Jamaican Dancehall Star Vybz Kartel Gets Life Sentence in Murder Case

Kartel, who is convicted in the murder of Clive 'Lizard' Williams, will have to serve 35 years before he is eligible for parole.

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Jamaican dancehall artist Vybz Kartel has been sentenced to life in a murder case. Kartel received the sentence on Thursday, April 3 in Jamaica's Supreme Court. Justice Lennox Campbell stated that the star, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, would serve at least 35 years before he is eligible for parole.

Kartel and other three men were found guilty in the 2011 murder of Clive "Lizard" Williams, while another man, Shane Williams, was acquitted in the trial which lasted for 65 days. Shawn 'Shawn Storm' Campbell and Kahira Jones were handed with life sentence and they would serve 25 years before being eligible for parole. The other man Andre St John also got life sentence and must serve 30 years before he is eligible for parole.

The men's legal teams will appeal for the sentences. "We want to see how early we can get the transcript to prepare our grounds for appeal," Campbell's attorney Miguel Lorne said, as quoted by Reuters.

Kartel, also known as 'World Boss', has been held on remand since 2011, but he apparently remains popular in Jamaica. He reportedly continues recording songs using a smart phone from prison.