Justice Lennox Campblell’s attention is now on the prosecution star witness Llamar Chow.
The presiding judge in the Vybz Kartel murder trial is currently giving the jury his summation of the high profile trial. His review of the star witness testimony is the longest so far since he began last Thursday.
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This morning Justice Campbell told the 11-member jury to determine if Llamar Chow is a credible witness. He also said that they are allowed to reach a different verdict for each accused men.
“You are the sole judges of the facts in this case,” the judge said. “It is not the judge’s verdict that is asked for, but yours and yours alone. Your verdict need not be the same for all. Review the evidence against all separately.”
Justice Lennox Campbell also told the judge to use extra care when using eyewitness and voice notes evidence.
“People sound like people,” the judge said, adding that “the danger is more acute.”
“I must, therefore, warn you to be very careful to convict anyone on eyewitness evidence,” the judge told the jury. “There have been wrongful convictions in the past.”
The judge also questioned why the star witness Llamar Chow gave the police his statement 8 days after the alleged murder took place on August 16, 2011.
The defense is arguing that the star witness concocted the statement along with the help of police officers to avoid a gun charge that could have landed him behind bars for years.
The star witness told the court during his testimony that he saw his friend Clive “Lizard” Williams lifeless body laying on the floor in Vybz Kartel’s house in Havendale on the day of the alleged murder.
Vybz Kartel, born Adidja Palmer, Shawn “Storm” Campbell, Kahira Jones, André St John, and Shane Williams are all on trial for the alleged murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams.
The Crown says Williams, who is a former associate of the accused men, was killed on August 16, 2011 over two missing guns belonging to the dancehall star.
His body has yet to be found.
If convicted the men could face life imprisonment.
