Tweet
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Kwame Lumumba, the attorney representing incarcerated Reggae artiste Buju Banton, said the artiste is in good spirits and hoping for a positive outcome after a US federal judge expanded his probe into allegations of juror misconduct this week.
US magistrate Jame Moody announced this morning that he was expanding his probe into allegations that a female juror Teri Wright, had defied his orders not to research any laws related to the artiste’s drug trial.
“He is anxious about what is going on and is hoping for a positive outcome. He is remaining positive,” Lumumba told the Jamaica Observer.
Moody also said he had ordered US Marshalls to seize computers belonging to Wright to search for evidence that she had researched the Pinkerton Law over the internet.
He also said he planned to subpeona more jurors, and to conduct another hearing into the allegations.
Moody latest ruling has given Buju and his defence-team hope that they may be able to secure a new trial for the Grammy Award winning reggae artiste.
Wright told a reporter that she had in fact done the research during the trial but later denied that she had done so after Moody had allowed a motion that was filed by Lumumba on Buju’s behalf.
Buju, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, is currently serving a ten-year term after he was found guilty during a second trial in the Sam Gibbons US District Court in Tampa, Florida.
He faces an additional sentence of five years for a gun related charge which was slapped on him by a Georgia-based Appeals Court after his attempt to have his sentence overturned was thrown out by a three member panel of appeal judges.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz2H2bB5ATN
US magistrate Jame Moody announced this morning that he was expanding his probe into allegations that a female juror Teri Wright, had defied his orders not to research any laws related to the artiste’s drug trial.
“He is anxious about what is going on and is hoping for a positive outcome. He is remaining positive,” Lumumba told the Jamaica Observer.
Moody also said he had ordered US Marshalls to seize computers belonging to Wright to search for evidence that she had researched the Pinkerton Law over the internet.
He also said he planned to subpeona more jurors, and to conduct another hearing into the allegations.
Moody latest ruling has given Buju and his defence-team hope that they may be able to secure a new trial for the Grammy Award winning reggae artiste.
Wright told a reporter that she had in fact done the research during the trial but later denied that she had done so after Moody had allowed a motion that was filed by Lumumba on Buju’s behalf.
Buju, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, is currently serving a ten-year term after he was found guilty during a second trial in the Sam Gibbons US District Court in Tampa, Florida.
He faces an additional sentence of five years for a gun related charge which was slapped on him by a Georgia-based Appeals Court after his attempt to have his sentence overturned was thrown out by a three member panel of appeal judges.
Read more: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/...#ixzz2H2bB5ATN