Court Frees Jamaican Artiste Kartel After 13 Years In Prison

Jamaican dancehall artiste, Adidja Palmer, known professionally as Vybz Kartel, will be released from prison after his murder conviction was reversed in March, a court ruled on Wednesday, July 31. 

The 48-year-old artiste received a life sentence in 2014 following his 2011 arrest for the murder of Clive "Lizard" Williams, whose body was never discovered.

After 13 years in prison, he has been released following a successful appeal.
Kartel, his co-accused Shawn "Storm" Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John will not face a second trial, the Court of Appeal declared unanimously today (Thursday).

Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop ruled, "We conclude that the interests of justice do not require a new trial to be ordered for the appellants. We therefore make the following order: judgments and verdicts of acquittal are entered in relation to the appellants."

"That is it. The appellants are free."

In March, the successful appeal – heard by the Privy Council in London, Jamaica’s highest court of appeal – argued that a juror accused of attempting to bribe others should have been thrown off the trial.

Despite overturning the convictions, the Privy Council did not free the men, instead passed the decision to the Court of Appeal.

The musician is one of the Caribbean island’s most popular musical artistes, and has worked with the likes of Rihanna and Jay-Z.

In 2014, the 64-day trial – the longest in Jamaica’s history – sentenced the co-accused to life in prison.

St John and Kartel received 35 years and 30 years minimum, while Campbell and Jones received 25 years minimum.

Kartel and his co-accused have maintained their innocence throughout.