Dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel is finally a free man after spending 13 years behind bars. He walked out of the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in downtown Kingston on Wednesday evening, following a significant Court of Appeal ruling.
The court decided not to retry Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, along with his co-accused for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. Back in 2014, Kartel, along with Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John, were convicted of Williams’ September 2011 murder.
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Their lawyers had initially appealed the convictions in 2020, but the local Court of Appeal upheld the original verdicts. The case then went to the United Kingdom-based Privy Council, which overturned the murder convictions on March 14, 2024, citing juror misconduct. The Privy Council sent the case back to the Jamaica Court of Appeal to decide on the possibility of a retrial.
However, the recent ruling means that Kartel and his co-accused won’t face another trial. This decision marks the end of a long legal battle for the dancehall icon, who can now return to his life and career.
Stay tuned for more updates and reactions as the story develops!
