Jamaican dancehall artist Vybz Kartel’s conviction for murder has been overturned.
Vybz Kartel, born Adidja Palmer, has been incarcerated since 2014 following his conviction for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams after a 64-day trial, one of the lengthiest in Jamaican legal history.
Sentenced initially to a minimum of 35 years behind bars, Kartel’s term has been subsequently reduced to 32 years. According to BBC, Williams and another individual, known as Chow, were entrusted with Kartel’s firearms for “safekeeping.” When they failed to return the weapons, Chow testified that they were both attacked, leading to Williams’ disappearance, and Kartel’s residence was subsequently burned down days later.
Williams’ body was never recovered, and Kartel, along with his co-defendants Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St John, have maintained their innocence.
Their last hope for justice laid in the appeal hearing before The Privy Council, the highest court of appeal in Jamaica and other Commonwealth nations, where they sought to overturn the verdict.
In delivering the council’s decision, a panel of justices highlighted a critical flaw: a juror accused of attempting to bribe fellow jurors was not removed from the trial. Despite the accusation, the judge allowed this juror to remain on the case and participate in the final verdicts.
The council deemed this allowance “fatal to the safety of the convictions” and a clear violation of the defendants’ fundamental right to a fair trial.
Moreover, the men argued that jurors were pressured into reaching a verdict late in the day, potentially compromising the integrity of the decision-making process. However, the panel did not delve into these allegations, as the seriousness of the bribery accusation alone warranted the dismissal of the guilty verdicts.
The Jamaican Court of Appeal will decide whether or not a retrial will take place.
