Jamaican Dancehall legend Vybz Kartel is finally a free man.
Just a day before Emancipation Day celebrations in Jamaica and the Caribbean, the Court of Appeal in Jamaica denied a retrial for the dancehall icon and three others charged with the 2011 murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.
This decision marked the end of a nearly 13-year legal battle that has captivated the island nation of Jamaica and the world at large. The artist, popularly refered to as ‘World Boss’ , along with Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Andre St John, and Kahira Jones, were initially convicted in 2014 and sentenced to life in prison. However, their convictions were overturned by the Privy Council in March 2024 due to juror misconduct, leading to the current appeal on to conduct a retrial.
Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop, the new President of the Jamaican Court of Appeal, led the judges in their ruling. The court considered breaches of the men’s right to a speedy trial, extensive pretrial publicity, and the difficulty of finding an impartial jury as the case featured high profile individuals.
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Claudette Thompson pushed for a retrial, arguing that technical errors should not allow the accused to evade justice. The defense, led by John Clarke and Isat Buchanan, countered that a retrial would be unjust due to the lengthy legal process, the men’s ordeals, Kartel’s health issues, and the potential for an unfair jury.
It was reported that Kartel was diagnosed with Graves’ disease which requires medication, radioactive iodine therapy and surgery to manage, all which were not available to him in prison.
The defence successful rebuttal influenced the court’s to halt retrial and free Kartel, real name Adidja Palmer, and his co-accused much to the excitement of fans worldwide who had been pushing for his release since his conviction.
The initial trial against Kartel and three co-accused began in January 2014, going on for over two months before they were convicted on March 14, 2014. Prosecutors argued that the deceased Williams was lured by Kartel to his home before he was beaten to death over missing guns.
Dancehall fans worldwide are in celebration over his release, with many anticipating an epic comeback from the artist following his long hiatus due to his conviction and health issues.
