tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43699627164136351672024-03-13T04:24:11.589+02:00Buju Banton TrialCollected news and updates on the Mark Myrie aka Buju Banton trialRiinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.comBlogger134125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-4619353849057301902018-12-08T19:08:00.001+02:002018-12-08T19:08:25.165+02:00Buju has arrived home in Jamaica<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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GRAMMY award-winning Jamaican artiste Buju Banton arrived in the island last night after being released from McRae Correctional Facility in Georgia, United States, yesterday.<br />
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The deejay, who served eight years in prison on drug charges, looked well as he smiled and waved to airport staff who screamed and shouted his name as he walked through the general aviation (private) section of the airport avoiding a large crowd that had gathered at the main arrival area.<br />
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Wearing a white tam and white shirt covered by a white sweater, his beard had patches of grey.<br />
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Later in the night he was seen driving going to see his father. He seemed to be in good spirits, smiling and stopping to talk to fans.<br />
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Welcome home Buju!<br />
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<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-27557522895746400602018-12-07T22:43:00.000+02:002018-12-07T22:43:15.328+02:00Buju Banton Released From US Prison <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><br />Buju Banton has been released from prison after eight years at the McRae Correctional institution. </b><b>An officer at the institution said the entertainer whose given name is Mark Myrie, was let out on earlier today.</b><br />
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The United States embassy in Kingston is tight-lipped about when reggae superstar Buju Banton will be returned to the country.<br /><br />
Buju, 45,was arrested in December 2009, months after he was met by a convicted drug trafficker on a flight from Spain who sought to set up a cocaine deal for him.<br />
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Following his conviction in February 2011, Buju was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.<br />
Federal prosecutors required two trials to convict the reggae icon, who was targeted and pursued by an undercover federal informant for more than a year.<br />
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Buju, a Grammy award-winning entertainer was convicted of drug trafficking on February 22, 2011 in Tampa, Florida, 12 days after the retrial of his case began. He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment.<br />
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His initial release date was set as February 2019, but was later revised to December 8, 2018.<br />
Buju recently released a statement saying that upon release he only wants to be associated with his craft.<br />
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"Having survived, I want to share the good news and strength of my music. I just want to continue making music, which I've devoted my life to. I look forward to the opportunity to say a personal thanks to my fans and everyone who supported me," Buju said.<br /><br />Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20181207/buju-banton-released-us-prison-0<br />
<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-55123298435923539272018-10-28T19:56:00.000+02:002018-10-28T19:56:11.165+02:00Buju Banton Moves To Circumvent ICE Detention Ahead Of Prison Release<br />
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Buju Banton is moving to circumvent any ICE detention that might come his way.<br />
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Buju Banton, real name Mark Myrie, has just over a month to serve before he is released from federal prison, on December 8, 2018. The reggae/dancehall legend is eager to return to his family and fans in Jamaica, so he has hired a team of high powered attorneys to oversee his release from prison and pending deportation back to Jamaica. Urban Islandz previously reported that Buju is planning to embark on an extensive tour called “Long Walk To Freedom Tour” which will comprise of shows in the wider Caribbean, Africa, and Europe.<br />
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But before he embarks on his upcoming tour, Banton will be performing in Jamaica for his first post-prison concert. The Grammy-winning singer’s publicist, Ronnie Tomlinson, confirmed that his legal team is now working to ensure that his transition from prison to Jamaica is as smooth as possible. Upon his release from the McRae Correctional Institute located in Georgia on December 8, Buju Banton will be placed in the custody of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The singer wants that time to be as little as possible.<br />
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We’re told that sometimes ICE processed inmates in a day and sometimes it could take months. Buju Banton has no interest in fighting his immigration status in the United States which will make it easier for him to be sent to Jamaica immediately after completing his sentence. This also means that he will not be able to travel and work in the United States possibly for an extended period.<br />
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“Buju has made sure that his stay with ICE will be as short as possible,” Tomlinson said. “He has opted for voluntary deportation. He should be home in very short order after his sentence ends.”<br />
Sources told Urban Islandz that Buju Banton would likely be home in Jamaica within days of his release from prison.<br />
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Source: https://urbanislandz.com/2018/10/27/buju-banton-circumvent-ice-detention-prison/<br />
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<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-3078069307201321642018-09-24T02:29:00.002+03:002018-09-24T02:29:37.408+03:00Jamaica the first stop on Buju Banton's 'Freedom' tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /><br />Incarcerated reggae superstar Buju Banton will reportedly be embarking on a major world tour in 2019.<br /><br /><br />The reggae legend’s team announced via social media that he would embark on a tour dubbed “Long Walk To Freedom”. <br /><br /><br />“The anticipation continues to build, looking forward to seeing you all soon. Stay Tuned!” the post read.<br /><br /><br />Donovan Germain, the artiste's close friend and former manager, said that Buju Banton's first performance will be in Jamaica.<br /><br /><br />"I cannot give any details at this time, but I can confirm that his first show will be in Jamaica," Germain told Loop Jamaica reporter Claude Mills. <br /><br /><br />Dates will be announced in the coming weeks and there will be special guests performing with the singer. Loop News understands that the first show in Jamaica is tentatively scheduled for March 23, 2019.<br /><br /><br />The “Long Walk To Freedom” tour will be Buju Banton’s first major trek after his release from prison on December 8. He has a show already booked for Trinidad and Tobago in the spring of next year. There is also a show set for March 30th at the Nassau National Stadium in the Bahamas.<br /><br /><br />Buju Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, is currently serving a 10-year prison sentence for drug trafficking. He will return to Jamaica after his release.<br /><br /><br />He is a major reggae star, winning a Grammy award in 2011 for his album 'Before the Dawn'. He was previously nominated in the Best Reggae Album category in 2004, and 2010 for his albums Friends for Life and Rasta Got Soul.<br /><br /><br /><br />Source: http://www.loopjamaica.com/content/jamaica-first-stop-buju-bantons-freedom-tourRiinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-9304559637167034172017-11-15T16:57:00.001+02:002017-11-15T16:59:09.296+02:00Buju’s children look forward to his homecoming <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jodian & Mark Myrie</td></tr>
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Ten years is a long time for a father to be separated from his children.<br />
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Hence, Buju Banton's offspring are already counting down the months to their father's release and return to Jamaica.<br />
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Buju is expected to be released in December 2018, having one year removed from his 10-year sentence.<br />
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The eldest of Buju's children, Jodian Myrie, is anticipating an emotional roller coaster on the day her father lands.<br />
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She shared that Buju had asked all his children to promise not to visit during his incarceration. She kept that promise unlike her brothers Markus and Jahazeil, who decided that was not an option.<br />
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"When I was 16, we surprised him. I just really wanted to see him because it had been long time," said Jahazeil, now 20. "He is ready to come home and I know in his spirit that he wants to perform. No one wants to be away from their family or work for so long under those conditions."<br />
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As an emerging member of the recording fraternity, Jahazeil believes that a homecoming event should be planned, although nothing has been discussed among the siblings.<br />
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"To be quite honest, we don't have anything prepared. It is not something that we know how to deal with, a person coming off serving time. Closer to the release, the family will know what to do. One thing I am sure of is he will want some nice food cooked," Jodian said, adding that they would not necessarily be forcing anything on him.<br />
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STRONG BOND<br />
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Jahazeil said he cried on a few occasions when he visited his father.<br />
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"Sometimes it rough, sometimes it smooth. No one can imagine the joy it gave me to know him coming out early, it lifted my spirits. He taught us how to be strong and militant, but all I want to see is him reconnect and build a strong bond for the years he missed out on," Jahazeil said.<br />
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Jodian said the family has grown, noting Buju even has grandchildren.<br />
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"I had made certain to send recorded media of my daughter to him, so I know when they finally meet I will melt into a puddle," she said.<br />
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The children have recognised that as a legendary recording artiste, Buju will desire to reconnect with his fans both old and new.<br />
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However, Mark Myrie the man, according to Jodian, "will need some time to regroup." Jahazeil believes people will be glad for his father to perform.<br />
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However, Jodian said she was unsure how involved the Government would want to be, and said discrimination will come from various persons.<br />
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The family seems to have agreed to keep Buju's return date a secret when all arrangements for his return to Jamaica are made.<br />
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This is to avoid unnecessary press and potential security concerns.<br />
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Source: http://jamaica-star.com/article/entertainment/20171114/buju%E2%80%99s-children-look-forward-his-homecoming<br />
<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-57935209199248356722017-07-05T01:13:00.002+03:002017-07-05T01:15:05.626+03:00Buju Banton to launch clothing line on his birthday July 15, 2017 <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Incarcerated reggae artiste, Buju Banton, is set to launch his own clothing line. The entertainer's team recently made the announcement via his official Instagram account.<br />
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The brand titled 'Everything BB' will feature T-shirts displaying Buju Banton's photo as well as lyrics from his songs like Hills And Valleys, Love Sponge, Walk Like a Champion and Driver. Items will be available for purchase on the line's official website, www.everythingbb.net.<br />
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Persons interested in finding out the details of the line as they are made available, are encouraged to follow the line's Instagram page everythingbbofficial.<br />
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Buju Banton is slated to be released on December 8, 2018.Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-70751998060788186982017-03-02T15:21:00.000+02:002017-03-02T15:31:59.201+02:00Which Song Will Buju Start His Next Jamaican Performance With? (Pt 1)<style type="text/css">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Riina Asamoa</td></tr>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Early last month The STAR, referring to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) website, reported that Mark 'Buju Banton' Myrie now has a release date of December 8, 2018. It is anyone's guess when and where his first post-release performance in Jamaica will be. However, as the universe has aligned it, Rebel Salute 2019 will be held a little over a month after Buju's current release date and it will be a significant landmark at that - its 25th anniversary.His 2005 Rebel Salute showing, when he came on after Jimmy Cliff, was memorable.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Just saying.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">So I wonder what Buju's first song on a stage in Jamaica after his release will be. Which tune from his catalogue could he open up with before the hordes of people who are sure to turn up to see and hear the Gargamel? The possibilities are juicy; and what they say about his attitude towards incarceration and current state of mind intriguing. Here are a few.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">1. 'Til Shiloh'</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The brief title track of his 1995 album, performing this first would reaffirm Buju's Rastafarian steadfast faith through his trial (literally) and travail of incarceration. Naturally, it would run into another song and the sound system selectors tend to follow up with, Hills and Valleys, which, with the lines "only Rasta can liberate the people and why try to make I unhappy/Really I don't know/If it was up to them my friend/We would never see the sun or the snow", would suit the occasion well.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">2. 'Our Father In Zion'</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Another short one, this is from the 1997 Inna Heights album, which followed Til Shiloh. Its content would say almost the same thing as, Til Shiloh, but would strike a stronger note with those grounded in the Christian faith. There is something which moves in the soul when a mass of people sing "hallowed be they name" and I can almost hear it now.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">3. '23rd Psalm'</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">A track from his 2000 Unchained Spirit album, Buju and Gramps Morgan's voices blend beautifully on this take on what is known as, The Lord's Prayer. As an opening song, it would be an extended version and have a sustained effect of beginning with, Our Father in Zion, but maybe not as intense as that "hallowed" section.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">4. 'Close One Yesterday'</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Another track from Inna Heights, opening with this would be a statement of having been saved by faith ("I had a close one yesterday/Jah put an angel over me") and also personal fortitude ("Be strong, hold a firm meditation/One day things must get better/Don't go down, keep your head above the water").</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">5. 'Destiny'</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Another one from Inna Heights to close out this week's possibilities. This would be a statement that from this point onwards, no guy will have a say in what he does - Buju will not put his life under the control of anyone, law enforcement included.</span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Next week, we will look at a few more opening options, among them Give I Strength, Me An Ooonu, Boom Bye Bye, Ova Me, Magic City, Driver and Circumstances. </span></span></div>
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<span class="s1"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/entertainment/20170302/which-song-will-buju-start-his-next-jamaican-performance-pt-1</span></span></div>
<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-66034337812729324152015-05-22T17:07:00.001+03:002015-05-22T17:09:49.320+03:00Buju Banton: Teenage Sensation to Convicted Warrior (Onstage TV 45min documentary)Onstage TV is a Jamaican entertainment news and current affairs channel based in Kingston covering the spectrum of Jamaican/Caribbean happenings worldwide. Its where in-dept stories that delve into the lifestyles, successes and failures of Reggae/Dancehall celebrities are told.<br />
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Here is their story on Buju Banton. Published May 20, 2015<br />
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See also: <a href="http://bujutrial.blogspot.fi/2012/02/buju-banton-is-innocent-full-story.html">http://bujutrial.blogspot.fi/2012/02/buju-banton-is-innocent-full-story.html</a>Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-90711428281071939202015-05-22T16:58:00.000+03:002017-03-02T15:29:47.885+02:00Buju to serve full sentence - pressured into an agreement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Rosemary Duncan, coordinator of the three-member Buju Banton Defense Support Committee, says the incarcerated reggae artiste was "pressured into an agreement" to drop any further appeals.<br />
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Buju Banton (given name Mark Myrie) is currently serving a mandatory 10-year sentence in a Georgia correctional facility on cocaine charges.<br />
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Last Thursday, the reggae singer said he would be halting any further appeals, while the US Attorney Office announced it would be dismissing firearms charge against the singer.<br />
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"The court had thrown out the gun charge twice. However, the prosecution still had the option of pursuing a new trial ... and if convicted, he would get an additional five years," the St Lucian-born, US-based Duncan told the Jamaica Observer.<br />
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Buju Banton -- who was arrested in 2009 -- was convicted in February 2011. He is scheduled to be deported to Jamaica in 2019.<br />
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The support committee coordinator said the decision to discontinue the appeals came from the artiste himself.<br />
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"It was his own decision, based on his own analysis. He realised that every time there is hope, the court would say something else. He said he's done 5 1/2 years and could do 3 1/2 years more. It had nothing [to do] with legal cost, as he always paid his lawyers," she explained.<br />
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The entertainer's legal team comprises Harvard professor Charles Ogletree and Max Stern.<br />
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In January, Ogletree told the Observer he would be pulling out all the stops to free his client.<br />
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"We will be fighting for Buju Banton's freedom. We will present our arguments for a reversal of his conviction to the entire court in an en banc hearing later this spring," he said.<br />
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Duncan, who said the support group was formed in 2011 to champion Buju Banton's cause, said despite the decision, he remains positive.<br />
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"I spoke with him today. He's the same person, in terms of spirit. He's writing great music for his fans," she said.<br />
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Days after his 2011 conviction, Buju Banton won a Grammy Award for his album Before Dawn. His other albums include 'Til Shiloh (1995), Inna Heights (1997) and Unchained Spirit (2000).<br />
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See also: <a href="http://bujutrial.blogspot.fi/2012/02/buju-banton-is-innocent-full-story.html">http://bujutrial.blogspot.fi/2012/02/buju-banton-is-innocent-full-story.html</a><br />
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Source: <a href="http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/-Buju-was-pressured-_18974265">http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/-Buju-was-pressured-_18974265</a>Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-45090111897871645712015-03-01T15:24:00.000+02:002017-03-02T15:30:05.001+02:00Special Prosecutor Appointed to Investigate Rogue Juror in Buju Case<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Ever since Buju Banton, one of Jamaica's most talented and controversial reggae singers, was convicted of cocaine trafficking and gun charges in 2011, there have been signs his trial was not on the up-and-up.<br />
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You may recall he was sentenced to ten years and lingers in federal lockup. That sentence was allowed to stand even though New Times first disclosed in 2012 that the jury forewoman, Terri Wright, had conducted outside research while the trial was ongoing. That's a violation of court procedures, so 19 months ago, a federal judge ordered the U.S. government to bring criminal contempt charges against Wright.<br />
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Virtually nothing happened. But now there's movement. A special prosecutor from outside the U.S. Department of Justice has been tasked with leading the case against the rogue juror and plans to meet with Banton's legal team, Wright, and the feds.<br />
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Though no one on the government end is talking much, the appointment of a special prosecutor in such a situation is significant. Such prosecutors are typically reserved for investigating government officials.<br />
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So is there a wider probe into potential misconduct that could move Banton a step closer to freedom?<br />
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"I hope," says defense attorney Charles Ogletree, who heads Harvard Law School's Institute for Race and Justice. He has been representing Banton (real name Mark Myrie) for the past year. "Here we have a wildcat juror, somebody who's going way beyond their authority and doing things that were completely inappropriate. This undermined the search for truth, which resulted, I think, in the conviction of [Banton]."<br />
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Wright's misdeeds extend far beyond doing internet research during the trial. She appears to have lied on several occasions, including during jury selection for Banton's trial, when she told the court she had served in only one previous trial. In reality she had served in seven.<br />
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Moreover, when the judge ordered Wright to turn over her computer for forensic analysis, Wright submitted a bogus hard drive. It was in the wake of this deception that the judge called for the contempt charges.<br />
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Lost in all of this mess is that Banton remains locked up. It has been six years since he was arrested. He has been through two trials -- the first ended in a hung jury and the second was corrupted by Wright. He has served more jail time than the men who were actually at the scene of the crime with stacks of cash and a gun trying to buy cocaine. (He was far away when the bust happened.)<br />
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The criminal informant who built the case against Buju had been deemed untrustworthy by a previous judge and had financial incentive to bend the truth in favor of the prosecution. One-third of the jurors have even admitted to New Times that they did not want to find the singer guilty on the gun charge, which carries a five-year sentence.<br />
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It's the jury forewoman's actions that most disturb Harvard's Ogletree, though. "What Terri Wright did is contrary to everything that anyone knows about jury trials," he says. "Jurors... take an oath, and they need to follow it."<br />
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Banton's case remains under review by the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, where Ogletree recently presented an oral argument centering largely on all the unknowns surrounding Wright. Two weeks ago, the panel requested that all 11 judges of the court review the case. Another hearing is expected this spring.<br />
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"We have all the evidence going in our direction," Ogletree says. "We're ready."<br />
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See also: <a href="http://bujutrial.blogspot.fi/2012/02/buju-banton-is-innocent-full-story.html">http://bujutrial.blogspot.fi/2012/02/buju-banton-is-innocent-full-story.html</a><br />
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Source: <a href="http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2015/02/buju_banton_case_special_prosecutor_appointed_to_investigate_rogue_juror.php">http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2015/02/buju_banton_case_special_prosecutor_appointed_to_investigate_rogue_juror.php</a><br />
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<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-8984382230593367882015-02-01T17:53:00.001+02:002015-02-01T17:53:57.429+02:00Unchained spirit <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/assets/11445995/Buju-Banton--cropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/assets/11445995/Buju-Banton--cropped.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a></div>
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Despite Wednesday's unsuccessful bid, Professor Charles Ogletree -- part of reggae singer Buju Banton's legal team -- is vowing to continue the fight to have his client's conviction reversed.<br />
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"We will be fighting for Buju Banton's freedom," said Olgetree, a professor at Harvard Law School, in a written response to the Jamaica Observer's queries.<br />
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On Wednesday, a United States Appeal Court dismissed the request to have the reggae artiste's conviction overturned to secure a new trial. But Ogletree, who, along with Max Stern comprise Buju Banton's legal team, is undaunted.<br />
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"We have not lost the appeal. The 11th Circuit made it clear that the entire Appellate Court should hear his case. We will present our arguments for a reversal of his conviction to the entire Court in an En Banc hearing later this spring," he said.<br />
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Buju Banton, whose given name is Mark Myrie, is currently serving a mandatory 10-year prison sentence for a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The 41-year-old is scheduled to be released in 2019. He has filed a motion requesting an early release under new federal drug sentencing guidelines.<br />
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He was convicted in February 2011, days after winning a Grammy award for his album, Before the Dawn. His other albums include 'Til Shiloh (1995), Inna Heights (1997) and Unchained Spirit (2000).<br />
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"We are grateful to the people of Jamaica and around the world who have been steadfast in fighting for justice for Buju Banton!," Ogletree concluded.<br />
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Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/entertainment/UNCHAINED-SPIRIT_18275350<br />
<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-66749090843276811402015-01-23T15:06:00.001+02:002015-01-23T15:06:57.133+02:00No New Trial For Buju<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/assets/11438095/Buju-going-to-court.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/assets/11438095/Buju-going-to-court.jpg" height="211" width="320" /></a></div>
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Grammy award-winning Jamaican reggae artiste Buju Banton has lost his appeal to have his conviction overturned to secure a new trial.<br />
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With this ruling, that was handed down in a Florida court earlier this week, Buju Banton, whose given name is Mark Myrie, will continue to serve his 10-year prison sentence.<br />
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He is currently serving a mandatory sentence for his conviction on a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.<br />
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Buju is scheduled to be released in 2019, however he filed his own motion from prison asking to be released early under a recent change in federal drug sentencing guidelines.<br />
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He was convicted in February 2011, days after he won a Grammy award for his album, “Before the Dawn.”<br />
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Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/latestnews/No-new-trial-for-Buju<br />
<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-12373168130570061672014-12-09T20:50:00.000+02:002014-12-09T20:50:27.123+02:00Buju Banton to courts: Release me, deport me to Jamaica<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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TAMPA — Grammy-winning reggae singer Buju Banton hopes recent changes in drug sentencing rules will get him out of prison early and back to his native Jamaica.<br />
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But the performer is likely out of luck.<br />
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Although more than 1,700 drug defendants sentenced in Tampa federal court have been identified as potential beneficiaries of a recent rollback in federal sentencing guidelines, the change won’t apply to most of those serving minimum mandatory sentences under the law.<br />
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Banton, whose legal name is Mark Myrie, is serving 10 years, the minimum mandatory sentence for his conviction on a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.<br />
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The only ways to get around the minimum mandatory sentences would require defendants to cooperate with investigators or at least give a full confession to their crimes. Banton, who has steadfastly maintained his innocence, is unlikely to meet that requirement.<br />
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The Jamaican-born reggae star was convicted in February 2011, days after he won a Grammy award for his work titled “Before the Dawn.”<br />
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The singer was arrested in 2010 following a sting by the Drug Enforcement Administration at a Sarasota warehouse. Banton was targeted by investigators starting in July 2009 when, returning with his band from a European tour, he happened to sit next to an informant on a flight from Madrid to Miami. Authorities subsequently recorded numerous conversations in which the two men talked about drug trafficking.<br />
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Banton is serving his sentence in a prison run by Corrections Corporation of America in McRae, Georgia. He is scheduled for release in 2019. His case is on appeal.<br />
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In the meantime, he filed his own motion from prison asking to be released early under a recent change in federal drug sentencing guidelines, which the U.S. Sentencing Commission decided would be applied retroactively to inmates.<br />
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The federal probation office in the Middle District of Florida has identified 1,748 inmates originally sentenced in Tampa on drug charges as potentially eligible to benefit from the change, known as Drugs Minus 2, because it reduces sentencing guidelines for most drug offenses by two levels. If projections hold true, the average sentence of 11 years and 1 month will be reduced to nine years.<br />
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Those defendants will not be eligible for release until Nov. 1, 2015.<br />
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Chief Judge Anne C. Conway issued an order last month directing the probation office to identify inmates who may be eligible for early release under the change and to prepare reports in each case addressing the issues, including a proposed range for new sentences. Conway directed the Federal Public Defender’s Office to represent all inmates for this purpose unless there is a conflict of interest.<br />
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Probation officers are prioritising cases by their potential release dates, meaning those who are likely to be eligible for release first will be addressed first.<br />
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In the meantime, hundreds of inmates, like Banton, have tried to get their cases heard by filing their own motions with the court.<br />
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In his motion, Banton argues he should be sentenced to 92 months in prison under the new guidelines. He says he’s been “working in prison since his incarceration” and has “very good conduct’’ behind bars.<br />
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He asks that the court reduce his sentence and turn him over to immigration authorities so he can be deported back to Jamaica.<br />
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The U.S. Sentencing Commission, which implemented the change to the sentencing guidelines, says it cannot do anything about minimum mandatory sentences, which are spelled out in law. “Only Congress can change mandatory minimum penalties,” the commission says on its website.<br />
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Chief Probation Officer Joe Collins estimated 225 drug offenders sentenced in the Middle District of Florida may be eligible for release on Nov. 1, 2015. Of that group, 75 cases have been reviewed by probation officers, and 48 were originally sentenced in federal court in Tampa.<br />
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The former inmates all will have to serve a period of probation — known as supervised release — and Collins said his office is bracing for the increased workload, which he said will be 70 to 80 percent more than normal.<br />
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Attorneys with the public defender’s office say another retroactive change in how some sentences are calculated could shave significant time off the sentences of certain drug defendants sentenced in some jurisdictions, including the federal circuit that encompasses Florida.<br />
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Those defendants received credit for providing prosecutors with “substantial assistance,” or extensive cooperation. The Sentencing Commission ordered a change in how their sentences were calculated.<br />
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The public defender’s office hopes to file a motion in the case of one Tampa defendant, for example, who was convicted of possessing a small amount of drugs, according to federal defender attorney Conrad Kahn. But because he had two prior convictions for small drug amounts, he received a lengthy sentence, even though he was given credit for substantial assistance.<br />
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Kahn said the planned motion has the potential to reduce the defendant’s sentence by 17 or 18 years, allowing his immediate release after having served about seven years.<br />
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By Elaine Silvestrini | Tribune Staff<br />
esilvestrini@tampatrib.com<br />
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Source: http://tbo.com/news/crime/buju-banton-to-courts-release-me-deport-me-to-jamaica-20141206/<br />
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<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-64247120824625011442014-09-09T08:01:00.000+03:002014-09-09T08:01:31.933+03:00Buju Banton could walk free this year says Attorney Charles Ogletree<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnex4wV7NHPBrba08S2zuBUON0BCbHwvmw6zSEBJE3eZKCGk7sxa5t7juZlD-nYTW8EMF9K_ILoWbirH2YjoV_uvlbyP-LIK3bjLnVcJmtqSYX3DnhnT5Eq7v3E3ULohLBNJ2elWWH7pc/s1600/buju_bw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnex4wV7NHPBrba08S2zuBUON0BCbHwvmw6zSEBJE3eZKCGk7sxa5t7juZlD-nYTW8EMF9K_ILoWbirH2YjoV_uvlbyP-LIK3bjLnVcJmtqSYX3DnhnT5Eq7v3E3ULohLBNJ2elWWH7pc/s1600/buju_bw.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></div>
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Could Buju Banton hit the streets before the end of his ten year prison sentence?<br />
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LISTEN to audio of interview with Attorney Charles Ogletree: <a href="http://www.iriefm.net/news/music/buju-banton-could-walk-free-year-says-attorney">http://www.iriefm.net/news/music/buju-banton-could-walk-free-year-says-attorney</a><br />
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Well, the Gargamel’s attorney, Charles Ogletree tells W.T.S that the dancehall deejay could be out this year. Attorney Ogletree who expresses his happiness with the latest developments surrounding the case, says if the conviction is reversed, Buju could be out this year.<br />
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The US Appeals Court has granted the deejay’s request to present oral arguments regarding his efforts to obtain a new trial. However, no date has yet been set for the lawyers to appear before the Appeal Court.<br />
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Buju Banton is serving a 10-year sentence on drug-related charges after he was arrested at his South Florida home in December 2009 and charged with conspiracy to distribute five or more kilos of cocaine.<br />
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After two trials he was sentenced in a Tampa, Florida court.<br />
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Buju Banton has maintained his innocence and says he was entrapped by the United States government.<br />
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Source: http://www.iriefm.net/news/music/buju-banton-could-walk-free-year-says-attorney<br />
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<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-4170342373373156412014-08-21T16:10:00.000+03:002015-03-01T17:34:23.866+02:00Buju Banton May Get Chance To Go Free<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10ThZgUMIPgPeXWKsmJsg7_W3Dpl-QgGXb2l1CvnJsMCfQQRszHmDua15V5YcgEEw3xjUSndvwhEUQXR535i-MW8IEJDvgx9hAEOH5yr8310o1u_uSS9eODDkiNyjm1ZXCgn4rhESGf4/s1600/BUJU.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10ThZgUMIPgPeXWKsmJsg7_W3Dpl-QgGXb2l1CvnJsMCfQQRszHmDua15V5YcgEEw3xjUSndvwhEUQXR535i-MW8IEJDvgx9hAEOH5yr8310o1u_uSS9eODDkiNyjm1ZXCgn4rhESGf4/s1600/BUJU.jpg" height="222" width="320" /></a></div>
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Buju Banton was convicted in 2011 of a conspiracy to traffic cocaine, but now the husky voiced reggae star could have a chance to go free.</div>
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A lawyer for Banton said this week that a U.S. federal appellate court has agreed to hear arguments for an appeal.</div>
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“Mr. Buju Banton was pleased to learn that the 11th Circuit granted a new hearing of his appeal. We too are looking forward to the appellate argument,” said Charles Ogletree, a Harvard University law professor who took over Banton’s case in February.</div>
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Banton was convicted and sentenced to ten years for cocaine trafficking after he was arrested in a sting operation in 2009. After his first trial in 2010 ended with jurors deadlocked, Buju Banton was convicted in a re-trial the next year.</div>
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A jury convicted Banton on counts of “conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and using a telephone to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.”</div>
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Banton’s former lawyer had claimed that a government information entrapped the reggae star, though a panel of the appellate court denied the arguments in 2012 and upheld the conviction.</div>
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Buju Banton is seen as a trailblazer in the reggae-rap hybrid between dancehall reggae and traditional reggae.</div>
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At his sentencing, Banton called on a number of celebrities to speak in his favor, including Jamaican government officials, fellow reggae stars, and even an NBA player. Actor Danny Glover was one of those who spoke in support of Banton, calling him a”role model, philanthropist and spiritual leader in the community.”</div>
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“Your honor, Mark Myrie is not a drug dealer,” Glover wrote, using Banton’s given name. “Society would not benefit from his incarceration.”</div>
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It was not clear when Buju Banton could have a hearing for an appeal, or when a re-trail might take place.</div>
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Source: <a href="http://www.inquisitr.com/1422867/buju-banton-reggae-star-may-get-chance-to-go-free-on-cocaine-charges/#YGvgc7FSBO08j7EU.99">http://www.inquisitr.com/1422867/buju-banton-reggae-star-may-get-chance-to-go-free-on-cocaine-charges/#YGvgc7FSBO08j7EU.99</a></div>
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Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-2687465265850394692014-03-09T17:48:00.000+02:002014-03-09T17:48:35.594+02:00Letter by Buju paying tribute to late attorney<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_ryDd0ORUCqKpp-tHkWkE4dFgxTuKPX9NepwQf5gvynrN2a3OhmemaUo4IZ7zWyepeFMGlNLRk05WE4b8_z7RTZ1Rf37DfWMHmQYpSp4ytsu6ssTDcPBoOCxK6X_2aakiv2uxSM_KWA/s1600/buju_n_chokwe.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix_ryDd0ORUCqKpp-tHkWkE4dFgxTuKPX9NepwQf5gvynrN2a3OhmemaUo4IZ7zWyepeFMGlNLRk05WE4b8_z7RTZ1Rf37DfWMHmQYpSp4ytsu6ssTDcPBoOCxK6X_2aakiv2uxSM_KWA/s1600/buju_n_chokwe.png" height="211" width="400" /></a></div>
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Incarcerated Reggae icon Buju Banton has issued a heart-rending tribute to his former lead attorney and late Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, Kwame Lumumba, who died under mysterious circumstances last week.<br />
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Writing from a federal prison in Miami, Florida, Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, blasted the system which he claimed entrapped and imprisoned him for his beliefs. Here is the full text of Banton's letter.<br />
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Mark Anthony Myrie (86700004) ( Buju Banton) To the family and friends of the late Chokwe Lumumba: My heart goes out to you all. I share in your grief immensely.<br />
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Having been one of the many lives Atty Lumumba has touched, it's with a deep sense of privation that I mourn the passing of my friend and another great black freedom fighter. Atty Chokwe Lumumba, a warrior just like the great leader Patrice Lumumba who fought for the liberation of the Congo in Africa.<br />
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Atty Lumumba fought for many who could not stand up against a profaned system that is filled with injustice. A well-disciplined and principled man.<br />
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We first met while I was going through the litigation process stemming from the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal's decision to reinstate a gun charge. A charge that was previously dismissed by the district court judge.<br />
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This tall, dignified black man walked into the visiting room at the FCI Miami, introduced himself and got right down to business. Atty Lumumba had already done his homework concerning my case and clearly saw that something was amiss. He never tried to sugar-coat his thoughts.<br />
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Atty Lumumba believed it was imperative and made it very clear that I should do the same.<br />
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Throughout those protracted months I spent at the Pinellas County Jail in Tampa, Florida, Atty Lumumba called at least twice weekly to discuss my case and ascertain all was well with me.<br />
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He travelled all the way from Mississippi to Florida for attorney client visits. All these actions of genuine interest in my situation gave me confidence in Atty Lumumba. We developed mutual respect for each other.<br />
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His appraisal of my chances as it regards justice were always realistic, hence his proactive approach as opposed to being reactive.<br />
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This brought about a favourable outcome, with the gun charge being dismissed.<br />
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At the end of the evidentiary hearings in 2013, Atty Lumumba looked me in the eyes and said: "What did you do to these people. This is not justice at all. From the gate, you have been screwed".<br />
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Atty Lumumba also advised me that having been elected Mayor of Jackson, Mississippi, he was unable to continue his career as a defence attorney.<br />
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However, he went on to recommend a few attorneys whom he believed would effectively assist me. Atty Lumumba also reached out to my current attorney, Professor Charles Ogletree.<br />
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In parting, Atty Lumumba again said: "Mark, it's going to be an uphill struggle. I saw what they did to you and, unfortunately, you didn't see it coming. Once they have you, it's hell to break free from their chains son. I wish you all the best. You can call me anytime for anything at all. However, I can render assistance, trust me I will".<br />
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We spoke several times after he was no longer my official representative, even through third parties, even as recent as two days before his passing. So I was not only shocked but also in a state of denial.<br />
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Atty Lumumba was vigorous and energetic. Even when he spoke in a subtle manner. How could this happen without warning? This is really sad. I just have to pay my respects in whatever way I can.<br />
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Thank you for the time you dedicated to my cause. It will be with me forever and the countless others whom you have touched with your passion for justice.<br />
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I know you are in a much better place. If what they say is true, then you are still fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves.<br />
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Farewell, my friend. You shall be greatly missed. Friends for life and even after.<br />
<br />
Mark Myrie aka Buju Banton<br />
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Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Buju-pays-tribute-to-late-attorney_16210342Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-21464254016842284502014-02-21T12:44:00.000+02:002014-02-21T12:44:36.648+02:00Buju files another appeal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Incarcerated reggae star Buju Banton has filed yet another appeal in the United States to reverse his conviction on drug charges.<br />
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The appeal by attorneys Professor Charles Ogletree, Jack Cushman and Max Stern was filed with the 11th US Circuit Court on February 4.<br />
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Ogletree, who is the head of the law department at Harvard University, said he accepted the offer to represent Banton -- whose real name is Mark Myrie -- because it was clear that he did not receive a fair trial.<br />
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"There is no way in the world he received a fair trial," Ogletree told the Jamaica Observer yesterday.<br />
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After two trials, Banton was sentenced to 10 years in a Tampa, Florida, court for drug-related offences. However, information later emerged that jury foreman Teri Wright had defied an order from Judge Tim Moody and had studied aspects of the Pinkerton Law and Banton's music.<br />
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The Pinkerton Law was used by the prosecution to convict Banton for using a telephone to facilitate a drug-trafficking offence.<br />
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The information came to light after Wright admitted her misconduct to a reporter. Wright was then ordered by the court to hand over a computer she had used to study the law, but instead handed over another computer. A computer forensics expert hired by Banton later proved that the hard drive on the computer had not been used for a number of years.<br />
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According to Ogletree, although the appeal had been filed, it would take months before the case is heard by the appellate court's judges.<br />
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"It's hard to tell; we have called for a continuance and the government will call for a continuance. However, I hope to get it before the court before the end of 2014," he said.<br />
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As an inmate in the care of the state, the federal Bureau of Prison can house Banton in any penal facility of their choice and Ogletree said a move was afoot to remove him from the low-security FCI Miami prison to another location.<br />
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"We have filed in the court to get him to stay in Miami," he said.<br />
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He said despite his travails, Myrie has remained upbeat and is looking forward to his appeal being heard.<br />
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"He is very positive. I speak to him every other day. He read the brief and is happy with it. He is glad that the truth is being told about him," he said.<br />
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Buju Banton was arrested in December 2009 at his Tamarac, Florida, home and charged with conspiracy to distribute five or more kilogrammes of cocaine. His arrest followed a sting operation at a Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA)-controlled warehouse in Tampa, which also resulted in the arrest of James Mack and Ian Thomas, who were attempting to purchase cocaine from undercover agents.<br />
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Banton has maintained his innocence and claimed he was entrapped by government informant Alexander Thomas, who hounded him for months to get involved in drug smuggling.<br /><br />Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Buju-again-appeals-drug-conviction_16105414<br />
<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-73061454357664678422013-09-04T16:21:00.000+03:002013-09-04T16:21:06.286+03:00Buju’s co-accused released from prison <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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IAN Thomas, one of the co-conspirators in the Buju Banton drug case, has been released from federal prison.<br />
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Thomas — who the Federal Bureau of Prisons' website said was released on August 23 — and James Mack were held in a police-controlled warehouse in Tampa, Florida , attempting to purchase a large quantity of cocaine p> from undercover Drug Enforcement Agents. A quantity of cash and an illegal pistol were later found in a car Mack was driving at the time.<br />
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That same day Banton, whose right name is Mark Myrie, was arrested at his home in Tamarac, South Florida.</div>
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Mack and Thomas both pleaded guilty to drug trafficking charges and agreed to testify against the Jamaican entertainer in exchange for lesser sentences.</div>
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Mack, who is currently serving time in a federal prison in Sacramento, California, is slated for release on November 11 this year.</div>
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Banton has been adamant that he is innocent of the charges and despite being sentenced to 10 years is fighting for a new trial after the jury foreperson in his second trial, Teri Wright, was found guilty of contempt of court after it was revealed that she had disobeyed an order from Magistrate James Moody not to study any aspect of the law as it related to Banton's case.</div>
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Banton is seeking to ask a US court to throw out his guilty verdict on the grounds that the jury was tainted.</div>
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In the meantime, the Buju Banton Defence Support Committee, in a release yesterday, said it remained at a loss in understanding how the foreperson of the jury could be found in contempt of court during the trial and follow-up hearing, yet only one of that jury's decisions was thrown out.</div>
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And the committee -- an international group of Banton's friends and civil rights activists — yesterday denied a local media report that the imprisoned entertainer has retained his former lawyer, David Oscar Markus on his legal team.</div>
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"That information is false. David Markus is not on Buju's legal team. Buju's new Attorney is Charles Ogletree of Harvard University. He is the sole attorney representing Mark," the group said in a release.</div>
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Attorney Chukwe Lumumba, who had replaced Marcus, was in June this year forced to recuse himself after he was elected mayor of Jackson, Mississippi. He, however, assisted the committee in securing the services of Charles Ogletree Jr to represent the Jamaican entertainer.</div>
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Ogletree is director of the Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He founded and became director of the school's Criminal Justice Institute in 1990.</div>
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Banton was on August 24 sent to the FTC prison in Oklahoma, from where he will be transferred to another federal prison to serve his time.</div>
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He was previously locked up at the FCI penal institution in Miami, Florida but when the evidentiary hearings into Wright's misconduct began last year he was transferred to the Pinellas County Jail in Tampa.</div>
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Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Buju-s-co-accused-released-from-prison_14988220#ixzz2dvggqn4Y</div>
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Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-66697854585342557612013-09-03T18:22:00.002+03:002013-09-03T18:22:38.241+03:00Buju Gets New Lawyer, Transferred To Another Prison<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Buju Banton is making some serious movements in his ongoing quest for freedom.<br />
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The Grammy-winning reggae star has acquired the services of a new attorney name Charles J. Ogletree Jr. after his previous lawyer Chokwe Lumumba was elected mayor of Jackson Mississippi.<br />
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“Attorney Charles J. Ogletree is the Jesse Climenko Professor of Law Director, Charles Hamilton Houston Institute for Race and Justice,” Buju Banton`s Defense Support Committee said in a statement. “Accordingly, he is more than ready to continue the fight for justice for Buju. We expect that Attorney Ogletree will determine what his next steps will be after reviewing the case. Attorney Lumumba has already filed a notice of appeal following the incomplete justice Judge Moody gave on June 26, 2013.”<br />
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Buju Banton is also being transferred to a new prison.<br />
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According to reports, the reggae singer, real name Mark Myrie, was transferred from a Florida prison and is now being held at a Federal Transfer Centre (FTC) in Oklahoma City.<br />
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The reason for his transfer is not yet known.<br />
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Banton was convicted on three counts of drug trafficking charges and sentenced to 10 years behind bars.<br />
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Source: http://urbanislandz.com/2013/09/02/buju-banton-gets-new-lawyer-transfered-to-another-prison/Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-14262907796745126332013-09-01T13:37:00.000+03:002013-09-01T13:37:26.238+03:00Buju Banton on the move, being transferred to new location<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Convicted reggae superstar Buju Banton has been transferred from the Florida federal prison where he has been serving a 10-year sentence. </div>
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His final destination is still unknown, but the Grammy-winning entertainer, whose real name is Mark Myrie, is now at the Federal Transfer Centre (FTC) in Oklahoma City. </div>
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A spokeswoman at the Federal Bureau of Prisons this morning declined to discuss the reasons for the transfer or divulge which facility he is being transferred to. </div>
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"As a matter of policy, we don't discuss that," the spokeswoman told The Gleaner. </div>
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According to the Bureau of Prisons' website, the FTC is an administrative facility that houses male and females holdover offenders. </div>
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Buju was convicted on drug charges stemming from an attempted drug deal in 2009. </div>
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A Florida judge recently dismissed his appeal for a new trial, but the entertainer has already served notice that he will continue his fight to overturn the conviction. </div>
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Buju's 10-year sentence started December 2009, his projected release date according to the Bureau of Prisons' website is March 2019. </div>
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Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer </div>
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Source: http://go-jamaica.com/news/read_article.php?id=47618 </div>
Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-37235485121535258832013-09-01T13:29:00.000+03:002013-09-01T13:29:04.219+03:00Buju Banton set to release new album in 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Despite being incarcerated on federal drug charges until 2019, embattled Dancehall/Reggae singer, Buju Banton is planning to drop a new studio album in the summer of 2014, according to reports Friday.<br />
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Tracii McGregor, a member of Buju’s management team revealed that most of the songs on the singjay’s album were recorded when he was out on bail in 2011, awaiting his trial on drug and gun charges. McGregor told the Jamaica Observer, "Buju is very involved in the process, of course. He is just as focused and detail oriented as he ever was.”<br />
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Producers expected to feature on the album include Stephen Marley and Blacker Dread, with production from Buju himself also featuring on the compilation.<br />
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This new studio album would mark Buju’s 13th in his over two decades as a mainstream artist. His last album was Before The Dawn, released in 2010, which featured singles such as Innocent, Battered and Bruised as well as Do Good. The album won the self-professed ‘Gargamel’ his first Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album in February 2011, just days prior to his conviction on three drug related charges in relation to a 2009 incident in Florida.<br />
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Several singles have been released since Buju’s incarceration, including Set Up The Mic, Lose Your Love and Inna Half, the latter two singles produced by his son, Markus Myrie.<br />
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Buju is reportedly in transit at the Oklahoma City Federal Transfer Centre, having been transferred from a federal prison in Florida, where he as served the majority of his sentence to date.<br />
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Source: http://www.examiner.com/article/buju-banton-set-to-release-new-album-2014Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-5789884188315642462013-08-04T15:45:00.000+03:002013-08-04T15:45:01.512+03:00Feds won't file contempt charge against juror in Jamaican reggae singer's drug trialTAMPA, Florida<br />Federal prosecutors in Tampa won't file a criminal contempt charge against a juror in Jamaican reggae singer Buju Banton's 2011 drug trafficking trial.<br />
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U.S. District Judge James Moody said in June that jury foreman Terri Wright should face charges for doing independent research into the case during trial.<br />
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In court documents filed Wednesday, prosecutors said they planned to oppose Banton's latest appeal and could not prosecute Wright simultaneously. They suggested that the court appoint another prosecutor to pursue charges against Wright.<br />
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Banton is serving a 10-year sentence for convictions on cocaine conspiracy and trafficking charges stemming from a 2009 arrest.<br />
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Banton's attorneys have sought to withdraw from the case. Chokwe Lumumba was elected mayor of Jackson, Miss., last month, and Imhotep Alkebu-lan became special assistant to that city's attorney.<br />
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Source: http://www.wptv.com/dpp/news/state/buju-banton-feds-wont-file-contempt-charge-against-juror-in-jamaican-reggae-singers-drug-trial<br />
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<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-67917661329278199202013-07-25T16:17:00.001+03:002013-07-25T16:17:42.527+03:00Reggae star Buju Banton's attorneys want to leave caseTAMPA — Reggae star Buju Banton's attorneys want to quit representing him in the appeal of a federal drug case.
Attorney Chokwe Lumumba was elected mayor of Jackson, Miss., this summer. Attorney Imhotep Alkebu-lan became special assistant to Jackson's city attorney.
The two filed a motion Wednesday in U.S. District Court, asking to withdraw and stating that their new duties "will prevent them from representing him in future proceedings."<br />
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Their vigorous defense of Banton won a dismissal of a gun charge in June and left Tampa juror Terri Wright facing a possible misconduct charge for researching the case during trial.<br />
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Banton, born Mark Anthony Myrie, is serving a 10-year prison sentence for helping set up a deal to buy and sell 11 pounds of cocaine.
His attorneys wanted U.S. District Judge James S. Moody Jr. to order a new trial. Instead, Moody set aside a conviction on a gun charge, reasoning that it might have been affected by Wright's research.<br />
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The two defense attorneys also withdrew last week from a murder trial that was supposed to have begun Monday in Oktibbeha County, Miss.
The Starkville Daily News in Mississippi reported Saturday that Lumumba first cited mayoral duties in attempting to leave the murder trial.
When a judge declined, Lumumba presented documents relating to a health matter, and the defense team's withdrawal was allowed, the account said.
In the Tampa case involving Banton, the motion to withdraw has been referred to Magistrate Judge Thomas G. Wilson.<br />
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It states that Banton has retained other counsel.
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Source: http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/criminal/reggae-star-buju-bantons-attorneys-want-to-leave-case/2132985Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-83799483030716778292013-06-28T00:04:00.000+03:002013-06-28T00:04:52.976+03:00Buju Banton Weighs His Options<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/149/e2c4190aa4b445d4ad08728565b13240/l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/149/e2c4190aa4b445d4ad08728565b13240/l.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo: Riina Asamoa</td></tr>
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Reggae superstar Buju Banton is now weighing his options after a Florida federal judge, yesterday, threw out the gun possession charge arising from his drug conviction two years ago.<br />
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However, Imhotep Alkebu-Lan, co-counsellor for the embattled reggae star, real name Mark Myrie told media Buju has 14 days to decide his next move.<br />
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Buju was in court seeking a new trial based on allegations that jury fore-woman Teri Wright violated the judge's orders in his February 2011 drug trial.<br />
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US District Court Judge, James S. Moody Jr, allowed Buju's conviction to stand but threw out the gun conviction which would have given the artiste an additional five years in prison.<br />
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"He (Buju) is now in the deliberation phase and is weighing his options to decide his next move," said Alkebu-Lan.<br />
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Moody also instructed prosecutors to bring contempt charges against Wright after accepting she did independent research and also provided the court with an incorrect hard drive for examination.<br />
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Compromised decision<br />
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The judge found that Wright discussed her findings from the independent research with other jurors, but that it was not possible to say if that had influenced the jury's decisions.<br />
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This information came to light after she did a newspaper interview in October 2012.<br />
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A computer forensics expert later testified that the hard drive that Wright submitted came from a desktop computer that sat idle from May 2010 to June 2011, a time frame that included the trial and its aftermath.<br />
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If found guilty, Wright could face fines and up to six months in prison.<br />
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Alkebu-Lan said Banton and his team had 14 days to make an appeal, whilst the prosecutors had 30<br />
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Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20130627/ent/ent2.html<br />
<br />Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4369962716413635167.post-30424883795841408602013-05-08T16:59:00.000+03:002013-05-08T16:59:06.076+03:00Buju Banton Returns To Court On June 26<br />
Incarcerated reggae star Buju Banton will have his day in court on June 26, 2013.<br />
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Federal Judge James Moody Jr. has ordered the Grammy-winning singer, as well as, embattled juror Teri Wright to appeared in court on the same day in relation to the ongoing juror misconduct case.<br />
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Buju Banton and his legal team, headed by Chokwe Lumumba, are requesting a new trial on the grounds of a juror misconduct.<br />
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Teri Wright, who helped put Buju Banton behind bars for 10 years, told a South Florida journalist last year that she researched aspects of the case during the trial.<br />
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However, a massive dent was dealt to Buju Banton case against the juror last month when a computer expert found no trace of research on her computer hard drive.<br />
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Banton’s lawyers, however, said she turned over the wrong hard drive.<br />
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Buju Banton, real name Mark Myrie, is currently serving a 10-year sentence in a Florida prison after being convicted for drug trafficking. He is also facing an additional five years for a gun charge that was previously thrown out.<br />
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Judge James Moody is expected to hand down a ruling on June 26.<br />
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Source: http://urbanislandz.com/2013/04/18/buju-banton-returns-to-court-on-june-26/<br />
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Riinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15668586492915953220noreply@blogger.com0