Dancehall legend Adidja Palmer popularly known as Vybz Kartel has suffered a huge blow after the three judge bench dismissed his murder conviction.
In a ruling issued on Friday, the three member panel of judges at the Jamaican Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal case by the dancehall artiste and his three co-convicts who were sentenced for murder.
Appeal Court Judges Frank Wiliams, Dennis Morrison, and Patrick Brooks affirmed the 2014 murder conviction of Kartel and his co-convicts but gave defence attorneys 7 days to submit documents for them to consider a reduction in sentence for the convicted men.
The verdict was delivered over a conference call with Attorneys and prosecutors involved in the appeal in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Vybz and his co-accused, André St John, Shawn Campbell (also known as dancehall artiste Shawn Storm) and Kahira Jones were sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2011 murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams. Williams’ body was never found.
Kartel was initially facing two murder charges, but in March 2012, he was granted $3 million bail on the first charge for the murder of one Barrington Burton. He however had to remain in jail pending the second murder trial.
However, when it came time for the second murder trial in November 2013, Vybz Kartel saw a different outcome. The 65-day murder trial is reportedly the longest-running in Jamaica’s history. The aced dancehall deejay was subsequently found guilty by 10 of the 11-member jury. His guilty verdict led to a life sentence where he was required to serve 35 years before being eligible for parole.
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