KINGSTON, Jamaica – Grammy award singer Buju Banton has hired a new legal turn in a bid to overturn his 10-year jail term in the United States on drug related charges.
Media reports are that the Jamaican-born singer had hired prominent human rights attorney, Chokwe Lumumba, replacing the singer’s long time attorney, David Oscar Markus.
Lumumba told the Gleaner newspaper that he is concerned at the “very mysterious” way the firearm charge against Banton had been handled.
“The district court threw it out and appears to have good reason to throw it out from the decision I have read. And then the Court of Appeal put it back in on some very flimsy grounds, it appears to me,” he said, adding that he had already perused transcripts of the trial.
Lumumba said he intends to have his face to face meeting with Banton, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, in 14 days.
Banton was found guilty in February of conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offence and using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking offence.
The firearm charge was, however, thrown out by the presiding judge, who asserted that the singer had no idea others involved in the conspiracy were carrying guns.
Banton appealed the conviction but it was dismissed by the US Court of Appeal for the 11th Circuit last month. The Court of Appeal also ordered that the case be sent back to the trial judge for him to decide whether the singer should be re-tried on the firearm charge or sentenced to the five years allowed under the sentencing guidelines. (CMC)
