Buju Banton to be sentenced June 16

TAMPA, Florida (CMC) – A United States federal judge has set June 16 as the sentencing date for Jamaican Grammy Award-winning reggae star Buju Banton.
Court officials said that Judge James S Moody, Jr will preside over the sentencing of Banton, 37, whose real name is Mark Myrie. The reggae star faces up to 20 years in prison.

Last month, a 12-member federal jury found Banton guilty on three cocaine-related charges, including conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five kilogrammes or more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine.

They also found him guilty of attempting to possess five kilogrammes or more of cocaine, and for aiding and abetting others in using a communication facility in the commission of a felony.

The jury, however, did not find him guilty of knowingly and intentionally possessing a firearm in furtherance of and during the course of a drug-trafficking crime.

The singer has maintained his innocence throughout the trial, the second since a jury reached a deadlock late last year.

Banton’s attorney, David Markus, argued that the artiste never became a willing participant of the cocaine conspiracy arguing that tasting the cocaine, talking about cocaine and simply being present at the warehouse is not sufficient to find Banton guilty of the crimes.

Banton was arrested on December 10, 2009 in a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) sting operation.
Banton‚s long-time friend, Ian Thomas, and another man, James Mack, were arrested the same day when they attempted to buy cocaine from undercover detectives in a Florida warehouse.

Thomas and Mack pleaded guilty, but Buju denied the charges.

Banton, who is in detention awaiting sentencing, thanked his fans for their support, stating: "our life and our destiny are sometimes pre-destined; and, no matter where this journey takes me, remember I fought the good fight.

"It was a great man that said my head is bloody but still unbowed I love you all thank you for your support," he said.

Banton reached the zenith of his singing career on February 13 when his album, 'Before the Dawn', was awarded the Grammy for Best Reggae Album.

Prosecutors charged Banton was the middleman in a cocaine transaction between Tampa dope dealers and a confidential informant working with the DEA.

Banton was caught on covert audio and videotape boasting about the „no-risk‰ drug deal and sampling the illicit white powder, prosecutors said.
"This is not about Buju Banton, the reggae singer. This is about Mark Myrie, the drug defendant," Assistant US Attorney James Preston said during his closing argument.
But Markus countered that the singer did not profit from the drug deal, stating that Banton was snared in the DEA probe because he is "a big talker" and was trying to impress the confidential informant, who ended up with a US$50,000 commission following the bust.

Markus said he has filed a motion in the United States District Court, Tampa Division, asking for acquittal or a new trial, and that the reggae star be released on bail.
But prosecutors said that they would be seeking to squash the defence motion since the claim is "without merit".

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Buju-Banton-to-be-sentenced-June-16

Big blow for Buju - Reggae artiste now to answer four charges

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Big-blow-for--Buju-_8347046

JAMAICAN reggae artiste Buju Banton will be facing four charges instead of two when he goes on retrial in a US federal court next Monday. Judge James Moody yesterday afternoon dismissed a motion by Banton seeking to have the new indictment thrown out.

"...We are going to trial on Monday on the new charges. That's okay. We are ready," attorney David Oscar Markus told the Observer yesterday.

The four-time Grammy nominated artiste whose real name is Mark Myrie, had originally been tried last September on charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine, and aiding and abetting the possession of a firearm during a drug-trafficking offence.

Banton will now be tried for:

* conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute cocaine;

* attempted possession with the intent to distribute cocaine;

* possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offence; and

* using the wires to facilitate a drug-trafficking offence.

The prosecution had secured the new indictment with an additional two counts last November after Banton's first trial ended with a hung jury in September.

Banton is to be tried in the Sam M Gibbons Federal Court in Tampa, Florida. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years' imprisonment.

Banton was arrested in December 2009 as part of a sting operation following the arrests of two men, Ian Thomas and James Mack, in Florida and was slapped with the drug and weapon charges. The men, who pleaded guilty to the charges last year are expected to testify during Banton's second trial. They did not participate in the previous trial.

The second trial was to have started last December but was postponed so Banton, who is on US$250,000 bail and is subjected to house arrest, could spend time with his family.

Buju bail hearing set for October 6

http://go-jamaica.com/news/read_article.php?id=22923

Buju bail hearing set for October 6

The Hearing on the Motion for Bond for Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton is set for October 6, 2010 at 1:30p.m in Florida before Magistrate Judge Anthony Porcelli.

The prosecution in the case involving Jamaican reggae superstar Buju Banton has also been granted until September 30, 2010 to file a response to Myrie's Motion for bail.

Buju’s lawyer filed the application yesterday after the judge, James Moody, declared a mistrial, when the 12-member jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision in the drug case.

The judge said a new trial is to be held in December on a date to be announced.

Buju’s attorney, David Markus, has asked the court to release his client on bail, pending the next trial.

Markus is maintaining that his client will be found innocent.