(Jamaica Gleaner) The Supreme Court has ruled that dancehall entertainer Vybz Kartel and his co-accused are to remain behind bars pending a decision in the Court of Appeal on whether they should be retried for murder.
The court’s decision yesterday followed a habeas corpus application before Justice Andrea Thomas seeking the release of Kartel, whose given name is Adidja Palmer, Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell and Andre St John.
The submissions did not relate to the fourth co-accused, Kahira Jones, who reportedly has another matter before the court.
Attorney Isat Buchanan represented the applicants.
The first respondent, the Superintendent of Tower Street Adult Correction Centre, and the second respondent, the Attorney General, were represented by attorney Lisa Whyte.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, who is the third respondent, was represented by Paula-Sue Ferguson.
In March, the Privy Council quashed the men’s murder convictions citing juror misconduct and sent the case back to the Court of Appeal for a ruling on whether they should be retried.
The matter is set for June 10.
The men were convicted in 2014 for Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams’ murder in 2011.
Williams was allegedly killed after he failed to return two unlicensed guns given to him by Kartel for safekeeping.
Williams has not been seen or heard from since then.
Kartel and his co-accused denied any involvement in the killing of Williams.
