Day 2 of the five-day trial to determine if entertainers Vybz Kartel and Shawn Storm, along with their two co-accused, will face a retrial or secure their freedom began with Judge Marva McDonald Bishop stressing the importance of time.
In her opening statements the Judge urged the lawyers to be efficient with their time saying “this case is set to end on Friday. We cannot go any further than Friday.”
She also questioned the reason for the case being sent back to the Jamaica Court of Appeal if The UK Privy Council found a breach.
Défense attorney John Clarke in making his arguments during the proceedings noted that a retrial will be a waste of taxpayer’s dollars.
During his arguments he said his clients, had their right to a fair trial violated on two counts; their entitlement to a fair hearing within a reasonable time and their right to be heard by an independent and impartial court. This he referred to as a line in the sand.
The attorney said the retrial should not occur if it puts his client in a worse-off position and said their rights were likely to be violated again if a retrial proceeded.