Vybz Kartel, Shawn Storm Can Now Apply For Bail Ahead Of Court Of Appeal’s Retrial Decision

Lawyers for Dancehall artists Adidja ‘Vybz Kartel’ Palmer, Shawn ‘Storm’ Campbell, and two other men can now request bail pending the Jamaica Court of Appeal’s decision on a possible retrial.

The two artists, along with Kahira Jones and Andre ‘Mad Suss’ St. John, have served over 12 years in prison for the murder of their associate Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams. However, earlier today, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) in London ordered the murder conviction overturned and their sentences quashed. The UK court also sent the matter back to Jamaica’s Court of Appeal to determine whether or not a retrial should be held.

During a press conference following the decision, Shawn Storm’s attorney, Bert Samuels, said that his job was complete and the next step is likely to apply for bail.

“He [Storm] now has the right to apply for bail because he is now awaiting the decision of the court whether he should move to trial or not. So no doubt when they lawyer up, we will be going knocking on the door because the first move is to try and obtain bail pending the hearing whether there should be a retrial or not,” Samuels said.

The Privy Council ruling turned in favor of the appellants after the UK judges found that Juror X, who was accused of attempted bribery, should have been removed from the trial. The Lord judges stated that the original trial judge’s decision to let the accused juror participate in the final verdict compromised the safety of the convictions and violated the appellants’ right to a fair trial.

The Council also criticized the judge’s failure to properly direct the jury in light of the tampering allegations and his failure to take into account whether the remaining jurors “might have become consciously or unconsciously prejudiced for or against one or more of the appellants as a result of Juror X’s behaviour.”

Speaking with DancehallMag on Thursday afternoon, Samuels shared that the decision has left him feeling “vindicated.”

“I feel that what we ought to have gotten from the Jamaican Court of Appeal has been given to us by the higher Court of Appeal,” he said.

Bert Samuels

He added that he hopes the local Court of Appeal will make a decision “very soon.”

Samuels said he was still baffled at the legal blunder made by the Prosecution led by Paula Llewellyn.

“It still amazes me that the judge happened to know that a juror was being bribed; the Foreman complained to him in his chambers and I put a huge amount of responsibility at the feet of the DPP [Director of Public Prosecution] who is an arm of the state and the Constitution says no arm of the state shall abrogate or derogate the rights of any citizen,” Samuels said.

“The DPP entered the judge’s chambers and encouraged the judge to continue the case with the juror. The Defense begged him to stop the trial and he yielded and went with the wishes of the DPP and that’s what created this entire mess!”