DI GLEANER AND OBSERVER INA ONE

In continuing his summation in the case of the murder of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams, Campbell reminded the jurors that one of the accused, Shawn Campbell, admitted that he went to the gate and left.

He also noted that another accused, Andre St John, said he was on his way out of the yard when the main witness came and a dog rushed him.

Kartel was allegedly bitten by the dog after trying to protect the main witness.

Justice Campbell has told the jurors that the defense has claimed that the main witness was lying because he couldn’t remember what happened on August 16, 2011.

At the same time, he reminded jurors that the main witness and the murder victim were scared because of the situation they were in.

However, he pointed out that the men were not weak-kneed, but ones who “locked” guns.

And, the judge has asked the jury to refer to text messages in the case sent by Lizard to his girlfriend.

He said the jurors should follow the sequence of the time in the case.

According to the judge, there has been much scrutiny of the timing of the events including the time when the text messages were sent.

The High Court judge said some of the messages sent by the witness, Lizard, and others would not make sense.

However, Justice Campbell said the jurors have to decide whether the text messages are genuine.

He also sought to assure the jurors that this is their last weekend in court.

Campbell has so far reviewed the evidence of eight of the 24 witnesses called by the prosecution.

Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, is charged jointly with fellow entertainer Shawn Campbell, also called Shawn Storm, Kahira Jones; Shane Williams and André St John.

When the case adjourned today, the judge was reviewing the evidence of the main witness.

The main witness has told the court that on the night of August 16, 2011, he saw Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams lying motionless on the floor of Kartel’s Havendale, St Andrew house.

The Crown is alleging that Kartel and his four co-accused killed Williams over two missing guns on August 16, 2011.
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Comments by Justice Lennox Campbell to jurors in the Vybz Kartel murder trial Friday afternoon raised eyebrows in the Home Circuit Court.

The judge inadvertently told jurors that Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams was dead, saying, “The person who is dead is his friend” in reference to the prosecution’s main witness.

The judge’s statement caused two defence attorneys to look at each other and comment astonished “The person who is dead?”

Campbell earlier in his summation told the jurors that the first thing they needed to decide was if Williams was dead.

Later in summing up the main witness’ evidence, Campbell told the jurors that the main witness had testified that he was scared.

“Ladies and gentlemen, these are not soft guys. These are men who locked guns. These are men who you wouldn’t think scare easily. Their knees wouldn’t buckle easily. What he’s telling you is that they were scared the situation they were in.”