Vybz Kartel’s Lawyer Likens Crime Blogger ‘Sir P’ To Bridgerton’s ‘Lady Whistledown’

In closing arguments on Tuesday, a defense attorney for Vybz Kartel compared the anonymous Jamaican crime blogger ‘Sir P’ to the fictional gossip writer ‘Lady Whistledown’ from the Netflix series Bridgerton.

The oral arguments, spanning six days, concluded today in the Court of Appeal as attorneys for Kartel, his co-defendants Shawn “Shawn Storm” Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St John, and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions debated whether a retrial should be held for the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams. The hearing follows the UK-based Privy Council’s March ruling, which overturned the four men’s convictions due to jury tampering and referred the case back to the local court.

On Tuesday, Vybz Kartel’s attorney, Isat Buchanan, among other things, expressed concerns about potential jury bias influenced by social media, especially the YouTube channel Politricks Watch, hosted by Sir P, which is known for its commentary on crime, violence, and law enforcement in Jamaica.

Buchanan highlighted the unregulated nature of gossip surrounding the case and its influence on public opinion, akin to the character in Bridgerton. Lead Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop remarked, “You should have brought Gossip Girl too,” but Buchanan insisted that ‘Politricks Watch’ has significant sway over public perceptions.

In a media release over the weekend, the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) had to dismiss viral claims that Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Throyville Haughton was the individual behind ‘Politricks Watch.’

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, another defense attorney, John Clarke, acknowledged that mere publicity does not suffice to oppose a murder retrial but emphasized that significant prejudice from the initial trial and public assumptions about jury tampering need to be addressed. Clarke also cited “special circumstances” in the case, such as key evidence being publicly accessible, making it challenging to secure an impartial jury.

Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Claudette Thompson argued that despite the publicity, Kartel and his co-accused could still receive a fair trial by an unbiased jury. She asserted that the criminal justice system has safeguards to mitigate prejudice, suggesting that pre-trial publicity should not heavily influence the decision on a retrial.

“The courts have been and should loathe to dismiss a matter due to pre-trial publicity as the criminal justice system has within it sufficient safeguards to mitigate against the risk of prejudice,” the prosecutor said.

The Court of Appeal announced it would deliver its judgment on the retrial by July 31.

Justice Marva McDonald-Bishop said the court is committed to a timely resolution, considering all issues, including the health of Kartel.

“The question of a retrial is never easy for a court of law, especially when [it involves] serious offences and lengthy delays. It’s gonna take us time but the court is mindful of the need for expedition in this matter,” she said.

“The court’s judgment is reserved. Given the importance of the case, even if we reach a decision, we cannot come back to just give our decision without our reasons for the decision. And, that is where the delay usually comes from. But, we’re mindful of all the issues and especially the health issue of one of the appellants. So, we’ll do our best and we can say we aim for no later than the end of the term.”

During the original trial, prosecutors had relied on telecommunication evidence — including a text message stating that Williams, whose body was never found, had been “chopped up fine fine” — and the key eyewitness, Lamar “Wee” Chow, who testified that Williams was murdered at Kartel’s home in Havendale, St Andrew on August 16, 2011, after they were summoned there over missing guns. Kartel’s defense had challenged the admissibility of the telecommunications evidence, arguing the police had obtained it in breach of the Jamaican constitution. They had also questioned Chow’s credibility and cited his inconsistent account of the events, including Chow’s letter to a Public Defender, which stated that he saw Williams after August 16, 2011, and that the police had pressured him to give a conflicting statement.

Kartel and his co-accused were found guilty in 2014, and have served over 12 years in prison since their arrest in 2011.

In 2020, the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction.

In a statement earlier this year, Kartel expressed confidence that the Court of Appeal would now do the “right thing.”

“I am also very confident that the court of appeal in Jamaica will do the right thing in the name of equity, fairness, and justice and free us,” Kartel said. “Some people have expressed their concern to me that a retrial may be ordered but to them, I say (albeit with my limited knowledge of the law) ‘what is there to retry?’” he added.

He continued, “With that being said, the most important point to me is that I am an innocent man. So in reality, I’m not in the least bit worried as I know I will be acquitted and go home to my family whom I have not been together with for over 1[0 years].”