Lawyer wants Vybz Kartel, co-accused freed over rights breaches

The defence in the Vybz Kartel hearing today argued in the Court of Appeal that the best remedy to address the breaches of constitutional rights is to acquit the men of the charge of murder.

Attorney Isat Buchanan made the assertion today in a reply to the prosecution.

He said the Crown has failed to provide evidence to justify the breach of Kartel and his three co-accused's rights to a fair trial in a reasonable time.

The Crown has also admitted that a potential trial will likely perpetuate the breach.

Buchanan says the prosecution has "failed" to justify the breach, and in the absence of evidence "the court must acquit."

"The cumulative delay falls squarely on the state," he said, noting that the men have been before the courts since 2011.

Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, and his co-accused, Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St John, are charged with the 2011 murder of Clive Williams in 2011.

The Court of Appeal upheld their convictions in 2020.

However, on March 14, 2024, the United Kingdom-based Privy Council, Jamaica's final court of appeal, overturned the convictions on the grounds of juror misconduct.

It said the trial judge should have dismissed tainted juror Livingston Cain, who was later found guilty of accepting a bribe to try to influence the panel. 

However, the Privy Council did not free the men.

It ordered that the Court of Appeal should decide whether there should be a retrial. 

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