Attorney Isat Buchanan to seek bail for Vybz Kartel

With Thursday’s ruling by the Judicial Committee of the UK Privy Council that the murder conviction of Vybz Kartel be set aside and the case sent back to the Court of Appeal in Jamaica for a retrial to be considered, Isat Buchanan, lawyer representing the dancehall star, says he will remain on the case and his next move is to seek bail for his client.

“I am 100 per cent sure that I will continue as Kartel’s lawyer,” an uber confident Buchanan told The Gleaner.

Buchanan, however, admitted that he could not predict when Kartel, who has been behind bars for 12 years, will be released on bail, but “myself, Miss LaBeach, John Clarke ... his attorneys ... will definitely seek bail”.

Buchanan added, “We await the orders from the court to be sent to the Court of Appeal and we will take it from there. I know that the Privy Council acts expeditiously given the fact that it was an expedited hearing so we will get word from the court. That’s all I can say right now.”

On Thursday, Kartel’s judgment spawned headlines across major international networks. In Jamaica, celebrations erupted on the Gaza in Portmore, St Catherine, and his fans also took to social media to congratulate the self-appointed ‘World Boss’ on the victory. Over at the General Penitentiary where Kartel is housed, there was also a celebration, a source told The Gleaner.

“Yeah man ... dem have TV a watch inside. And when the judgment read dem bang the grille, shout out World Boss! World Boss! Yeah man, dem did ova deh a mek plenty noise,” the source who wished to remain anonymous shared.

Weighing in on the judgment, music marketer and publicist, Sean ‘Contractor’ Edwards, pointed fingers at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

“I think this weighs heavily on the DPP’s office. The DPP has to consider whether Vybz Kartel and his co-accused have served enough time or go for a costly and lengthy retrial,” Edwards said.

“Based on the criteria that Kartel and his co-accused lawyers put in their appeal, I think the verdict was justified. Kartel’s lawyers showed that there was a breach of the Telecommunications Act with the phone evidence and that a tainted jury should not have been used to give a verdict. So the Privy Council saying the Jamaican courts should consider a retrial is a just verdict. The Privy Council in their ruling today explained why the tainted jury goes against Kartel and his co-accused constitutional right to a fair trial,” Edwards added.

Prior to his incarceration, Vybz Kartel was at the height of his career, releasing a song a day, investing in his own Vybz Rum and other business ventures, and was the star in Teacha’s Pet, a hugely popular reality TV dating show which premiered on CVM TV in September 2011. The show featured 20 girls all living together in one house doing daily challenges, trying to win the love of one man, Vybz Kartel, and become the Teacha’s Pet. ‘Teacha’ is one of Kartel’s monikers.

Being in prison did not put a dent in Kartel’s popularity and his regular musical contributions to the dancehall elevated him to almost folk hero status.

In March 2014, Kartel was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of the 2011 murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.

yasmine.peru@gleanerjm.com