Privy Council denies Vybz Kartel’s request for new evidence in murder appeal

The Privy Council denied Jamaican dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel’s request for new evidence in his appeal of his murder conviction.

In an interview with Nationwide Radio on Tuesday, Paula Llewellyn, Director of Public Prosecutions, clarified this.

The legal proceedings in Kartel’s murder appeal case, according to Llewellyn, are still ongoing. He is also appealing his conviction and sentence in the death of his associate, Clive ‘Lizard Williams, in 2011.

According to Llewellyn, the request to introduce new evidence is related to the phone at the center of the case that resulted in Vybz Kartel, who is born with his legal name Adijah Palmer, receiving a 35-year sentence before being eligible for parole for the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams.

The Privy Council stated in its ruling that after considering an application for permission to appeal from the Court of Appeal of Jamaica’s decision on April 3, 2020, as well as written submissions from the appellants and respondents, they’ve agreed that:

• Permission to appeal be refused (in the application dated 20 November 2020). 
• Permission to appeal the additional grounds advanced on behalf of Mr. Palmer be refused and also refused on the application for an extension of time and application to rely on fresh evidence. The grounds do not support the submission that a serious miscarriage of justice has occurred in this case (in the application dated 12 November 2021).

Vybz Kartel and co-accused were granted conditional leave to challenge their murder conviction to have the court admit fresh information from an expert witness in relation to cell phone evidence. The phone was examined in Jamaica in the presence of the prosecution.

Kartel and fellow entertainer Shawn Storm, given name Shawn Campbell, as well as Kahira Jones and Andre St. John, were convicted in 2014 for killing Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams in 2011.

Williams’ body was never recovered.

Kartel was ordered to serve 35 years before he is eligible for parole while Shawn Storm’s parole eligibility period was set at 25 years.

St. John and Jones will have to serve 30 and 25 years respectively before they are eligible for parole.

Why Is Vybz Kartel In Jail/Prison?

Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in 2014 for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams. He was found guilty of orchestrating Williams’ murder at a house in Havendale, Jamaica, in 2011. Several other individuals were also charged and convicted in relation to the case. Despite appeals and efforts to overturn his conviction, he remains in jail.

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