Vybz Kartel, a renowned Jamaican dancehall artist, is set to be released from prison following the overturning of his murder conviction in March. The Court of Appeal's decision on July 31 confirms his release.
Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, was initially sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014. This sentence followed his arrest in 2011 for the murder of Clive "Lizard" Williams. Despite extensive searches, Williams’ body was never found. Kartel, along with his co-accused Shawn "Storm" Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John, was convicted based on the prosecution's case.
The Court of Appeal's unanimous ruling means that Kartel and his co-defendants will not be retried. Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop announced, "We conclude that the interest of justice do not require a new trial to be ordered for the appellants." She further stated, "We therefore make the following order: judgments and verdicts of acquittal are entered in relation to the appellants," emphasizing, "That is it. The appellants are free."
The successful appeal, heard by the Privy Council in London—Jamaica’s highest court—argued that the trial was tainted by allegations that a juror attempted to bribe other jurors. The Privy Council, while agreeing that the convictions were flawed, did not release the men directly, instead passing the decision to Jamaica’s Court of Appeal.
During the trial, Kartel and his co-accused received significant prison sentences: Kartel and St. John were each given minimum terms of 35 and 30 years respectively, while Campbell and Jones were sentenced to 25 years minimum. Throughout the legal process, Kartel and his co-defendants have consistently asserted their innocence.
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