Gary Spaulding, Senior Gleaner Writer
Nerve-wracking anticipation of a verdict being handed down yesterday in the high-profile Vybz Kartel murder trial brought a section of the busy downtown Kingston commercial district to a virtual standstill that harked back to the 1991 extradition case against notorious Tivoli Gardens don Lester Lloyd Coke, aka Jim Brown, as the police were forced to stave off a crowd which descended on the area.
Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, was still in custody, but reports that the defence and prosecution were presenting closing arguments at the Supreme Court triggered hope that the entertainer could be released anytime soon.
“Kartel! Kartel! World Boss rule di place!” screamed an elderly woman, as police personnel armed with high-powered weapons and pepper spray came out in their numbers, seemingly well prepared. Some civilians, including attorneys, complained that the law-enforcement officers were overreacting.
The shouts of the numerous fans who gathered in downtown Kingston to pay homage to the incarcerated entertainer under punishing heat grew louder as the cops pitched tent on the roof of the Supreme Court, with high-powered weapons in hand.
An elderly woman complained that there was no reason for the large gathering of fans or police as the embattled entertainer was not as big in stature as the senior Coke.
“Him no big like Jim Brown, so why should so many policemen come out?” she said.
The police worked frantically to stave off the curious, even as legal minds inside the Supreme Court building, wrestled over the fate of the entertainment icon, who has been behind bars for the past 30 months.
The lawmen stood their ground as the taunting sounds of “Kartel! Kartel! Kartel! World Boss fi free!” punctuated the tense atmosphere outside the courthouse, where prosecutor Jeremy Taylor was presenting closing arguments in the aftermath of defence attorney Tom Tavares-Finson’s.
YOUNG, OLD CALL FOR RELEASE
The idol-like esteem to which Vybz Kartel is held by some sections of the public was in full glare when not only tattooed and bleached-skinned young men and women called for the controversial entertainer to be freed, but older women as well, and a few males also in their senior years.
The atmosphere was reminiscent of the worship-like behaviour of some members of the public to Spanish Town’s Donovan ‘Bulbie’ Bennett and Andrew ‘Bun Man’ Hope, as well as Kingston’s Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke and Donald ‘Zeeks’ Phipps.
King Street, in the vicinity of South Parade, was blocked and manned by numerous police personnel. So also was Church Street and the intersection of King and Barry streets in the vicinity of the Supreme Court.
The police appeared polite but firm that civilians, with the exception of court workers and a few others, were to pursue alternative routes to their destinations. But when many in the crowd unleashed their venom, the cops were not amused.
A pregnant woman who was turned back threatened to “stab up” a policeman, while others taunted and jeered the crime fighters as they demanded the deejay be released.
SMH no respect for the police force whatsoever. from big to small i cant believe this. brainwashed at its best. these ppl are “demanding” freedom for a murderer? i guess we really are in our last days!
goooood morning metty and metters
i cant wait for this trial to be over
well if the past predicts the present the supporters are no where to be seen when their boss gets sentence
What a Rass if u hear not guilty
It’s so funny how our’s is a society that praised wrong doers smh I’m beginning to wonder if it the hatred for the police that meck ppl will choose anything but dem??? Ahhhh boy
Di JCF a try and dem nah gi dem no kinda chance
That pregnant one who sey she want fi ‘stab up’ the police should have been arrested on the spot.
Dem ALL illiterate mek dem reach a court house fi closing argument and nu when verdict a read …lolol
Not found guilty by jury a no nothing cause a few HQ done pronounce a hot sentence fi him already….lolol
hayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy yes oo
One bag of mindless zombies. A certain class of people that idolize a certain type of people. Even with age, nothing has changed for them…..One would have thought that the aftermath of them protecting Dudus would have driven home a message but these people are hopeless.
Kmt. and then them talk bout how them want Jamaica get better. How it fi get better when, dem a rant and rave fi murderer get free.
Pare demon leggo dung deh
This is what it boils down to…in the name of Jesus Christ justice will be served. Him might walk, but not for long as civilians will/might carry out their own “justice.” But when the smoke clear God is still in control, so mi juss ah pree these mindless critters rant off dem gum…dem ago ded if verdict cum back guilty!
Just like in the days of Jesus, a so the crowd did a bawl out, free Barabas, and kill Jesus, such a shame, KMDT
Same so, but God nah sleep. Dem ago beg de earth fe open and swallow dem, when verdict reveal GUILTY. Satan will not triumph in dis one…nopes and I declare it in the blood of Jesus, Lizard death ah go so! Jah ova evil
dem nuh undastan seh what ever di verdict is him judgement a reach he will not get off this one
FREE World boss ….
This is why Jamaica can”t ever be better. This is why a man who beheaded a pregnant woman is still on the loose, because the people are so depraved in their thinking. Someone out there is hiding this man , giving him safe passage, just like these people here glorifying Kartel and his demonic works. They are devoid of a conscience and so they are not conscious that the works of iniquity should be condemned. Such a shame!
it just go to show that his fans are just as ignorant as he is there is no way i would risk my life for nobody that i say i’m a fan of because mi sure if him even free none a dem can never just walk up to him an ask him for nothing wid out him embarrassing them are might want dem to do something to get it. b4 him get lock up mi hear others dat was frens wid him talk about him seh him heartless .an MET let mi tell u dis one night mi guh a big yard fi one memorial fi a man weh mi never know but di ppl dem mi did a roll wid when mi down deh know him so wi guh an if u hear how dem style kartel an memba seh him an dem di a fren enuh but dem stop do him dutty wrk caz dem seh all him did a do was caz dem fi dead off an nuh like pay fi di wrk dem him order all 20g dem a get fi all 4 man fi split .even if him come a rd him wont last long yes di dead man was no angel i’m sure but fi kill a man over a gun dat u could a buy back a mek him buy it back r work out something that is just pure wickedness plus a lot of people look up to kartel including the dead man i’m so fi see dat him capable suck heartless act is a shame . :hoax2
such**
what a set of illiterate vagabans??
“Kartel! Kartel! World Boss rule di place!” screamed an elderly woman
“when not only tattooed and bleached-skinned young men and women called for the controversial entertainer to be freed”
:hammer :ngakak :hammer
A wonder a how much money dem pay some a dem illiterate people deh fi come out come chat off dem mouth..
A very sad day for Jamaican justice. Young and old calling for the release of an almost certain murderer, due to his music making popularity. Why not call for the release of all those accused if it is a case of sheer innocence.
Sometimes people need to self educate themselves as some of the people they look up to in life really are not worthy.