After 4 years since their sentence to life in prison without parole Vybz Kartel and Shawn Storm ‘s appeal trial is set to finally start next week Monday (July 9th) in the Jamaican Court of Appeal.
The whole place is buzzing! After four years of waiting Kartel can finally go in front of the appeal court judges, with his legal team headed byTom Tavares-Finson, the best lawyer you can get in Jamaica, and prove his innocence! Taveres -Finson expressed prior to the press that he is confident on the solidity of the appeal!
Lawyers for the popular deejay are contending that the judge, Justice Lennox Campbell, who presided his murder trial erred when he allowed prosecutors to use text messages and video evidence collected from his cell phone.
There are around 16 grounds for the appeal trial filed by Kartel’s attorneys, Valerie Neita Robertson and Tom Tavares-Finson, to convince the Court of Appeal their client is innocent.
Kartel, given name Adidja Azim Palmer, was convicted in April 2014, along with fellow entertainer Shawn Storm, real name Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St John, for the killing of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams in 2011.
Vybz Kartel’s and co-accused first trial has been the longest in Jamaican history, lasting over 65 days, and while it attracted attention from all over the world it was shaded by several shadows, with many observers believing Vybz Kartel, received a too much harsh sentence and not a fair trial.
Vybz Kartel and co accused are aware that while their legal team is prepared and will present a solid case the system, not the people, is not working in their favor.
Vybz Kartel, Shawn “Storm” Campbell, Kahira Jones, and André St John, were all convicted then sentenced to life in prison without parole on April 3, 2014.
In 2014, Kartel’s legal team filed legal documents for his appeal. Throughout the trial, the dancehall deejay maintained his innocence while his attorney argued that there were numerous problems with the case including police tampering with evidence, improperly handling the cellphone evidence which the prosecution used to convict the four men and intimidating witnesses.
Kartel’s attorneys, in their appeal, pointed to evidence presented during the trial that one of the phones was used several times, while it was in the custody of police investigators.
In March 2017, Vybz Kartel ‘s appeal, was finally approved and the trial date was originally set for February 19 of this year, but his legal team asked for more time to prepare for the case. The trial was then pushed back to July 9, 2018, today.
Paula Llewellyn, director of public prosecutions, confirmed that a three-man team, led by Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Jeremy Taylor, will oppose the appeal.
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