In 2014, the Jamaican dancehall superstar Vybz Kartel was convicted of the murder of his associate Clive “Lizard” Williams. Shortly thereafter, he was sentenced to life in prison, though the sentence was later reduced to 32 and a half years. Earlier this year, Kartel’s conviction was overturned on appeal, thanks to evidence that one juror tried to bribe the other jurors and wasn’t removed from the trial. Now, as The Guardian reports, Kartel has been freed from prison.

In 2011, Jamaican authorities Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Azim Palmer. Kartel, one of the biggest stars in all of dancehall, was already awaiting trial on another murder charge, and he was later found not guilty of that one. Kartel and his co-defendants Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John were found guilty of murdering Clive “Lizard” Williams, whose body has never been found.

Earlier this year, the UK’s Judicial Committee Of The Privy Council, which acts as Jamaica’s highest appeals court, overturned the murder charges for all four co-defendants, finding that one juror attempted to bribe the others to return a guilty verdict and that this juror was allowed to remain on the jury. Now that Jamaican authorities have opted not to retry the case, Kartel and three of his associates are free. (Kahira Jones remains imprisoned over a separate incident.) Yesterday, the newly freed 48-year-old Vybz Kartel, who’s reportedly been having health difficulties, greeted supporters in Kingston.

"Mi a tell di yute dem stay out of f$@!%&!" – Words of warning from entertainer Vybz Kartel as he took his first steps into freedom in Kingston on Wednesday afternoon. The DJ, who was in custody for 13 years, was freed of a murder charge earlier today. #GLNRToday pic.twitter.com/qdVchRBCGC

— Jamaica Gleaner (@JamaicaGleaner) July 31, 2024