ECNETNews, New York, NY, Weds. July 31, 2024: The Jamaica Court of Appeal has made a landmark ruling, freeing prominent dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel, born Adidja Palmer, following a unanimous decision against a retrial in the 2011 murder case of Clive “Lizard” Williams.
The ruling also exonerated Kartel’s co-accused, Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John. This pivotal decision was made by a three-judge panel consisting of Justices Marva McDonald-Bishop, Paulette Williams, and David Fraser.
Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop, President of the Court of Appeal, emphasized the court’s consideration of the lengthy period the men have spent in custody and the adverse psychological and physical effects on the appellants. Defense counsel highlighted the declining health of Vybz Kartel, particularly his battle with Grave’s Disease.
In 2020, a legal appeal was initially submitted to the local Court of Appeal, which upheld the original convictions. The case was subsequently escalated to the Privy Council in the United Kingdom, which overturned the murder convictions on March 14, citing juror misconduct. The Privy Council then assigned the matter back to the Jamaica Court of Appeal for a retrial decision, which has now been denied.
