre Broussard is asked questions by the media after his son appeared in court (Laura A. Oda/The Oakland Tribune)

By Paul T. Rosynsky, Chauncey Bailey Project

OAKLAND – The Your Black Muslim Bakery handyman, who police said confessed to the killing of Oakland Post Editor Chauncey Bailey, once again denied, through his attorney, that he was the one who gunned down the journalist. Instead, Devaughndre Broussard claims he was told by a “high-ranking person from the bakery” to take the fall for the slaying and make up a story about how he did it, Broussard’s attorney LeRue Grim said.

And that order, Grim said, came in the presence of police detectives who brought the high-ranking bakery member into the interview room with Broussard.

“With police there – this person from the bakery ordered (Broussard) to confess and ordered him to tell police how he did it,” Grim said. “So he did, but that confession is not the true confession.”

Police confirmed Thursday that a high ranking member of the bakery was allowed to speak with Broussard before his confession, but denied the bakery member forced the handyman to lie.

Broussard demanded legal representation during the interrogation but was denied access to an attorney, Grim said.

“He also said that he was asking for a lawyer – that is believable because they would not let a lawyer see him while he was in jail,” Grim said.

But Oakland police homicide Lt. Ersie Joyner III denied the claim.

“He never did ask for an attorney, he was given a waiver form which he signed indicating that he did not want to meet with an attorney and that he was willing to talk to the investigators,” Joyner said. “Suspects do this all the time after they make a confession.”

Grim’s comments came after a brief court appearance by Broussard in which he was scheduled to enter a plea on charges that he killed Bailey. Instead, the case was postponed until next month.

Broussard is accused of killing Bailey because the 19-year-old handyman was upset about a series of stories the journalist was working on about the bakery’s troubled finances and family feud.

Broussard was captured after police recovered the shotgun used to kill Bailey during a multi-agency raid on the bakery’s headquarters.

During an interrogation after the raid, police said Broussard confessed to the slaying.

But several days later, Broussard told a television news station that he was beaten into a confession, a claim that police have denied.

Broussard continues to claim he was beaten during the police interview but Grim said, “I have not explored that yet.”

Grim said he has not been able to find out all the information he needs because sheriff’s deputies and jail officers had denied him access to his client. The first time he spoke with Broussard was Wednesday night.