BUJU VERDICT DAY *UPDATE*

Jurors in the Buju Banton trial went back deliberating a verdict at 9:50 am Tampa time after Judge Jim Moody answered a query from them. They wanted to know if a crime had taken place on December 10 when Ian Thomas and James Mac were arrested, in a sting operation.

Moody told them yes, that a crime had been comitted.
"Your job is to decide whether or not Mr Myrie was involved in that crime," Moody told the jurors.


STILL WAITING...THE JURY JUST GOT BACK FROM LUNCH AT 1 PM N HAVE  RESUMED DELIBERATIONS.

Okayyy Monday it is then...

BOUNTY KIBBA U MOUT

Killa u have Buju syndrome now, u mout leak di bizniz. U nuh know the only person u can trust is ureself.  Ure saying u just stressed out bout u backed up rent n bills on top of the vehicle situation. All the free Champion in action shows u did fi Prezzy n u cyaa check him fi a loan now eee *sad*.  U believe u cudda beat "Rockell" knee n gold coins drop out like a piniata? (Cross legs) So Rodney, How u plan to find the 5 million she asking  for, if u rent 2 mths in arrears. Summen haffi happen cuz u  know dem bwoy deh a  guh hammer u inna prison if ure broke. Judge licky licky, Attorney tiefy tiefy n Officer beggy beggy haffi get fi dem share 2. Alliance better hol' a garage sale or auction off u black suit dem 2 a funeral home or summen. U need a loan fast n Claudia nuh hav the 5 mil fi pay har off since she say she done. Bridgez u hav anything 2 sell, u mate need a new car or a house deposit. Every one a dem getting paid, Kadeem led the way n she got a nice cut. Bounty will not hav much left if he has 2 fork out so much money 4 every girl him beat cuz there r many more 2 come. Rodney u better sue hennessy n see wat u can recover, since ure blaming it on the A-A-A-A-A-Alcohol.

DAVID SMITH (OLINT) PLED GUILTY

DAVID Smith was today sentenced to six-and-a-half-years in prison after he pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to money laundering and two counts of conspiracy to the fraud in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Oliver Smith (no relation), lawyer for the head of the failed Olint investment scheme, told the Observer a few minutes ago that his client’s decision to plead guilty was driven by his wife’s exposure.
According to the lawyer, David Smith’s guilty plea means that the three charges against his wife Tracy have been dropped and her right to travel has been reinstated.

BUJU UPDATE *NO VERDICT*

The 13-member panel of jurors were still undecided on the fate of Reggae singer Buju Banton after more than four hours of deliberation this afternoon.

They will reconvene tomorrow morning at 9:30
Banton has been languishing in the Pinellas County jail since December 10 last year when Federal agents removed him  from his home in Tamarac, Florida.

BUJU TAKES THE STAND

Markus announced that Banton would be taking the witness box because the "truth was on his side".
Buju Banton yesterday took the witness stand in his cocaine trial, denying that he was a trafficker or a financier of any illicit drug activities.But the artiste admitted two things: that he was naïve, and that he was only "talking crap" when he was recorded telling Government informant Alexander Johnson that he was a drug financier, who was in search of new drug ventures

"Like my mom always say, 'Mark, you talk a lot,' and that is the consequence of it," said the 37-year-old entertainer, whose given name is Mark Myrie, during cross-examination from prosecutor Jim Preston.
Buju said he was ashamed of himself for the things he had said, but told the attentive jurors that "talking crap" did not make him a dealer

"Are you guilty of being a cocaine trafficker?" Markus wasted no time in asking.
"No, Sir, I'm not," Banton promptly responded as he went on to deny the charges against him.
"How do you feel?" Markus asked.
"I'm scared," Banton said, managing an awkward smile. "I'm nervous. I've been waiting 10 months."
.

                                    *******UPDATE***********
A 13-member panel of jurors are now deliberating whether to find Reggae artiste Buju Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, guilty or innocent of conspiracy with intent to distribute five kilogrammes of cocaine.

A female African-American juror fell ill and will not take part in this afternoon's deliberation.

DEFENSE WITNESS PLED THE 5TH, SHOCKING BUJUS' LAWYER

The defense in the Buju Banton trial suffered a minor setback this morning when a possible witness pleaded the Fifth Amendment, deciding not to testify on behalf of the Jamaican singer.


The defense had requested that James Mack, Buju's former co-accused, give evidence for him, but Mack, fearful that he might jeopardise his chances of getting a lighter sentence, opted not to.
American law allows a witness to refuse to testify under oath on the ground that the answers could be used as evidence by prosecutors seeking to convict the witness for a criminal offence
Mack was arrested in December 2009 the same day that Buju, whose given name is Mark Myrie, was arrested and slapped with cocaine charges.He recently copped a plea deal for a lighter sentence. Also arrested along with Mack in a sting operation was Ian Thomas, who also copped a plea deal. Both men will be sentenced in November.

Markus said..."He would have helped."

BOUNTY KILLA REFUSED BAIL

Bounty Killer was remanded in custody when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court this morning. Bounty Killer aka Rodney Pryce is charged with wounding. Police said a woman turned up at the Constant Spring Police Station badly bruised. The woman claimed Pryce had beaten her with a hammer.

This morning the court was told that Pryce had beaten the woman with a hammer in both knees.
He is also accused of using a zapper — an electric mosquito repellant — to hit the woman on her wrists.
Pryce is expected to return to court on September 27.

In both knees?...Wat were u playing doctor n checking her reflexes?

*BUJU UPDATE*...THE TAPES

Yesterday, as the tapes were being played, one woman could be seen clutching her head and covering her ears. Others sat attentively, captivated by the conversations between the four-time Grammy nominee and Johnson, a convicted drug trafficker who has been working with the US Government since 1996 to sink other narco dealers.

Also played for the court was the video recording of December 8, 2009 in which Banton was seen tasting cocaine from a knife given to him by his long-time friend Ian Thomas after he used it to cut open a package containing five kilogrammes of cocaine during an undercover operation by the Sarasota Police Department at a warehouse.Thomas was heard on the video saying that the cocaine was fish scale. Johnson later told the court that the term meant that the drug was of a high quality.

The prosecution then played the expletive-laced recordings, which were made between July and December and in which the 37-year-old Banton was heard telling Johnson, "I am about making money, straight up".

Banton was also heard asking Johnson if he had any contacts to acquire cocaine as he was willing to finance a deal. He also told Johnson that he did not have contacts in Venezuela and Panama, but that he was involved in smuggling diamonds from Africa to Europe.
He was also heard telling Johnson that: "It would be good to have our own contacts," and that he would like to start small, as "I don't want to take any risks".


"There are a lot of snitches in the game," Banton warned Johnson at one point, saying that it was hard for him to find anyone to trust.

In one conversation Banton was heard cursing and complaining to Johnson that the gay community, particularly the gay rights group GLAD (Gays and Lesbians Advocates and Defenders), was trying to ruin his career. Banton had been at odds with the gay community since the 1990s following the release of his anti-gay monster hit Boom Bye Bye. He was also heard complaining of being stressed out and said that he had 15 kids whose school fees needed to be paid.

LIVITY DENIED BAIL

Leighton 'Livity' Coke, brother of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, was yesterday denied bail when he appeared in the Gun Court.


The prosecution opposed bail on the grounds that things were now under control in west Kingston and fear was being expressed that, if Coke got bail, there could be an escalation of crime in the area.Supreme Court judge Paulette Williams turned down the bail application. Coke is to return to court on October 7 for case management conference.Coke is facing charges of shooting with intent and illegal possession of a firearm.

It is alleged that Livity fired shots at the police in May, during the unrest in west Kingston when his brother was being sought by the police in connection with a warrant for his extradition.

DEPORTEE ASSISSTANCE

The National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA) is making a public appeal for deported migrants, especially those with a substance dependency, to enrol in its nine-month reintegration programme geared at helping them become productive members of the society.

Sislyn Malcolm, national director of field services at NCDA said "It is very difficult for these persons, who are deported and are also drug abusers who have lived in a First-World country for the greater portion of their lives, to adjust to our lifestyle in Jamaica. "It is hoped that this initiative will enable these individuals to successfully reintegrate into society and become responsible citizens."


Interested persons who wish to contact the National Council on Drug Abuse can call the toll-free number at 1-888-991-4244 or text the word HELP to 564-3784