Kartel trial: BBM states Lizard chopped 'fine, fine'

Barbara Gayle and Sheldon Williams, Gleaner Writers

A BlackBerry text message sent from a cell phone attributed by the police to entertainer Vybz Kartel stating that Clive 'Lizard' Williams was chopped up "fine, fine" was one of the messages read to the jury yesterday during the murder trial.

The message also stated that Williams' body would never be found.

Kartel's lawyer, Tom Tavares-Finson, had objected to the message, which was dated August 19, 2011, being tendered into evidence, saying that in the absence of the jury, only a portion of that message was presented.

When he pressed for a determination on the issue from Justice Lennox Campbell, the response was, "My determination is that you it."

The judge had earlier pointed out that Tavares-Finson would have the opportunity to deal with the issue during cross-examination.

Detective Sergeant Patrick Linton, formerly of the Forensic Communications and Cybercrimes Unit, presented into evidence video footage and several text messages from a phone attributed to Kartel.

On trial since November

Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, has been on trial in the Home Circuit Court since November last year for the murder of Williams.

He is on trial along with entertainer Shawn Campbell, also called 'Shawn Storm', Kahira Jones, Shane Williams and André St John, also called 'Madsus'.

The Crown, represented by prosecutors Jeremy Taylor and Leighton Morris, is alleging that Williams was beaten to death at Kartel's house in Havendale, St Andrew, over two missing guns.

"Memba seh a mi name WorlBoss so a me dem a go sen fa," a message dated August 18, 2011 read. Another message read, "Only We or Shawn can sink we so we haffi fi watch if police come fi dem."

One message read: "from you a do crime you ever see forensic involve?"

There were other messages which were allegedly sent from the phone attributed to Kartel stating that he planned to leave the island. In one message, assistance was sought from the receiver of the message for assistance to leave the island fast. Assistance was being sought to fly to Cuba or take a boat to The Bahamas because "mi nuh wah wait till it get too hot".

A video was also played in court in which several men were seen. One man had a pickaxe swinging and a voice was heard saying, "Hold 'im down and cut 'im throat."

A man was seen in the video with tattoos on his forearms.