KINGSTON – A Home Circuit Court jury has been directed to rule that dancehall entertainer Vybz Kartel is not guilty of the murder of St Catherine businessman Barrington “Bossy” Burton.
However, Kartel will remain in custody because he has another murder case pending.
The jury also freed Kartel’s two co-accused, Lenburgh McDonald and Nigel Thompson.
Supreme Court judge Bryan Sykes instructed the 12-member jury to return the verdicts after the prosecution informed the court that it had no further evidence against the men.
The stage for the collapse of the case was set after Justice Sykes turned down an application by the Crown to admit two witness statements in the trial.
He said he was not convinced that the prosecution took enough steps to locate the witnesses.
The three were taken into custody for the 2011 shooting murder of the St Catherine businessman.
Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, is to return to the Home Circuit Court in November for trial in relation to the Clive “Lizard” Williams murder. (Jamaica Gleaner.)
