Vybz Kartel and his co-accused were released from prison after the Court of Appeal ruled against retrying them for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams.
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The court stated that a new trial was not necessary, citing the impact on Kartel’s ability to serve a potentially longer sentence and the psychological and financial effects it would have on the appellants.
Kartel’s defense also highlighted the harsh conditions he endured since 2011, describing his confinement as a brick cell with no air circulation, no water, and a bucket for a toilet. An attorney informed FOX 5 that “His neck was swollen. If you think of a shirt that is about 18.5 inches in the neck area, you couldn’t close the collar on his neck and that’s how bad it is in this moment. His face is actually swollen. And one other thing. He always wears glasses; in this condition, that causes his eyes to protrude.”
A sworn medical affidavit from Kartel’s private doctor in 2023 notified authorities that his Graves’ Disease and heart condition were deteriorating, and without prompt surgery, the doctor warned of the risk of death. Vybz Kartel, known for collaborations with artists like JAY-Z and Rihanna, succeeded in his appeal in a London court on March 14.
Kartel has been detained in a Jamaican prison since 2011 in connection with the disappearance of Williams, whose body remains unrecovered. Alongside three others—Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John—Kartel was found guilty in 2014 after a lengthy 64-day trial in Kingston, one of Jamaica’s lengthiest. Initially sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 35 years, his term was later reduced on appeal to 32-and-a-half years.
