Gov’t facing huge legal bill following Privy Council ruling in Kartel appeal.
The News has been informed that the government is facing a multi-million-dollar legal bill following last month’s decision of the UK-based Privy Council to overturn the murder convictions of incarcerated entertainer Vybz Kartel and his three co-accused.
In its Final Order submitted to the local authorities, two weeks ago, the Privy Council awarded legal costs to the appellants and their attorneys.
The News understands that the legal bill could be as high as $20 million.
Nine attorneys, most of them King’s Counsel, were involved in the case.
On March 14, the Privy Council dismissed the murder conviction of Kartel, whose given name is Adidja Palmer, Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre ‘Mad Suss’ St. John, on the grounds of jury tampering.
The men were convicted on March 13, 2014, for the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.
The case has been sent back to the Court of Appeal for a decision on whether they should face retrial for the 2011 murder.
That hearing is now set for June 10 and will last five days.
Photo: Murder convict Adidja ‘Vybz Kartel’ Palmer, Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell.
Clinton McGregor