The Privy Council’s Judicial Committee has recommended that the Jamaican government, acting through the Crown, pay the legal fees that the appellants—Vybz Kartel and his co-defendants, among others—incurred in their attempt to overturn their 2014 murder conviction.
After the Privy Council determined that the four appellants’ right to a fair trial had been infringed, they were successful in overturning their murder conviction last month. The Court of Appeal Jamaica has been remanded the case for a hearing that is set for June 10–14, 2024.
Notably, the Privy Council mandated that the Crown pay Vybz Kartel, Shawn Campbell, Kahira Jones, and Andre St. John’s legal fees. The Privy Council acknowledged that it is conventional, though not required, for the losing side in a lawsuit to pay the winning party’s legal bills.
In a report to the King of England dated April 10, 2024, the Privy Council instructed the Crown to “pay the Appellants costs, the amount to be assessed if not agreed.”
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The appellants’ lawyers refrained from discussing the possible costs that the Crown may incur. But tens of millions could be involved, it’s expected, particularly if the parties can’t agree on anything.
A group of fourteen attorneys, including prominent English King’s Counsel lawyers and senior Jamaican lawyers, represented the appellants. Notable among them were Shawn Campbell, Julian Malins KC, Bert Samuels, Thalia Maragh, Linda Hudson, Bianca Samuels, and Isat Buchanan.
David Hislop KC, Isat Buchanan, and Alessandra LaBeach represented Vybz Kartel, while Hugh Southey KC, John Clarke, James Robottom, and Anirudh Mathur represented Andre St. John and Kahira Jones. All attorneys were instructed.
