Verdict in Buju’s Banton drug trial next week

 

 

After more than seven hours of deliberation the 12 member jury considering the fate of Grammy Award winning reggae artiste Buju Banton has not yet arrived at a verdict.

 

The jury recessed at 4:35 p.m. Friday and will continue deliberations on Tuesday as Monday is President's Day, a public holiday in the United States.

Presiding judge James Moody handed the case to the jurors at 9:40 Friday morning after an half hour long set of instructions to them about how evidence in the case is to be considered.
Judge Moody told the jurors "You must follow the law as I explain it, (even) if you do not agree with it."
He also said the US government's burden of proof was heavy and that the prosecution did not have to prove Buju's guilt beyond all possible doubt.

Several legal terms relating to the case were also explicitly defined by Judge Moody who asked the jurors to consider only the evidence that he had admitted during the trial including testimony from witnesses and exhibits.

He further asked them not to base their decision on anything he said.
The jurors were also instructed to assess the credibility of witnesses by asking certain key questions like did they have any personal interest in the outcome of the case or if they had good memories.
They were also told to consider some the evidence of some witnesses statements with more caution than others for example, the  paid informants, witnesses who had been promised immunity from prosecution or witnesses who hoped to gain favourable treatment in their own cases.

Buju Banton, 37, whose given name is Mark Myrie, has been charged with conspiracy and attempting to possess with the intent to distribute at least 5 kilos of cocaine; possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and using wires to facilitate a drug trafficking offense.
If convicted the artiste could face up to life in prison.

Fri. Feb.18,2011 5:11pm