Vybz Kartel remains the reigning champion of dancehall, even throughout his incarceration. Police arrested and charged the dancehall star in 2011 in relation to the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. A few years later, the court convicted the “Romping Shop” singer and sentenced him to life in prison. Throughout his time behind bars, he remained one of the most consistent artists in the dancehall scene. At the same time of releasing an abundance of music, he attempted to appeal his conviction. Unfortunately, his attempts haven’t proven to be successful.
Most recently, Vybz Kartel took his appeal to the United Kingdom’s Privy Council where he tried to have “fresh evidence” introduced to his appeal. Kartel’s attorneys want to bring forth new evidence relating to the singer’s phone, which contained incriminating text messages and voice messages surrounding the murder of Williams. However, his attorney argued that there are signs of tampering with the phone during its time in police custody. Throughout the numerous attempts, Kartel’s chances of release became slim. Still, he remains hopeful that he could overturn his conviction in the future.
Privy Council Denies Vybz Kartel’s “Fresh Evidence” But Appeal Isn’t Over
Per Dancehall Mag, the UK-based Privy Council, Jamaica’s final court, denied Vybz Kartel’s motion to introduce this “fresh evidence” of tampering. This came after they refused permission to appeal “additional grounds” brought forth by his legal team. Additionally, the court refused his co-defendants, Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St. John on similar grounds. “Having considered written submissions from the Appellants and the Respondent, we have agreed to report to Your Majesty as our opinion that permission to appeal to be refused in the application dated 20 November 2020,” the committee reported.
However, not all hope is lost in this case. Though his efforts to introduce new evidence have been denied, his actual appeal still stands and is outstanding. As Kartel continues to fight the case, it seems as though he will still have a chance to make an argument in front of Jamaica’s final court. Still, his attorney, Isat Buchanan, didn’t share any new information with the media. “The matter is sub judice," Buchanan said, which is Latin for “under a judge.” We’ll keep you posted on anymore updates surrounding Vybz Kartel’s trial.