Adidja Vybz Kartel’s trial re-started today, Monday January 7 in Kingston, Jamaica and there are news and rumors of more delays in the air.
Defense attorney Bert Samuels, says there is a possibility that information that an individual purporting to be a juror in the Vybz Kartel murder case turned up at the office of a defense lawyer could derail the entire trial.
While the murder case was on break over the Christmas period, the purported juror attended the lawyer’s office. However, it is reported that the lawyer declined to have any discussion with the person.
If it turns out that a juror had in fact sought to speak with the defense lawyer, there could be implications for the trial.
There’s reportedly to be an investigation into the incident and Samuels says this is necessary to determine whether any damage had been done to the case.
Samuels says given how advanced the trial is he is hoping it will be found to have been an innocent encounter and the jury will not be dismissed.
When the trial resumed this morning, the jurors and the media were again barred as lawyers made submissions to the judge in relation to the in-camera hearing.
Before the matter was adjourned for the Christmas break, the jurors were asked to stay home because of the sensitive nature of the evidence being given by a cyber crime expert.
The jurors were sent home during the end of December 2013 to facilitate a ‘voir dire” which means a trial within trial to decide the admissibility of evidence from witness Patrick Linton, a former head of the of the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Cybercrimes Unit.
Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, and four other men are on trial in relation to the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.
The prosecution says Williams was killed on August 16, 2011 allegedly over two missing guns.
Vybz Kartel is jointly charged with Shawn Campbell also known as Shawn Storm, Kahira Jones, Shane Williams and Andre St John.
Jurors in the murder trial of entertainer Vybz Kartel and four co-accused are expected to return to court tomorrow Tuesday January 7.
Vybz Kartel (Adidja Palmer), Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Shane Williams, Andre St John, and Kahira Jones are being tried for murder in the alleged beating death of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams on August 16, 2011.
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