Jamaican dancehall star, VYBZ KARTEL's murder conviction overturned

Friday, March 15, 2024 – Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel's conviction for the murder of an associate more than a decade ago has been quashed.

Kartel, entertainer Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St John were convicted in 2014 for killing Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams in 2011. They were later sentenced to life imprisonment.

On Thursday, March 14, the Judicial Committee of the UK Privy Council quashed the murder convictions of the dancehall entertainer and three other men, ruling that the case be sent back to Jamaica’s Court of Appeal for a ruling on whether they should be retried.

The judge's decision also infringed Kartel's, and his three co-accused's "fundamental right to a fair hearing under the Jamaican Constitution".

The issue of jury misconduct was the sole basis of the Privy Council's decision to quash the appellants' convictions in the ruling handed down on Thursday.

Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, was convicted on March 13, 2014 — along with fellow appellants Shawn 'Shawn Storm' Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St John — of the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.

The Jamaican Court of Appeal dismissed their appeal against the convictions, and their cases were in the hands of the Privy Council, which ultimately decided to set aside the men's convictions and sentence.

The case was remitted to the Jamaican Court of Appeal to decide if a retrial will be ordered.