A judge throws out the appeals from the dancehall musician who's sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison, and upheld the original verdict in the murder trial.
- April 4, 2020
AceShowbiz - Reggae star Vybz Kartel has lost his appeal of a 2014 murder conviction.
Jamaican lawmakers upheld the original verdict and dismissed appeals from the dancehall star and his co-defendants, Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St. John, during a teleconference hearing in Kingston on Friday, April 3, 2020.
Kartel, real name Adidja Azim Palmer, and his associates were charged with the murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams in 2011. Williams' body was never found and the co-defendants maintained their innocence throughout a 64-day trial.
Campbell and Jones were sentenced to a minimum of 25 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole while Kartel and St. John were handed a minimum of 35 years and 30 years, respectively, behind bars.
The four men appealed their convictions in 2017, citing, among other things, the impact of publicity on the fairness of the trial.
The appellate judges found no evidence to suggest publicity tainted the trial.
Kartel's attorney has yet to respond to requests for a comment, but reports suggest his client is planning to appeal Friday's court decision.
