HBO Interested In Vybz Kartel Appeal Case, Lawyer Says

In a recent interview a lawyer on Vybz Kartel‘s defense team, Bert Samuels revealed that HBO producers have expressed a keen interest in making a production about the dancehall artiste’s conviction and the outcome of his appeal case which the Court of Appeal has indicated will be soon forthcoming.  The 43 year-old Jamaican superstar was sentenced to life in prison for the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams and won’t be eligible for parole until 35 years are served in jail. Three other men who were implicated in the murder received lighter sentences.

Bert Samuels says he was approached by the American cable giant for advanced notice of when the verdict in the case will be handed down. “It seems to me that they have discovered that Vybz Kartel is a popular person and among young people in particular” he explained.

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Samuels added that he suspects that HBO wants to be in Jamaica should the three-member appeal panel of Judges return a positive verdict in the case.   “And therefore they want to be here [in Jamaica], they want me to tell them, they want to be days ahead of time and I suspect they are going to go to the gates of the penal institution with the hope that they are going to be released and that will make a big story for them”, he said in the interview.

A shot of Kartel, also widely known as Di’ Teacha and Worl’ Boss walking out of the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in Kingston a free man would have high production value in any documentary or mini-series about the controversial artiste should the verdict be returned in his favor.

But whatever the eventual outcome, HBO or some other network may very well put Vybz Kartel in the spotlight.  As Mr Samuels added, “You can’t discount the value of Kartel for Jamaica and the fact that his notoriety goes to the four corners of the earth”.