Tommy Lee Sparta Asks Fans For Support, Remains Behind Bars
Popular dancehall artiste Tommy Lee Sparta will have to spend more time behind bars after law officials did not show up to the question-and-answer session yesterday, July 8. He’s being held at the Freeport Police Station in Montego Bay, St James.
His lawyer Ernest Smith gave the Jamaica Observer an update about what has been happening. “I was there from 11 o’clock today (yesterday). There was no interviews, no question-and-answer, and Superintendent [Vernon] Ellis, who we made the arrangements with, was conveniently absent from his office. I called him 27 times and sent him text messages saying: ‘What is going on? We had a firm arrangement for MOCA [Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency] and C-TOC [Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime] to interview my client.’ I cancelled several court appearances to be there,” Smith said last night.
The attorney said he felt slighted by how the matter was handled.
“I’ve never seen anything so misleading. It’s almost an act of disrespect. I left down there [Montego Bay] 4:30 [pm],” he continued. The question and answers expected to be conducted today after new arrangements were made.
He was named as a person of interest by police in St. James on Monday, June 6, and turned himself in on Tuesday, July 7. This is the third time in four years that he has been listed as a person of interest. His attorney continues to declare his client’s innocence.
Earlier this year in March, his six-year-old daughter was shot during an altercation in Flanker that resulted in the death of a nine-year-old boy.
The deejay’s Instagram account has made two posts about his detention. The first one, posted by Nicole Taban, also known as Boss Lady, is set to a song with the chorus: “I just want to be Free”.
She said: “On behalf of Tommy Lee Sparta and Boss Lady Muzik team, I would like to thank all supporters for your heartwarming messages. It is time for all of us to unite and peacefully condone discrimination against Tommy Lee Sparta and all artists who are either wrongfully detained, accused of or imprisoned for alleged crimes they never committed.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCaETmOnNcA/
The other post asks his fans to support the call for his freedom by changing their Instagram profile pics to #freetommyleesparta
That post stated: “We are asking for all supporters to either change their profile pictures on IG/FB and/or post on their feed to show solidarity while Mr. Leroy Junior Russell AKA Tommy Lee Sparta’s legal team focus on his freedom.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CCaGrLEMwwU/
Both posts were put up in the wee hours of this morning, suggesting that his team may be becoming more anxious the longer he’s detained.
Fans have responded to the calls, and both posts have already been viewed collectively about 50, 000 times.