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| Vybz Kartel |
KINGSTON, Jamaica
KINGSTON, JAMAICA: VYBZ KARTEL FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER...3 Found guilty...Verdict was 10:1.....Shane Williams was found not guilty. A juror is to be prosecuted for attempted bribery to the foreman...More on www.RulaBrownNetwork.com
KINGSTON, Jamaica
Vybz Kartel aka Adidja Palmer was found guilty for murder in the death of Clive 'Lizard' Williams on August 16, 2011. It is alleged that Williams was lured to Kartel's Havendale, St Andrew home where he was beaten to death over missing guns. Shawn 'Shawn Storm' Campbell, Shane Williams, Andre St John, and Kahira Jones were also on trial for murder. Shane Williams was found not guilty.
Jurors return with a majority 10:1 verdict verdict in the Home Circuit Court on Thursday. Justice Lennox Campbell sent the jurors back for continued deliberation.
Thursday, March 13, 2014 | 6:03 PM
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The eleven member jury in the Vybz Kartel murder trial returned with a majority 10:1 verdict in the Home Circuit Court on Thursday.
Justice Lennox Campbell sent the jurors back for continued deliberation.
Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, was charged jointly with fellow entertainer Shawn Campbell, also called Shawn Storm; Kahira Jones; Shane Williams; and André St John for the murder of Clive‘Lizard’ Williams .
Williams was allegedly killed over a missing gun belonging to Kartel.
More information later.
(VIDEO) LATEST ON VYBZ KARTEL TRIAL.... KINGSTON, Jamaica: Pro-Kartel crowd descends on Supreme Court....on King Street in downtown Kingston on Thursday afternoon as supporters of entertainer Vybz Kartel converged on the court and disrupted........
Post by Yardie News.
2:43 pm, Thu March 13, 2014
Chaos reigned for a while in the early afternoon around the Jamaican Supreme Court on King Street in downtown Kingston on Thursday afternoon as supporters of entertainer Vybz Kartel converged on the court and disrupted the order that had been established around the courthouse.
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| A section of the crowd near the Supreme Court earlier in the day - Carl Mitchell photo |
-- Justice Lennox Campbell Thursday morning told jurors in the Vybz Kartel murder trial that they should take everything they have heard about the entertainer into account when mulling his fate.
"It is for you to decide his fate, take into account everything you heard about him, including his age, his kindness and the fact that he had no previous run-ins with the law. Having regard to what you have heard. He would ask you to give considerable weight to his good character," Campbell said. The judge is expected to end his summation in the trial early this afternoon......STAND BY FOR MORE INFO.
ST MARY, Jamaica: Headless body of 48-year-old farmer Desmond Williams of Baxters Mountain, farmer found in St Mary
Thursday, March 13, 2014 | 10:18 AM
ST MARY, Jamaica -- The headless body of 48-year-old farmer Desmond Williams of Baxters Mountain in St Mary was found near his home on Wednesday afternoon.
Reports reaching OBSERVER ONLINE are that residents stumbled upon Williams’ body a few metres from his house about 3:30 pm and alerted the police.
The police say Williams’ head is yet to be found.
IN JAMAICA: SportsMax To Stream Champs 2014 Live....from Wednesday (March 26) to Saturday (March 29) starting at 1:30 p.m. each day, to 27 countries in the Caribbean on their cable network....and this is what we aim to continue doing through our free Internet stream
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| Lee |
Published: Thursday | March 13, 2014
Track and field fans from anywhere outside of Jamaica will have the chance to watch the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys and Girls' Athletics Championships (Champs) live, as International Media Content Ltd. (IMC), parent company of cable sports giant SportsMax, has for the third time secured international television and Internet broadcast rights (excluding Jamaica) for the March 25-29 event.
SportsMax, after a one-year absence in 2013, will broadcast Champs from Wednesday (March 26) to Saturday (March 29) starting at 1:30 p.m. each day, to 27 countries in the Caribbean on their cable network. Champs will also be aired on cable in the New York Tri-State and Toronto, Canada, via SportsMax's sister station, CEEN TV.
SportsMax will also provide a free live stream to anyone, anywhere outside of Jamaica, accessible via the CEEN and SportsMax websites and on the social media pages. Champs will also reach some 10 million viewers in the Dominican Republic via SportsMax's newest channel, CDNSportsMax, which is available free in that country. more
MISSING PLANE SHOCK REPORT: FLEW 4 HOURS AFTER VANISHING.....WSJ: Investigators Considering Whether Plane Was Diverted 'With Intention Of Using It Later For Another Purpose'... Satellite 'Debris' Spotting Comes Up Empty... LATEST UPDATES...
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| Malaysian Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein in Kuala Lumpur briefs media on the search mission on Wednesday. Reuters |
Aviation investigators and national security officials believe the plane flew for a total of five hours based on data automatically downloaded and sent to the ground from the BoeingCo. BA -0.99% 777's engines as part of a routine maintenance and monitoring program.
WSJ has confirmed that the pilot had the ability to manually turn off the transponder on Flight MH370. A mid-air catastrophe could have destroyed it. Why is the transponder so significant? WSJ's Jason Bellini has #TheShortAnswer.
That raises a host of new questions and possibilities about what happened aboard the wide body jet carrying 239 people, which vanished from civilian air-traffic control radar over the weekend, about one hour into a flight to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur.
Six days after the mysterious disappearance prompted a massive international air and water search that so far hasn't produced any results, the investigation appears to be broadening in scope. more
KARTEL VERDICT EXPECTED - KINGSTON : Road closures downtown Kingston starting Thursday, Police say.....cordoning of the Supreme Court on King Street where a verdict in the high profile murder trial of entertainer Vybz Kartel is anticipated.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 | 6:17 PM
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The police Wednesday afternoon issued a public advisory instructing that starting tomorrow, Thursday March 13, between 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, several road closures will be instituted downtown Kingston.
King Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between Harbour Street and South Parade. Motorists travelling from South Parade, Tower Street, Harbour Street and Barry Street will not be able to turn onto King Street. However merchants and business operators will be allowed limited access to this area, the police said.
Church Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between South Parade and Tower Street. No vehicles will be allowed to turn onto Church Street from Barry Street, and only court officials and police vehicles will be able to access Church Street from the direction of South Parade or Tower Street, the cops advised Wednesday.
In addition, motorists travelling along Harbour Street intending to use King Street to access the Parade area will instead use Orange Street or continue along Harbour Street, turn left onto Duke Street then left on to East Queen Street, to access the Parade area. The Police advisory said that all points of closure will be manned; noting that the hours of closure may vary. No indication was given on the duration of the closures.
This road closure downtown Kingston comes just about three weeks after the police embarked on a similar procedure, effectively cordoning of the Supreme Court on King Street where a verdict in the high profile murder trial of entertainer Vybz Kartel is anticipated. As was the case in the first instance the police Wednesday did not give a reason for the road closure. more
Bobbi Kristina Defends Dramatic Weight Loss....Whitney Houston's daughter shocked fans with Instagram pic of her slim frame.
By Evelyn Diaz Posted: 03/12/2014 08:45 AM EDT
Bobbi Kristina Brown has lashed out at critics of her recent dramatic weight loss. The newlywed, 21, sported a surprisingly skinny frame in a recent Instagram bikini pic, prompting fans to voice concern over her health.
Brown evoked her late mother Whitney Houston's naturally thin frame in defending the photos. "I am my mothers child! Have you ever heard of a #fastmetabolism ?" she wrote. "Damn, lol, it's incredible how the world will judge you 4ANY&EVERYthing."
Her husband Nick Gordon also jumped in to defend his bride. "My baby is perfect the way she is," Gordon tweeted on Tuesday, adding a few choice profanities for bloggers and reporters. "And for the record she was made that way why change I know she is beautiful."
This isn't the first time Bobbi Kristina's actions have spurred controversy. The aspiring actress had to defend herself against those who disapproved of her marriage to Gordon, who was known as Houston's de facto adoptive son and had lived under the late pop star's roof since he was 12 years old. "This is exactly what she would have wanted, us together," Brown said of her relationship with Gordon this past January, just weeks after they tied the knot. more
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| Bobbi Kristina Brown |
Brown evoked her late mother Whitney Houston's naturally thin frame in defending the photos. "I am my mothers child! Have you ever heard of a #fastmetabolism ?" she wrote. "Damn, lol, it's incredible how the world will judge you 4ANY&EVERYthing."
Her husband Nick Gordon also jumped in to defend his bride. "My baby is perfect the way she is," Gordon tweeted on Tuesday, adding a few choice profanities for bloggers and reporters. "And for the record she was made that way why change I know she is beautiful."
This isn't the first time Bobbi Kristina's actions have spurred controversy. The aspiring actress had to defend herself against those who disapproved of her marriage to Gordon, who was known as Houston's de facto adoptive son and had lived under the late pop star's roof since he was 12 years old. "This is exactly what she would have wanted, us together," Brown said of her relationship with Gordon this past January, just weeks after they tied the knot. more
KINGSTON, JAMAICA Forex: J$109.02 to one US dollar, Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar traded for J$98.11 and the British pound ended trading at J$181.38 on Wednesday.
Wednesday, March 12, 2014 | 4:32 PM
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The US dollar traded at an average J$109.02 on Wednesday, March 12, 2014, according to the Bank of Jamaica’s daily foreign exchange trading summary.
Trading closed at an average J$108.94 to one $US on Tuesday, March 11.
Meanwhile, the Canadian dollar traded for J$98.11 and the British pound ended trading at J$181.38 on Wednesday.....
THEY FOUND IT ! or NOT? Satellite looking into missing Malaysia flight detects 'suspected crash area'.....China's State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense announced the discovery, including images of what it said were "three suspected floating objects and their sizes."
By Jethro Mullen, Greg Botelho and Michael Pearson, CNN updated 6:17 PM EDT, Wed March 12, 2014
(CNN) -- A Chinese satellite looking into the mysterious disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 "observed a suspected crash area at sea," a Chinese government agency said -- a potentially pivotal lead into what has been a frustrating search for the aircraft.
China's State Administration for Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense announced the discovery, including images of what it said were "three suspected floating objects and their sizes."
The images were captured on March 9 -- which was the day after the plane went missing -- but weren't released until Wednesday.
The Chinese agency gave coordinates of 105.63 east longitude, 6.7 north latitude, which would put it in waters northeast of where it took off in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and south of Vietnam, near where the South China Sea meets the Gulf of Thailand. more
BAFFLED: Malaysia Airlines Missing Plane: Officials Not Sure Which Way Jet Was Headed (VIDEO/LIVEBLOG)....Authorities have not ruled out any possible cause, including mechanical failure, pilot error, sabotage or terrorism in the disappearance of the plane.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — More than four days after a Malaysian jetliner went missing en route to Beijing, authorities acknowledged Wednesday they didn't know which direction the plane carrying 239 passengers was heading when it disappeared, vastly complicating efforts to find it.
Amid intensifying confusion and occasionally contradictory statements, the country's civil aviation authorities and the military both said the plane may have turned back from its last known position between Malaysian and Vietnam, possibly as far as the Strait of Malacca, a busy shipping lane on the western side of Malaysia.
How it might have done this without being clearly detected remains a mystery, raising questions over whether its electrical systems, including transponders allowing it to be spotted by radar, were either knocked out or turned off. If it did manage to fly on, it would challenge earlier theories that the plane may have suffered a catastrophic incident, initially thought reasonable because it didn't send out any distress signals.
Authorities have not ruled out any possible cause, including mechanical failure, pilot error, sabotage or terrorism in the disappearance of the plane. Both the Boeing 777 and Malaysia Airlines have excellent safety records. Until wreckage or debris is found and examined, it will be very hard say with any level of certainty what happened.
The search for the missing aircraft was begun from the spot it was last reported to be over the ocean between Malaysia and Vietnam. But they have also said search operations were ongoing in the Strait of Malacca. Scores of planes and aircraft have been scouring waters in both locations.
The country's air force chief, Gen. Rodzali Daud, released a statement denying remarks attributed to him in a local media report saying that military radar had managed to track the aircraft turning back from its original course, crossing the country and making it to the Malacca strait to the west of Malaysia. The Associated Press contacted a high-level military official, who confirmed the remarks. more
Oliver Samuels Celebrates 65th With 'Dollyhouse' .....The play, Dollyhouse, is a wonderful mix of Jamaica's favourite topics - sex, politics, power and betrayal, all coming together to create a hilarious comedy
Published: Wednesday | March 12, 2014
The play, Dollyhouse, is a wonderful mix of Jamaica's favourite topics - sex, politics, power and betrayal, all coming together to create a hilarious comedy with the belly-cramping humour that only Oliver Samuels can produce.
It is well documented that Embassy Saga is funny. When asked how Dollyhouse measures up, Oliver Samuels responded with a a smirk, saying "Unnu jus ain't seen nutten yet."
What does Jamaica's King of Comedy do when it is time to celebrate his 65th year on Earth? He assembles the most powerful cast available inCaribbean theatre today and creates another blockbuster.
Many speculated about how Samuels would be able to follow up on back-to-back hits, Who a Di Don? and Embassy Saga. He has done it withDollyhouse.
Who a Di Don?
Who a Di Don? opened in December 2011 and closed 14 months later in April 2013 after more than 250 well-attended performances highlighted by nine performances in the New York tri-state area, four full-to-capacity performances in Toronto, and seven shows in the United Kingdom, along with repeated stretches of 100 per cent sold-out performances in Jamaica. more
Lawyers upset as judge points to BB messages in Vybz Kartel murder trial....spent considerable time examining the testimony of cybercrimes expert Sergeant Patrick Linton, who told the court that the message was taken from a cellular phone ascribed to Kartel.
BY KARYL WALKER Editor - Crime/Court Desk walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com Wednesday, March 12, 2014
JUSTICE Lennox Campbell yesterday drew the ire of defence attorneys when he told jurors that the author of a damning BlackBerry message which told of Clive 'Lizard' Williams being chopped up 'fine fine' and that his remains would never be found, must have known that he would not be seen again.
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| A supporter of entertainer Vybz Kartel poses yesterday with a placard on King Street across from the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston, where the high-profile murder trial is taking place. (PHOTO: GARFIELD ROBINSON) |
Justice Campbell, who will be entering his fifth day of summation in the Vybz Kartel murder trial in the Supreme Court today, spent considerable time examining the testimony of cybercrimes expert Sergeant Patrick Linton, who told the court that the message was taken from a cellular phone ascribed to Vybz Kartel.
Justice Campbell said although the defence had challenged the authenticity of text and BlackBerry messages, there was none forthcoming as it related to that particular message and wondered why.
"Based on the language of that text the author must be of the view that that person would never return. If it is that it has been concocted to cast aspersion on them or to get them convicted, it would be that that person would be found intact, even if they were dead and not 'fine fine'. It's final. It speaks to the disposal of Lizard," he said.
The defence has consistently claimed that the police had tampered with the telephone evidence and Linton admitted, under oath, that several phones taken from the accused men were used by police at the Organised Crime Investigative Division for days. The defence has argued that the instruments have been tainted.
But while admitting that fact, Justice Campbell told the jurors that the phones could be likened to a baton in a relay and if the baton fell it could be retrieved and the race could continue.
The important thing, he said, was if the baton was in the same condition at the end it was when the relay started. more
LATEST on Vybz Kartel Trial: Judge instructs jury on integrity of cell phone evidence....“The integrity of the phone was compromised between the 3rd and 22nd of October [2010],"Justice Campbell added.
Tuesday, March 11, 2014 | 1:36 PM
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Justice Lennox Campbell Tuesday morning stepped on the accelerator and is breezing through his summation of the evidence presented in the murder trial of entertainer Vybz Kartel and four co-accused now under way at the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston.
Justice Campbell told the 11-member jury panel about the custody of a cell phone, which was taken from the accused, and asked them to consider whether or not the defence’s claim that there was a gap in the chain of custody was valid.
“Proof of chain of custody is not a legal requirement nor is it fatal to the Crown’s case, unless it compromises its integrity, this is an issue which goes to reliance,” Justice Campbell said.
“The integrity of the phone was compromised between the 3rd and 22nd of October [2010],"Justice Campbell added.
He told the jury that Sergeant Patrick Linton admitted that the phone was accessed on the ninth, 10th, 11th, 13th, 14th, and 15th of October.
“If there is a gap in continuity. If the jury is not satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the phone was compromised it can still be admitted. But bear in mind, the longer the phone was compromised the lower the value as evidence.” more
MYSTERY: PHANTOM JET VEERED WEST? Malaysia Airlines Jet Missing: Military Says Plane Changed Course....RADAR: Plane Went Hundreds Of Miles Off Course After Last Contact... Men With Stolen Passports ID'd... No Terror Ties... Search Area Expands... Plagued By False Leads... Security Flaw Exposed... CLAIM: Co-Pilot Previously Entertained Guests In Cockpit... Still No Sign Of Plane... LATEST UPDATES.
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — The Malaysian military has radar data showing the missing Boeing 777 jetliner changed course and made it to the Malacca Strait, hundreds of kilometers (miles) from the last position recorded by civilian authorities, according to a senior military official.
The development injects more mystery into the investigation of the disappearance of Saturday's flight, and raises questions about why the aircraft was not transmitting signals detectable by civilian radar.
Local newspaper Berita Harian quoted Malaysian air force chief Gen. Rodzali Daud as saying radar at a military base had detected the airliner at 2:40 a.m. near Pulau Perak at the northern approach to the strait, a busy waterway that separates the western coast of Malaysia and Indonesia's Sumatra island. "After that, the signal from the plane was lost," he was quoted as saying.
A high-ranking military official involved in the investigation confirmed the report and also said the plane was believed to be flying low. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information.
Authorities had earlier said the plane, which took off at 12:20 a.m. and was headed to Beijing, may have attempted to turn back to Kuala Lumpur, but they expressed surprise that it would do so without informing ground control. The search for the plane was initially focused on waters between the eastern coast of Malaysia and Vietnam, the position where aviation authorities last tracked it. No trace of the plane, which was carrying 239 people, has been found by than 40 planes and ships from at least 10 nations searching the area.
Earlier Tuesday, Malaysia Airlines said in a statement that search and rescue teams had expanded their scope to the Malacca Strait. An earlier statement said the western coast of Malaysia was "now the focus," but the airline subsequently said that phrase was an oversight. It didn't elaborate. Civil aviation chief Azharuddin Abdul Rahman said the search remained "on both sides" of the country. more
JAMAICA SPORTS: Dr. Andrea Bruce, XLCRian, OLYMPIAN, MEDICAL DOCTOR remembers Girls Champs experience as fun 40 years ago....Her singular effort of three gold medals helped to inspire the school to their fourth consecutive title in 1973..
IT has been 40 years since Excelsior High School (XLCR) last won the ISSA Girls' Athletics Championships, and by all indications, the Mountain View-based school does not appear set to do so anytime soon.
However, the school will be lifted by the legacy Dr Andrea Bruce and her generation left behind.
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| Dr Bruce remembers Champs experience as fun |
Her singular effort of three gold medals helped to inspire the school to their fourth consecutive title in 1973.
Dr Bruce, now a family physician at the Covington County Hospital in Mississippi, USA, won the Class One high jump with a record 5ft, 6 3/4 inches and the long jump also in a record 18ft, 8 3/4 inches. She then completed her triple gold performance by winning the Class One 100m hurdles in 15.4 seconds.
Those performances propelled XLCR to a record 141 points, well ahead of second-placed St Hilda's High with 62.5 and Mannings third with 56 points.
That same year, she was later named Jamaica's Sports Woman of the Year, as she did again in 1975.
"At the time we didn't really prepare. We just went out on talent. You run around for a couple of weeks and you said, Champs coming up. There was no real preparation in there. Most of the time we performed on talent, sheer talent. We were just talented," Dr Bruce told the Jamaica Observer via telephone from Mississippi.
"We didn't have hurdles. We didn't have high jump pits. We just went out on talent," she reiterated. more
Colorado Recreational Weed Sales Top $14 Million In First Month...... putting about $2 million of tax revenue into state coffers in the process.
During the first month of recreational marijuana sales, Colorado's licensed dispensaries generated a total of more than $14 million, putting about $2 million of tax revenue into state coffers in the process.
The state Department of Revenue released the figures on Monday, which showed how much Colorado has taken in from both medical and recreational marijuana taxes and fees. The medical marijuana sales for January generated an additional $900,000 in sales tax, for a total tax revenue of $2.9 million for both sides of the state's marijuana dispensary market. Including fees, the figure jumps to $3.5 million.
"The first month of sales for recreational marijuana fell in line with expectations," Barbara Brohl, executive director of the department, said in a statement. "We expect clear revenue patterns will emerge by April and plan to incorporate this data into future forecasts."
The figures represent the tax returns from 59 businesses around Colorado, according to the department. The recreational marijuana tax numbers come from two levies that state voters approved last November -- a 10 percent special sales tax and a 15 percent excise tax. more
Should you be worried about that headache? Your Health Your Wealth...HEADACHE, also known as cephalgia, is a pain in the head, which is the area above the eyes, ears and the posterior neck.
HEADACHE, also known as cephalgia, is a pain in the head, which is the area above the eyes, ears and the posterior neck.
It may be categorised as primary or secondary headache. Primary headaches, such as migraine, tension and cluster headaches, have no serious underlying pathology and pose no threat to life.
Ultimately the aim of treatment for primary headache is to relieve the pain and prevent further recurrence.
For secondary headaches, the types of headache that have serious underlying disease, the aim is to find the underlying cause and treat promptly.
Types of headache
1.Migraine headaches are commonly one-sided throbbing that vary in intensity and worsen during routine activities. They may present with nausea or vomiting and pain increases with loud sounds or bright lights. It can also be associated with visual and speech problem, which precede the headache, tremors, numbness and weakness in the face and limbs.
Migraine may be familial for some, while for others, it may be linked to their menstrual cycle, use of oral contraceptives, pregnancy, menopause, long periods of hunger or missed meals, eating certain foods, odors, disrupted sleep, or stressful life events. more
ST. ANDREW, JAMAICA: 53 y-o man chopped to death, woman stabbed in Papine market attack....."Vendors who were in the area reported hearing screams and raised an alarm,"
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
A 53-year-old man was chopped to death and a woman stabbed and injured by criminals early yesterday morning at Papine Market in St Andrew.
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| A vendor cleans a section of Papine Market, St Andrew, where a man was chopped to death, yesterday. (PHOTO: BRYAN CUMMINGS) |
"Vendors who were in the area reported hearing screams and raised an alarm," said Venesha Phillips, councillor for the Papine Division, who visited traumatised vendors yesterday.
A female vendor, said to be in her 60s, went to the man's aid and was attacked and stabbed. She managed to escape, but Cyril was not so lucky. Police, who were called to the scene, said Cyril was found suffering from multiple chop wounds and was rushed to hospital where he was declared dead. The Matilda's Corner Police are probing the matter. more
BREAKING NEWS: Vybz Kartel jury urged to review evidence against each accused separately...."I must, therefore, warn you to be very careful to convict anyone on eyewitness evidence. There have been wrongful convictions in the past," he said..
BY KARYL WALKER Editor -- Crime/Court Desk walkerk@jamaicaobserver.com Tuesday, March 11, 2014
JUSTICE Lennox Campbell yesterday instructed jurors to examine the evidence in the murder trial against entertainer Vybz Kartel and his four co-accused separately so as not to summarily convict or acquit the men.
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| Entertainer Vybz Kartel (in shades) arrives at the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston, yesterday. (PHOTO: BRYAN CUMMINGS) |
With more than 60 days of the trial gone, the 11-member panel of jurors seemed at times jaded yesterday but after a late start due to the absence of one of their number, Justice Campbell began to sum up the evidence.
"You are the sole judges of the facts in this case. 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 Campbell said, as he continued his summation of the high-profile murder case in the High Court in downtown Kingston.
The judge yesterday spent considerable time summing up the evidence of the prosecution star witness who he reminded the jurors was the only eyewitness in the case.
He told the jurors that the witness' evidence had changed under cross-examination as it related to a light on a cellular phone, which he first told the court was constant but recanted to say it was flashing during cross-examination from defence attorney Pierre Rodgers.
He informed the jurors that eyewitness and voice identification evidence were very fragile and they had to consider a number of factors when considering the evidence in those two areas.
"I must, therefore, warn you to be very careful to convict anyone on eyewitness evidence. There have been wrongful convictions in the past," he said.
He said the jury must consider the length of time the witness had to see, the kind of lighting available, distance, and how long the witness knew the accused men.
"Voice identification poses the same type of danger. People sound like people. The danger is more acute," Justice Campbell said.
He also told the jurors that the only evidence entered against Shane Williams was a voice identification on a video, which was tendered into evidence by the prosecution.
The judge also mentioned the witness' testimony that he was invited to fly to Guyana with Kartel and Shawn Campbell to avoid being questioned and his refusal at one point to embark on the flight.
"He had never travelled overseas before with Mr Palmer so you may well ask yourselves why? Why that invitation?" he said.
Justice Campbell also spoke to claims by the defence that the star witness had concocted a story with the police to avoid a firearm-related charge.He said the first statement given to the police by the witness was done eight days after the alleged murder on August 16, 2011.
"The question I ask myself, Madame foreman, and your members, is when that statement was given how would the police know? Eight days after the police gave the witness a statement and answer it? How did the police know that 'Lizard' would not be seen again?" he said.
Earlier in the proceedings, before the jurors were ushered into the courtroom, defence attorney Tom Tavares-Finson and Justice Campbell briefly faced off after Tavares-Finson asked the reason two notes were handed to the court registrar by the prosecution during his summation last week. "What notes would that be?" Justice Campbell said.
"The notes were handed to me by the registrar. Maybe you can ask him," Justice Campbell said.
"The registrar is right here maybe your lordship could make the request?" Tavares-Finson asked.
"I will make no such request," Justice Campbell said sternly. "The notes contained corrections to your summation," a defiant Tavares-Finson continued. "This is very unusual, Mr Finson. I would have thought that after the judge's summation he would ask the defence if anything [was] left out?" The judge said. more
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS: James Degorski, Man Who Killed 7 At Brown's Chicken Restaurant, Awarded $451,000 In Civil Suit
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| This undated photo released by the Palatine (Ill.) Police Department on Oct. 5, 2009, shows James Degorski Degorski, 37, was convicted in the 1993 slayings of seven people at a suburban Chicago restaurant. (AP Photo/Palatine Police Department) |
CHICAGO (AP) — A former handyman serving life in prison for the 1993 murder of seven people at a suburban Chicago restaurant has been awarded nearly a half-million dollars in a civil lawsuit in which he alleged a jail guard punched him in the face.
Victims' relatives Sunday criticized jurors' decision for James Degorski, who, with an accomplice, shot and stabbed two restaurant owners and five workers at Brown's Chicken and Pasta during a botched robbery. Their bodies were found in a walk-in cooler and freezer.
Degorski, now 41, accused a Cook County Jail guard of punching him and breaking his cheekbone and eye socket in 2002 — just after Degorski's arrest in what had been one of the most notorious, unsolved murder cases in Illinois history. "If broken bones are worth a half-million, then how much are seven lives worth? This just doesn't feel right," said Ann Ehlenfeldt, a sister of Richard Ehlenfeldt, one of the owners who was killed.
But Degorski's attorney, Jennifer Bonjean, hailed the jury's decision, which came Friday after a three-day trial. more
Police release sketches of suspects in Dunkirk double murder....The victims are Demar McKenzie, otherwise called ‘Biggs’, and 17-month-old Threjan Harvey who were shot and killed about 10:00 pm in the community also known as Dunkirk.
Monday, March 10, 2014 | 8:08 PM
KINGSTON, Jamaica -- The Kingston and St Andrew Major Investigations Taskforce (MIT) has released composite sketches of two men who are suspects in a double murder committed on Friday February 14, at McIntyre Villa in east Kingston.
The victims are Demar McKenzie, otherwise called ‘Biggs’, and 17-month-old Threjan Harvey who were shot and killed about 10:00 pm in the community also known as Dunkirk.
The police are asking anyone with information that can assist in locating these individuals to contact them at 967-3377, 948-1329, Crime Stop at 311, Police 119 emergency number or the nearest police station.
Information may also be submitted at www.tipsubmit.com, through Twitter @JamaicaConstab, or The Jamaica Constabulary Force Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/JamaicaConstabularyForce. more
Michael Jackson's Alleged Son, You Can't Get MJ's Money.......Brandon Howard says he has no interest in going after the Estate, and that's a good thing, because Michael made sure he and everyone else in the world -- except Prince, Paris and Blanket -- could not lay a hand on MJ's assets.
3/10/2014 4:30 AM PDT BY TMZ STAFF
Michael Jackson's newly-proclaimed alleged son will be fending for himself for the rest of his life, because there's NO WAY he can touch the money in MJ's estate.
Brandon Howard says he has no interest in going after the Estate, and that's a good thing, because Michael made sure he and everyone else in the world -- except Prince, Paris and Blanket -- could not lay a hand on MJ's assets.
According to Michael's will ... Michael's 3 kids, along with some charities, ultimately get his money. Michael also made sure that Katherine was supported during her lifetime. We just dug through Michael's 2002 will -- in which he explicitly wrote, "Except as otherwise provided in this Will or in the Trust ... I have intentionally omitted to provide for my heirs."
Under the law, that's all she wrote, because MJ had every right to disinherit anyone he wanted ... even his own kids. What he did was provide for Paris, Blanket and Prince ... and even if someone else could prove they were sired by the singer ... tough luck. Bottom line ... Michael beat it, even in death. more
Michael Jackson's newly-proclaimed alleged son will be fending for himself for the rest of his life, because there's NO WAY he can touch the money in MJ's estate.Brandon Howard says he has no interest in going after the Estate, and that's a good thing, because Michael made sure he and everyone else in the world -- except Prince, Paris and Blanket -- could not lay a hand on MJ's assets.
According to Michael's will ... Michael's 3 kids, along with some charities, ultimately get his money. Michael also made sure that Katherine was supported during her lifetime. We just dug through Michael's 2002 will -- in which he explicitly wrote, "Except as otherwise provided in this Will or in the Trust ... I have intentionally omitted to provide for my heirs."
Under the law, that's all she wrote, because MJ had every right to disinherit anyone he wanted ... even his own kids. What he did was provide for Paris, Blanket and Prince ... and even if someone else could prove they were sired by the singer ... tough luck. Bottom line ... Michael beat it, even in death. more
Uninsured Rate Drops, Thanks To Obamacare....roughly to 3 million to 4 million people getting coverage....found that 15.9 percent of U.S. adults are uninsured thus far in 2014, down from 17.1 percent for the last three months
WASHINGTON (AP) — With just three weeks left to sign up under President Barack Obama's health care law, a major survey tracking the rollout finds that the uninsured rate keeps going down.
The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, released Monday, found that 15.9 percent of U.S. adults are uninsured thus far in 2014, down from 17.1 percent for the last three months — or calendar quarter— of 2013.
That translates roughly to 3 million to 4 million people getting coverage. Gallup said the share of Americans who lack coverage is on track to drop to the lowest quarterly level it measured since 2008, before Obama took office. The survey found that almost every major demographic group made progress getting health insurance, although Hispanics lagged.
With the highest uninsured rate of any racial or ethnic group, Latinos were expected to be major beneficiaries of the new health care law. They are a relatively young population and many are on the lower rungs of the middle class, holding down jobs that don't come with health insurance.
But the outreach effort to Hispanics got off to a stumbling start. The Spanish-language enrollment website, CuidadodeSalud.gov, was delayed due to technical problems. Its name sounds like a clunky translation from English: "Care of Health." A spot check of the Spanish site on Sunday showed parts of it still use a mix of Spanish and English to convey information, which can make insurance details even more confusing. more
INTO THIN AIR? Investigators Chase 'Every Angle' In Missing Malaysia Jet....CLAIM: Plane May Have Disintegrated Mid-Flight... Hopes Dashed After Floating 'Yellow Object' Is Identified As Sea Trash... Search Team Can't Find Suspected Jet Door... 'Unprecedented Mystery'... Investigators Probing 'Every Angle'... Interpol: Security Lapse Of 'Great Concern'... LATEST UPDATES
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Rescue helicopters and ships searching for a Malaysia Airlines jet rushed Monday to investigate a yellow object that looked like a life raft. It turned out to be moss-covered trash floating in the ocean, once again dashing hopes after more than two days of fruitless search for the plane that disappeared en route to Beijing with 239 people on board.
With no confirmation that the Boeing 777 had crashed, hundreds of distraught relatives waited anxiously for any news. Thai police and Interpol questioned the proprietors of a travel agency in the resort town of Pattaya that sold one-way tickets to two men now known to have been traveling on flight MH370 using stolen passports.
Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation chief, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, told a news conference that investigators were looking at "every angle" to explain the plane's disappearance early Saturday, including hijacking.
"There are many experts around the world who have contributed their knowhow and knowledge," Azharuddin said. "As far as we are concerned, we are equally puzzled as well." more
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