Blue suit, light blue inside shirt with a gold tie – a black and white handkerchief drapes the fingers of his right hand as a sweating dancehall star muscles up to open his unsworn statement from the prisoners’ dock in Courtroom 2, at the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston. It has come to this. Sweat pours from his forehead in a courtroom that is always cold. The air conditioning unit is turned to about 20 degrees – cold by Jamaican standards.
Presiding Judge Lennox Campbell tells the court ‘all of the accused will be made to state their defence’.
With that announcement the judge informs the court that he has thrown out the five no case submissions made by the defence attorneys. Tom Tavares Finson, one of Kartel’s lawyers opens the case for the defence. He tells the court, Adidja Palmer will give an unsworn statement from the dock.
Kartel wipes his face on his hankie and breathes and then stands. This is his verbatim unsworn statement from the dock. Its 10:35 am, Wednesday, February 12, 2014. The court is silent, Kartel lacks force as he opens.
Good Morning My Lord and Good Morning to Madam Foreman and member of the jury. My name is name is Adidja Palmer
Judges intervenes and tells Kartel- you need to speak so all can hear what you have to say.
(Kartel continues now. He speaks louder)
Good Morning My Lord and Good Morning to Madam Foreman and member of the jury. My name is name is Adidja Palmer. (He spells his name now A-D-I-D-J-A)
I am 30 yrs old and I am INNOCENT ( he stresses this word) of all these charges brought against me. As a matter of fact I have never been to 7 Swallowfield Avenue and seen Clive Williams also known as Lizard there My Lord.
In fact My Lord, the only time I ever encountered this person My Lord is when he travels with Shawn Storm to stage shows. But we have never encountered My Lord at 7 Swallowfield Avenue.
(Kartel now clings to the rail of the prisoners’ dock and continues)
The incident that occurred on the 30th of September 2011 was this. I was at a hotel in New Kingston when police entered My Lord. they put me and a female companion on the ground My Lord- handcuffed us and took us downstairs in the lobby. My Lord I was greeted with other police officers and members of the media who were already there My Lord.
After that I was taken to Central Kingston Police Station. The police then escorted me to my house in St. Andrew My Lord -Two houses as a matter of fact. One of then being the house on Swallowfield Avenue My Lord.
I was then taken to Portmore – to my mother’s house where the house was searched My Lord and I was then moved to Spanish Town Road at the -MIT headquarters.
A few days later after a question and answer with Mr. Thompson My Lord who was at the time an Inspector, I was charged for murder of Clive Williams My Lord.
My Lord, after being at Gun court My Lord, it came over the news that a decomposed body was found at my Swallowfield residence My Lord which turned out to be a lie My Lord – Nothing of the sort was there.
In an effort to have my bail denied My Lord not only did police say My Lord that there was a decomposing body, but in a subsequent bail hearing My Lord the police said they found the blood of Clive Williams at 7 Swallowfield Avenue which also turned out to be not true My Lord. And for subsequent bail hearings, on more than one occasion after that my bail was denied My Lord because of allegations against me that always turned out to be not true My Lord
In the last bail hearing My Lord, in a bid to have my bail denied they said I was found with possession of 4 cellular phones. At that time I had to call on INDECOM to investigate this particular matter. And like all other allegations against me My Lord it turned out not to be true.
During course of my trial, I am of the view that someone or a group of persons are conspiring against my friends and I My Lord.
Even most recently the Minister of National Security, the Honourbale Peter Bunting took my music and my image My Lord to the state claiming that Vybz Kartel lyrics My Lord is glorifying stabbing My Lord. All this while I was still in custody awaiting trial. Even in Jamaica, at one time the Honourable Minister said he though four essential factors were ‘mashing up Jamaica’ My Lord – and I was one of them My Lord. If that is not prejudicial against my case – I don’t know what is My Lord.
My Lord, I bleach my skin My Lord and I am heavily tattooed My Lord but that is merely superficial that is a part of the persona of Vybz Kartel and not Adidja Palmer.
My Lord, I am minded to say that even you would agree
Judge – who me?
Kartel continues – I think My Lord that someone can get judged because of the way they look in most circumstances.
I am not some alien form space. I am a normal human like everyone else. I even have a family some of whom are here today like grandparents, mother in law, cousins ….(he turns and points to his grandparents and family in the back of the court)
My Lord, my hands are clean of Clive Williams’ blood if indeed Clive Willaims is decreased as I have never sent anyone to kill Clive Williams My Lord, nor did I do it myself My Lord. I am an innocent man My Lord. That is all I have to say My Lord.
Judge – please sit
Judge – please sit :tkp
sorry mi nuh mean fi laff but mi just a imagine de luk de judge give him plus de tone a voice tuh sit…smh him ago duh sum serious
di judge se who me :hammer
de judge tiad a de whole ting him himself a dime fe it done
nuh 76 him lawyer seh him born so dat nuh mek him close to 40? di man seh him a 30 :tkp
He hey…..All inna de end him a lie. Him NEVER been to #7 Swallowfield, yet a1 of 2 homes for which he was escorted to. Finson sey JCF a frame him and now him, himself a include de judge and bunting….lololllllllllllllllllllllllll
Best frame up from Bunting is to get a passing a de death penalty and grandfather in this demon.
dat dangerous bad him dry eye wid di lie
So who was he speaking to on the phone since is only Shawn Storm and Lizard did a par?
a nuh dat …him just confirm the relationship that lizard have wid storm…………..why shawnstorm seh him cah sleep …..and why he would be the one to carry him to the house fi dead……and a neatly pin it pon shawn ……di judge seh……..PUSSY ………..WHO ME ? NO SAH MI CAH MANAGE
yes that is what he is doing..God is not to be mocked…if he was never there etc…tavares shudda mek him tek di stand
why him a appeal to di judge and di judge tun ova di case him did figet fi address di jury
The man all sey him nuh know Lizard to rass…..Met, the time you had put up the pic with Kartel and his friends when he had just gotten arrested, Lizard wasn’t in the picture? Mi sure if mi search, mi find picture with them both.
there was a group pic u know mi cyaa find it eno…wid all a dem stand up pan a veranda
HIM NUH REALIZE SEH DID JUDGE A LITERALLY LOOK DOWN ON HIM….U MAN AND A BLEACH OBVIOUSLY WHIILE U ARE IN PRISON……u are absolutely breaking prison laws
But a wha do dis creature bout even di Judge will agree wid him. Heights a briteness, mussi tink d Judge in awe of him. Judge right fi seh wo ME?
Bwoy caan even swear to him own innocence him giving unsworn statement, whe u seh u n God Bible ano fren? Well tek u sentance, u think u start sweat yet ole debbil
how him fi go swear pon di bibl e…..?? him fraid him tun ova…dah bwoy deh expose to inequity from early …..himm know weh him up to
A nuh mi did judge tell fi sidung and all now mi cah git up …it a beat mi bad
I counted 40 “My Lords”………
count agen oooooooooooooooo
di fuss paragraph hav mi weakkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
wat a judge nuh hav no mannazzzzzzzz :hammer
Isn’t that wonderful in this case? lolol LOVE IT!!!!!!!
vybz kartel a 30 yrs old???????
since when????
lundun when tavares say him age remember mi did se mi did tink him younger :hammer
a hope di jury see dat lie
met i could swear dem seh vybz kartel was 38 or sumting like dat????
yes oooo so mi nuh know how him reach 30 year old today
De demon a backslide inna time, him soon tun unborn demon.
wikipedia seh him is r 38, him sure a neva one a di nex defendant speech him read an tink a fi him own?
:ngakak
adija a 38 kartel a 30 :travel
@real mi blood-claat :ngakak :ngakak
so a vybz kartel kill lizard and adijah neva deh deh wen it a happen, an dem a blame adijah an a put him pon trial wid kartel? how dear they!!!!
dem no know seh a night time adijah tell kartel seh a fi him time now an juss stripe off di bleach out face an rub out di tattoo dem?
mi pu-ssy tongue :ngakak :ngakak
LUNDUN SEET DEH …. u have it correct……. same way
42 My Lord’s :ngakak wat a mockery of di courts
No wah is kartel 30….. mi neck
whole a siddung kartel…….dead in ya
Kartel sey ‘even you would agree My Lord’……
So based on his implication of Shawn Storm knowing the victim, is he doing what I think he is????
Even to the very end, the man is a snake!
doah it smh
Met, mi have the pic…..a that same pic deh mi a talk…..Shoulda link the prosecution wid the pic if it nuh too late now….
send me di pic mek mi put it up…
so weh him tan up fah …him tink a stage show ?
Suh if him a 30 dat mean at di time a him arrest him was about 27 loll by him a back him age, shows dat him nuh waa grow up
Him can’t go no higher because the fan base is 30 and under.
He is now realizing that it’s down to the crunch. Waterford can do without Kartel and the likes of him. They have destroyed what was once a lovely neighborhood and turned it into “Slaughterford ” it’s not now that Kartel has been doing evil in Waterford, it’s been going on a long time ago. His deeds are now catching up to him
Met bounty jus sen bawli bawli go buy some craven an a soft drinks….bawli bawli seh him fi drink something haad di general seh NO….HIM HAFFI SOBER FI DA ONE YAH :cool
Met, at one point it was reported that police officers were caught either smuggling things to Kartel or being paid off by Kartel, even that one was followed to his mother’s house to receive money…….was that not the case?
Mi neva hear dah one deh eno dat one slip me
yes anon, dat is true, met go dig up u file dem cuz a ova yah mi did read it seh, di madda was giving money to sum police and it did get found out.
yeah man mi cyaah remember exactly how it go, but it was on here bout some raid weh did gwaan a him madda yard or a shorty yard?
When dem aguh tell we if him a guh ah jail or not?? today?
Does he really have to state his real age? lol does it matter ?
what do you mean by that? its a court proceeding, you should be stating the truth.
so if him a stand up inna court an a tell lie bout him age, why u an di ress a gaza fans want me fi believe anyting else weh cum outta him mouth?
dem ketch di police a tek payola …..from di marther ……but a guess all dat throw out
before di bwoy go up deh and gwaan like him mad…him still a pretend wid di faketelligence ….dem woulda sen een a psych fi go do some evaluation …him a introduce family…………A NUH FAMILY COURT DIS EDIAT ….wait did he introduce sharty ?
:request :mewek
He is intelligent though. -___-
:mewek
Family members will usually speak to the character of the defense, however, this is typically done after conviction in order to mitigate sentencing. I’ve never witnessed this before, especially when the person wasn’t called as a defense witness, perhaps I’m just not familiar with the Jamaican judicial system.
Kartel tun prophet him know wah go happen
real mi a wondah a weh di grandmummah did deh wen em a seh em a demon an em nuh noe god smh now she present inna court kmt
mi a wonder if a di same granny weh did tell him seh shi si di seven debil inna him face……………….
Exactly. Especially the sister saying they are a church going family? Really? That’s why he has Satan tattooed on him?
DEM GO A CHURCH …but which one?? an church top u from wuk obeah <?
Him never swear on the bible. The report say his “right hand was covered with a…..”read it.
Shorty is 31 and was a schoolers when she and Kartel start link and zkartel was much older than her then .
Kartel lawyers are guiding him right. An un-sworn statement is to ensure no cross examination.
but if if the jury is in fact impartial, they will understand that a sworn statement of innocence and the willingness to be questioned about his involvement and statement is powerful, but a direct refusal is just as powerful.
Tavares and the other lawyers are doing everything to let his case get thrown out on technical grounds when its appealed
please…..
:ngakak mi cyaa badda wid dem rasta…but mi a wonder if tavares did read did before kartel talk because! as di judge say ”who me ” :travel
i guess the judge said “who me” because he was not suppose to be appealing to him but the jury instead. he tried to draw the judge approval of his claim of innocence but the judge was quick on the draw.
Bwoy it look like tavares ……. A se LET IT BE
di judge seh “who me” in a scorful way like nuh mixx mi caw stra8 prison fi yuh
as I said if a Tavares regular ting dis …………love call fi acquittal fi confuse the jury ………like no evidence nuh deh …now missa intelligent a seh him nuh know lizard before him seh dem a acquaintance ……a di kick weh u kick out di likkle gyal womb
What are they doing? The defence is very weak because the prosecution case is very strong .Example the defence claim that the police did not contact blackberry because they made up the evidence and blackberry would have confirmed that ,yet the defence could not present any evidence to back up that claim .Appeal court will not have time for such theory.
Jay the defence is very strong…………………………..in not defending kartel :cool MI CAH WAIT FI KARTEL SUE MISSA TAVARES
Real, whenever there is a charge against a person, the first thing presented is an alibi. Not even dat Kartel defense couldn’t produce. Nobody fi lie fi di man? You can’t call no expert witness fi verify the records dem fabricated? Nuttin atall???
A better Kartel di defend himself cos dem attorney ya ain’t worth jack!
dem coulda use shawty ….but after how shi mek di cricket dem a sing wen shi deppon winford …………………….dem neva badda
shawty wuddah sen em guh a prison fassah tan nexx week :ngakak cawsen sehhh fi har henglish
Jay, the defense has not defended the clients. They have failed to prove how the evidence was tampered with, they have failed to offer an alibi for the defendants, they have not called one defense witness to counter the prosecution’s case. Their theory of conspiracy is unfounded. They have done a horrible job defending their clients.
What else could they have done????
Good question….with the entire house and kitchen sink thrown at him, I suppose there was just no way out but to take the money.
doah blame di defense team blame di murderer weh commit di murder
The defense was poor fi true…if me know my client neva see dis person ray tay…mi wudda haffi mek dat known…so dem statement a contradict dem defense den :travel
TAVARES NUH KNOW SEH A SO HELL BOY A GO SEH.>……………A up deh Adija tell Kartel fi seh dat…………….whoiii
What made my day was the utterances of one of the accused, dude was like “I don’t even know why am here”…….mi buss out a big dutty laaf when mi read it.
_____________________________________________________________ ”who me”?
bout two different person…so is who fah skin bleach? him did need fi bring out adijah wid di dark skin den
yes metty but yuh noe em followaz dem a guh blame evrybaddie but di man emself
u know dem gwaan bad pan mi facebook
mek mi guh luk smh
What kinda sentence does a crime like this carry in Jamaica??
25 to life.
a wonder if dem wi gi him time served outta di life sentence ……………………….
It can be death sentence .It will be a premeditated murder if jury accepts that a murder took place and they did it .
bwoy mi feel it fi di little pickney dem weh da yute yah have …..him ot even care bout dem
Seriously….I counted 43 My Lords, him neva memba d jurors dem
MET…did kartHELL really said DECREASE instead of deceased in the last paragraph smfh
den u supprizze?
I don’t think that’s what he said. I think that was just a typo on Emily’s part. She even corrected the age thing. I realize that she tends to have typos in her notes sometimes. You have to remember that whatever she puts up there is typed up by her or whomever she may have helping her.
ok
this case just end like that no mi cant believe it because hell -boss lawyers dem never do nuh work dem only mek di prosecution prove dem case but dem nuh prove him innocence in no way cause if him seh him nuh know di man how u as him lawyer never state dat from day 1 also if him never see di man di day deh seh him kill him why u never call all a who him know fi lie fi him seh him never deh a di yard something i mean is not like none a di evidence was that strong that they couldn’t try prove his so called innocence .all the did in this was keep trying t say the police was tampering with stuff but yet they didn’t prove that an how they want to set him up for what i don’t know cause we all know jamaican police won’t wast any time doing all that when they can just kill u an seh a shoot out . rip lizzard god nah sleep kartel why u go fu**k dat b*tch name KAMRA .
A dat mi nah understand…if they had all this to say how it never come up ina court?
a jah works that’s what i think god never want him get weh suh god cripple dem all down to him lawyers . come like inna di african movies dem lol .jah powers .
pow pow
Now if a so dem lawyers here defend dem clients, me wouldn’t like fi see how dem wudda prosecute dwl. All along dem a talk bout conspiracy and all kinda crap and all now dem cannot give any evidence to back those claims. The judge’s “who me?” and the other yute saying he doesn’t know why he is there cracked me up. I just want to hear the verdict now.