Vybz Kartel’s murder conviction overturned

Vybz Kartel, the Jamaican dancehall artist, has had his murder conviction overturned. He was sentenced to life in 2014 for the 2011 killing of his associate, forty-eight-year-old Clive “Lizard” Williams. Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, along with three co-defendants, successfully appealed on the grounds of juror misconduct. The decision to uphold the appeal means that authorities in Jamaica will now consider whether to retry the case.

Kartel faced one of the longest trials in Jamaican history, spanning 64 days. Throughout the trial and subsequent appeal, Kartel and his co-accused, Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John, maintained their innocence.

The recent appeal before the Privy Council, Jamaica’s highest court of appeal, revealed that a juror accused of attempting to bribe fellow jurors was allowed to remain on the case, influencing the final verdicts. 

The Council deemed this action “fatal to the safety of the convictions,” citing it as a violation of the defendants’ right to a fair trial. While other allegations, such as undue pressure on jurors and improper handling of mobile phone evidence, were raised, the Council’s ruling focused primarily on the seriousness of the bribery accusations, leading to the dismissal of the guilty verdicts.

Prosecutors had relied on cellphone records and testimony from Lamar “Wee” Chow, the sole eyewitness, who said that Williams was killed at Kartel’s home in Havendale, St. Andrew, in August 2011.