Vybz Kartel was arrested over a decade ago for his alleged role in the disappearance of his associate Clive "Lizard" Williams, whose body has yet to be found. In March, things began to look up for the beloved dancehall artist when he appealed his life sentence. His appeal was successful and the conviction was overturned, though he can still be retried.
Today, however, he and his co-defendants Shawn “Shawn Storm” Campbell and Andre St John appeared in court in Kingston where Supreme Court Justice Andrea Thomas denied them bail. This means that they must stay behind bars until they're formally acquitted or a decision is made regarding a retrial. “In view of the fact that their appeal is not yet determined they should remain in custody until their appeal is concluded," Justice Thomas explained. “That is until a verdict of acquittal is entered or there is a decision for a retrial."
Read More: Why Was Vybz Kartel Jailed?
Vybz Kartel & His Co-Defendants Will Remain Behind Bars
The ruling was announced after the men's attorney Isat Buchanan argued that “a conviction must exist for there to be authority to detain” them. The state fired back, claiming that they weren't acquitted just because their convictions were overturned by the Privy Council. Instead, they're said to be back to their pre-trial status along with "live" murder charges.
When Vybz's conviction was overturned, his attorneys cited alleged juror misconduct that took place during his 2014 trial. They accuse one juror of offering the others $500K in an attempt to sway the outcome. "The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council has concluded that the appeals should be allowed and the appellants’ convictions should be quashed on the ground of juror misconduct, and that the case should be remitted to the Court of Appeal of Jamaica to decide whether to order a retrial of the appellants for the murder of the deceased," the Privy Council said in a statement at the time. What do you think of Vybz Kartel and two of his co-defendants getting denied bail? Share your thoughts in the comments section down below, and keep an eye on HNHH for more updates.
