The UK Privy Council appeal hearing for incarcerated dancehall artists Vybz Kartel, Shawn Storm, and their co-accused Kahira Jones and Andre St John, scheduled for Wednesday, February 14th, and Thursday, February 15th, will be streamed live.
The appeal for their case (Case ID: JCPC 2022/0049) will be streamed via the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council’s official website, commencing at 10:30 am on Wednesday (5:30 am in Jamaica). The esteemed panel presiding over the proceedings comprises Justices Lord Reed, Lord Lloyd-Jones, Lord Briggs, Lord Burrows, and Lady Simler.
Isat Buchanan, one of a team of attorneys representing Adidja ‘Vybz Kartel’ Palmer, is in Britain and prepared to advocate vigorously for the entertainer’s appeal before the United Kingdom-based Privy Council. Kartel, serving a life sentence for the 2011 murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams, seeks redress primarily on grounds related to jury management issues, encompassing alleged tampering with jurors and mishandling of telecommunication evidence.
Buchanan has underscored several pivotal points in Kartel’s defence strategy, notably challenging the validity of the telecommunication evidence presented by the prosecution. The defence contends that the acquisition of telecom data by the police violated Kartel’s right to privacy under Jamaican law. Central to the appeal is the argument that procuring such data infringed upon constitutional rights and statutory provisions.
Moreover, the defence aims to contest the trial judge’s decision not to discharge the jury following allegations of attempted bribery despite subsequent convictions related to tampering. Additionally, Buchanan intends to argue the appropriateness of the judge’s timing in urging the jury to reach a verdict, given the complexity and gravity of the case.
The urgency of Kartel’s appeal has been compounded by his deteriorating health, exacerbated by conditions during incarceration, including solitary confinement. Despite tentative dates for the appeal, expedited proceedings were granted on humanitarian grounds due to Kartel’s battle with Graves’ disease.
CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO WATCH LIVE STREAM:
