In a landmark decision, the Jamaican Court of Appeal declined on Wednesday to retry dancehall artist Vybz Kartel, following the overturning of his 2014 murder conviction earlier this year.
This ruling effectively grants Kartel freedom after spending a decade in prison.
The pivotal decision in March came from the United Kingdom-based Privy Council, which annulled Kartel’s conviction in the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams.
The council also identified juror misconduct during Kartel’s initial trial as the primary reason for overturning the conviction.
Despite overturning the conviction, it deferred to a three-judge panel in Jamaica to determine whether a retrial was warranted.
On Wednesday, the Jamaican Court of Appeal concluded that “the interests of justice do not require a new trial to be ordered,” according to a report by the Jamaica Observer.
Kartel and three co-defendants had been convicted on March 14, 2014, after a trial lasting over two months.
Prosecutors alleged that Williams was murdered over missing firearms and that Kartel had enticed Williams to his home, where he was subsequently beaten to death.
During the trial, Jamaican police testified that they found a text message on Kartel’s phone suggesting Williams’ body had been dismembered and disposed of. Notably, Williams’ body was never recovered.
A significant aspect of Kartel’s appeal centred on allegations of juror misconduct – one juror was accused of attempting to bribe others.
Despite these serious allegations, the trial judge proceeded with the trial instead of declaring a mistrial, an action that became the focal point of Kartel’s prolonged appeals process.
At the time of his conviction, Kartel was one of Jamaica’s most prominent artists, known for collaborations with international stars such as Rihanna, Missy Elliott, Busta Rhymes, and Pitbull.
Remarkably, Kartel continued to produce music while incarcerated, including the 2016 single “Fever.”
