Juror Livingston Cain Found Guilty Of Perverting Course Of Justice In Vybz Kartel Murder Trial
Livingston Cain, the juror in the Vybz Kartel murder trial who allegedly offered the jury foreman $500,000 to get a not-guilty verdict in the 2014 case, was today found guilty of perverting the course of justice.
The verdict was delivered in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.
Cain’s bail was immediately revoked. He will be sentenced on March 2, 2023. King’s Counsel Valerie Neita Robertson, who is representing Cain has indicated that she will be appealing his conviction.
Parish judge Maxine Ellis found Caine guilty on one count of perverting the course of justice but not guilty on three other counts. One count was also withdrawn by the Crown. Caine was charged with three counts of perverting the course of justice, based on the allegation surrounding the two jurors, but the judge found that the prosecution had not proven its case on those counts.
According to an article published in The Gleaner, the Crown led evidence that Cain perverted the course of justice on March 13, by offering the jury foreman the money to influence other jurors to agree to a not-guilty verdict.
Prosecutors had alleged that one day before the verdict in Kartel’s trial, Cain met with the jury foreman in the Supreme Court library and made the offer, commenting that he realized that she exerted some amount of influence over the jury.
Cain allegedly approached two other jurors and tried to convince them to find the entertainer not guilty. He allegedly told a female juror that he would take care of her “as long as you say wah me a sey”. He allegedly tried to persuade her to return a not guilty verdict, noting that the accused men were promising entertainers and should be released.
In one instance, Cain allegedly said: “We have to acquit these men, these are prominent entertainers and young men with a bright future.”
Vybz Kartel, whose given name is Adidja Palmer, was initially given 35 years before being eligible for parole. It was, however, reduced to 32 years and six months.
Shawn Storm, a former member of Vybz Kartel’s Portmore Empire, was convicted along with his mentor on April 3, 2014 for the murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams in 2011. Kahira Jones and Andre St John were also convicted. All received life sentences from Justice Lennox Campbell.
Andre St John, who had to serve 30 years before being eligible for parole, had his time shaved down to 27 years and six months. Shawn Storm and Kahira Jones, who had to serve 25 years before parole eligibility, had theirs reduced to 22 years and six months.