The Privy Council appeal hearing of incarcerated dancehall star Vybz Kartel will be streamed live on February 14 and 15.
Vybz Kartel is appealing his life conviction for a 2011 murder. During the two-day session, the U.K. Privy Council will also hear appeals of his co-defendants, Shawn Campbell (also known as Shawn Storm), Kahira Jones, and Andre St John.
Last year, Isat Buchanan, the attorney of the deejay, confirmed that he sought an expedited hearing for Vybz Kartel’s appeal, citing his ongoing health issues.
It was reported that the deejay was battling an autoimmune disorder known as Graves’ disease and two alleged heart conditions. The condition of the 47-year-old incarcerated entertainer was said to be life-threatening.
The hearing will be streamed live via the Privy Council’s website.
Longest trial in Jamaican history
Following a 64-day trial from November 2013 to March 2014 before the trial judge and a jury in the Home Circuit Court in Kingston, Jamaica, the appellants were found guilty of Clive Williams’ murder.
The prosecution contended that the appellants killed Williams on August 16, 2011, after he allegedly failed to return two unlicensed firearms entrusted to him by Vybz Kartel. Williams disappeared after that date, and his body has never been located.
The police detained the appellants on September 30, 2011, and confiscated their cell phones. Key evidence in the case was extracted from these phones, obtained from a CD-ROM provided by Digicel, in response to a police request.
During the trial, the appellants challenged the admissibility of this telecommunications evidence, arguing that its acquisition violated the Interception of Communications Act and infringed upon the fundamental right to privacy of communication as guaranteed by the Jamaican Constitution. However, the trial judge deemed the telecommunications evidence admissible.
Amidst the trial proceedings, the judge was alerted to an allegation that a juror had attempted to bribe others by offering $500,000 JMD for a specific verdict. After investigating the allegation and consulting with counsel for both the prosecution and defense, the judge opted to continue the trial without dismissing the jury or the implicated juror.
The jury later voted, by a majority decision of 10 to 1, to convict the appellants of Mr. Williams’ murder. They were all sentenced to life in prison.
In 2020, all four men had their appeals dismissed by Jamaica’s Court of Appeal, but had time shaved off their sentences. Vybz Kartel must now serve at least 32 years and 6 months instead of the 35-year minimum before being eligible for parole.
They now seek to appeal to the Privy Council.
