Kartel Trial: Deadly silence as verdict draws nearer

After close to an hour jurors in the Vybz Kartel murder trial in the Home Circuit Court downtown Kingston are still deliberating.

Before retiring, Justice Lennox Campbell told the eleven-member jury panel to remember the oath that they took at the start of the trial 65 days ago.

“Madam Foreman and your members you must remind yourselves of your oath. You must come to a verdict based on evidence,” was Campbell’s parting instructions.

Meanwhile family members of the accused men were huddled, tension etched on their faces, in the courtyard. Kartel’s grandmother was seen with her head bowed in her hands.

What was a noisy and rowdy atmosphere is now deadly silent as the verdict is anticipated.

Kartel (Adidja Palmer), Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Shane Williams, Andre St John, and Kahira Jones were on trial for murder in the alleged death of Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams on August 16, 2011.

It is alleged that Williams was lured to Kartel’s Havendale, St Andrew home where he was beaten to death over missing guns.