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Dancehall DJ Vybz Kartel has been recently released after being in prison for 13 years. The news comes around three months after the Supreme Court of Jamaica denied his bail. Meanwhile, the rest of the accused - Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John - are also being released.
Kartel was accused of being involved with the murder of his associate Clive 'Lizard' Williams in 2012 and found guilty by Kingston's Supreme Court in 2014. The court gave its latest verdict on July 31, 2024, where they did not allow a retrial for Kartel.
The latest decision was the result of a trial that went for around 64 days and the court declared that Vybz Kartel was not in a condition to serve a longer sentence. They stated that a long sentence would also have a bad impact on the "psychological and financial" situation of the accused.
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There was a panel of three judges who came to the decision and it included Marva McDonald-Bishop, Paulette Williams, and David Fraser. Although he has been now released from prison, Kartel has always refused his association with Clive's murder over the years.
Before his bail was rejected in May this year, King Charles approved a decision by the UK Privy Council to overturn the convictions of Kartel and the other three accused. The order came out in April 2024 where the King also ordered that Jamaica has to reimburse the legal fees of all four individuals.
Vybz Kartel leaves for his home after being released from prison
The Portmore, Jamaica native's fans and close friends have been celebrating his recent release from prison. Apart from this, Kartel has shared four Instagram posts, starting with a photo where the camera focused on the watch in his hand. The caption read:
"Got it #GodistheGreatest."
DancehallMag reported that Vybz Kartel and his fiancé Siden Ozturk entered a white limousine after the former came out of the Tower Street Adult Correctional Center. Kartel also posted a video on social media where he was wearing black sunglasses and there was a point where Ozturk kissed him.
On the other hand, well-known personalities from the entertainment industry expressed their happiness as soon as the news of Kartel's release went viral. This included Cardi B and Bobby Shmurda, who shared videos through Instagram, featuring them having fun with Kartel's music playing in the background.
As mentioned, Vybz Kartel was sentenced in 2014 and Judge Lennox Campbell declared at the time that he won't be able to apply for parole until he turns 73. The Independent states that Clive "Lizard" Williams' dead body was not found and was reportedly beaten to death at Kartel's residence.
The accused, including Kartel, approached the Privy Council in London in February this year and their legal team claimed at the time that the allegations against them were not properly handled during trial. Apart from quashing the convictions, the council also stated that the case shall be remitted to the Court of Appeal in Jamaica to decide if a retrial should happen.
