Image source, Getty Images
Vybz Cartel, who took this photo in 2005, was sentenced for more than 10 years
Jamaican artist Vybz Kartel's conviction for murder has been overturned.
The 48-year-old was jailed for life in 2014 for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams on the Caribbean island.
His successful appeal, heard by the Privy Council in London, argued that a juror accused of trying to bribe others should have been excluded from his trial.
The authorities in Jamaica will decide whether the case should be retried.
The musician, whose real name is Adedja Palmer, is one of the country's most popular artists and has collaborated with artists such as Jay-Z and Rihanna.
His 64-day trial was one of the longest in Jamaican history, and ended with the Cartel being sentenced to spend a minimum of 35 years in prison.
This was later reduced to 32 and a half years.
The trial heard that the victim, Clive Williams, and another man, Lamar Chow, obtained two unlicensed firearms belonging to the cartel for safekeeping.
When they failed to return them at the agreed upon time, they were summoned to the cartel's home in August 2011, prosecutors said.
They were attacked, Chow told the trial, and the last thing he saw was Clive Williams – who was never seen alive again – lying motionless on the ground.
The house burned down days later and the body was not recovered.
Cartel and his co-defendants Sean Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St. John have maintained their innocence since the original trial.
Image source, Getty Images
Vybz Kartel – filmed in 2005 – was an international star, with hits including Clarks, Ramping Shop and Summer Time.
Their appeal hearing last month before the Privy Council, the highest court of appeal in Jamaica and other Commonwealth countries, was their last chance to overturn the ruling.
Delivering the board's ruling, a panel of judges said that one juror accused of trying to bribe fellow jurors had not been removed.
The judge allowed them to remain in the case and have a say in the final rulings.
The board said allowing that juror to remain was “fatal to the integrity of the convictions that followed” and “a violation of the law.” [defendants’] The fundamental right to a fair trial.”
The men also said jurors were sent to reach a verdict late in the day, putting them under “undue pressure” to do so.
They also argued that a key piece of mobile phone evidence – a text message allegedly sent from a cartel phone – had been submitted to the court in violation of the guidelines.
However, the panel did not rule on these matters, finding that the bribery allegations alone were serious enough to reject guilty verdicts.
Vybz Kartel is known worldwide for his hits including Clarks, Ramping Shop and Summer Time, and his success has led to the launch of lines of shoes, alcohol and condoms.
The singer also became the first dancehall artist to star in his own reality TV show, Teacha's Pet.
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