He beat a murder rap in a casino killing. Now, he’s accused of a rap-studio robbery
Kenin Bailey shot and killed a former U.S. Army soldier outside the Miccosukee casino, and avoided criminal prosecution because he acted in self-defense.
But nine months later, Bailey is back behind bars, this time on allegations he robbed a West Kendall rap studio at gunpoint.
It’s another plot twist for Bailey, 26, a former security guard who beat the murder charge stemming from the fatal shooting of Fernando Duarte on Christmas Day 2016 at the West Miami-Dade casino.
Duarte, a 33-year-old burly former soldier who was drunk and likely high on cocaine, had been asked to leave the casino after cursing and directing racial slurs at Bailey and friend Mikey Lenard at the poker table.
Later, in the parking lot, Duarte “engaged” the two, blocked their car with his and threatened to kill them while gesturing like he had a gun, prosecutors determined.
Moments later, Duarte again blocked Lenard’s car from leaving the resort parking lot. Surveillance video showed Duarte got out of his car and charged toward their reversing car, getting so close that Bailey opened fire, shooting 13 times and hitting the man with two fatal shots.
Between Duarte's threats, hand gestures and the possibility that he might have been reaching for a weapon, Bailey was justified in using deadly force, prosecutors concluded in freeing the two in January.
“Bailey could have reasonably believed that he and Lenard's life was in danger and that a firearm may be used against them,” a state attorney’s report said.
The rap-studio robbery actually happened six days before the Miccosukee shooting, according to a police report released on Tuesday.
Bailey and another man are accused of robbing two men at a rap studio at a strip mall at 15100 SW 136th St. According to police, the pair ransacked the studio while pistol-whipping one of the victims in the head.
The case remained unsolved until Aug. 15, when Bailey and co-defendant Torrence Hepburn were arrested by Miami-Dade police. The two victims picked Bailey out of a photo lineup, according to police.
Bailey, who remains jailed while awaiting trial, is charged with armed robbery, armed burglary, kidnapping and dealing in stolen property. His defense lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.
The State Attorney’s Office filed formal charges on Sept. 5, records show.
This story was originally published September 26, 2017 at 10:40 AM with the headline "He beat a murder rap in a casino killing. Now, he’s accused of a rap-studio robbery."