BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - JAMAICAN Dancehall icon Adidja ‘Vybz Kartel’ Palmer was today (July 24) handed a not guilty verdict in one of two murder charges against him.
Popular online Jamaican media house, The Gleaner has reported that “a Home Circuit Court jury has been directed to rule that dancehall entertainer Vybz Kartel is not guilty of the murder of St. Catherine businessman Barrington ‘Bossy’ Burton”.
Reportedly, the jury had also freed Kartel's two co-accused, Lenburgh McDonald and Nigel Thompson.
The three were taken into custody for the July 2011 shooting death of Burton who was a businessman from Portmore.
According to The Gleaner, “Supreme Court judge Bryan Sykes instructed the 12-member jury to return the verdicts after the prosecution informed the court that it had no further evidence against the men.
“The stage for the collapse of the case was set yesterday after Justice Sykes turned down an application by the Crown to admit two witness statements in the trial.”
The Gleaner informed that Justice Skyes said he was not convinced that the prosecution took enough steps to locate the witnesses.
Reportedly, police said Burton was murdered while standing with friends along Walker's Avenue in Gregory Park, St Catherine in July 2011.
According to www.jamaicansmusics.com the three accused men “were each charged for murder, conspiracy to murder and illegal possession of firearm. On July 11, 2011, Burton was standing along Walker’s Avenue when a dark coloured car drove up and the occupants fired shots hitting him. He was later pronounced dead at hospital.”
As gathered, Kartel, who will remain in custody, is to return to the Home Circuit Court in November for trial in relation to the August 2011 beating death of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.
