Dancehall Artist Vybz Kartel’s Murder Conviction Overturned

Exactly a decade after Jamaican dancehall star Vybz Kartel was found guilty of murder for the killing of Clive “Lizard” Williams, the musician’s conviction was overturned on Thursday, according to a report from Reuters.

Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, appealed his conviction to the Privy Council in London last month, arguing that attempts to bribe jurors on the trial tainted the case. With the appeal successful, officials in Jamaica will decide whether Kartel will be tried again.

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Soon after the decision, Kartel shared several celebratory posts on Instagram, captioned “Victorious!!!”

The initial trial against Kartel and three co-defendants went on for just over two months before the four men were convicted on March 14, 2014. Prosecutors argued that Williams was killed over missing guns, and that Kartel had lured Williams to his home before Williams was beaten to death. Williams’ body was never found. As the New York Times reported at the time of the conviction, Jamaican police testified that they saw a text on Kartel’s phone stating that Williams’ body was turned to “mincemeat.”

Kartel was one of the biggest artists in Jamaica at the time of his conviction, and he has collaborated with artists including Rihanna, Missy Elliot, Busta Rhymes and Pitbull among others. He continued to release music while behind bars, including the 2016 single “Fever,” which was later certified gold by the RIAA in 2020.

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