The Jamaican Supreme Court is set to resume the hearing concerning the potential release of dancehall artist Vybz Kartel, real name Adijah Palmer and his co-appellants on May 29 and 30. Today’s court session intended to address a habeas corpus application filed on behalf of the men, but due to time constraints, the hearing was postponed.
Habeas corpus is an ancient common-law writ, issued by Jamaican court or judge instructing a custodian to present a detained individual before the court for a specific purpose. Meaning the men must be charged or be freed. Its primary function is to address violations of personal liberty by prompting a judicial investigation into the legality of detention. By the 17th century, during the reign of Charles I, the writ had become firmly established as the appropriate mechanism for addressing the unlawful detention of individuals by lower courts or public officials.
Kartel and his co-accused have been locked up since his arrest at a New Kingston hotel where he was charged with a small quantity of ganja by the Flying Squad, a special forces operating in Jamaica on September 29, 2011.
Attorneys representing the deejay are advocating for the release of Kartel (Adidja Palmer), Shawn “Shawn Storm” Campbell, and Aundre St. John, whose conviction in connection to the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, alongside Kahira Jones was quashed by the UK’s Privy Council on March 14. The judgements by Jamaica’s highest court cited juror misconduct and referred the case back to the Jamaican court for potential retrial.
Alessandra Labeach, one of Kartel’s attorneys, stated to IRIE FM News that the adjournment allows for the necessary submissions to be prepared.
“Since the decision of the Privy Council, the men have been in custody, we are seeking to have them released, there are some considerations the court has indicated..to allow for submissions for persons who are interested in the matter,” Labeach stated.
Kartel, who has maintained his innocence posted on Saturday via his official Twitter account that King Charles III is the “1 World Leader.”
