The prosecution has hit back at complaints about the dismissal of a juror during Vybz Kartel’s murder trial saying woman felt intimidated.
Jeremy Taylor, senior deputy director of public prosecutions, says the woman was discharged from the jury after she revealed he was approached by Vybz Kartel during the trial.
According to Taylor, the juror had indicated that she had been seen by one of the co-accused, Andre St John, during a visit to her son who was also incarcerated at the Horizon Adult Correctional Centre.
He claims the woman became fearful after her son was also allegedly approached by Vybz Kartel during the trial, prompting the judge, Justice Lennox Campbell, to discharge her from the jury citing personal reasons.
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Taylor went on to argue that the defense had no objections to this at that or any other time during the trial.
Last week the defense had complained that Shawn Storm was not in the judge’s chambers when the decision to discharge the juror was made, denying him a right to a fair trial.
Vybz Kartel and his co-accused Shawn Storm, Kahira Jones, and Andre St John are currently before the court appealing their murder convictions for the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams.
