Buju Banton defense fund set up

Lawyer says trial has taken a financial toll

BY PAUL HENRY Observer reporter henryp@jamaicaobserver.com

Friday, October 08, 2010

DAVID Markus, the defence attorney representing Jamaican Reggae singer Buju Banton has set up a fund to assist the cash-strapped artiste pay his legal fees for the upcoming retrial in December.

Markus told the Observer that the cost of the first trial has taken a huge financial toll on the artiste and asked fans, friends and supporters of the artiste to assist in any way they can.

Funds can be wired to:

Markus & Markus, PLLC

(Defense Fund for Buju Banton)

40 NW Third Street

PH 1

Miami, FL 33128

Citibank, N A

Coral Way Branch

1600 Coral Way

Miami, FL 33145

ABA # 266086554

Account # 9118130472

For international wires the Swift Code is CITIUS33.

Banton will know next week if he will be given bail as United States judge Anthony Porcelli reserved his judgement when Markus argued for bail this week.

He faces a sentence of 20 years to life if he is found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute five or more kiolgrammes of cocaine.

Banton's first trial in September ended in a mistrial after a panel of jurors failed to come to a unanimous verdict, following three days of deliberations.

He has been languishing in the Pinellas County Jail in Tampa. Florida for almost ten months after he was arrested by Federal Agents at his home in Tamarac, South Florida.

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COMMENTS (25)

The Best
10/12/2010

Who other than the lawyers will be monitoring this account? After all Lawyers r not known for their honesty.. In the meantime I have purchased his latest CD.. Amazon also having specials on his past CDs. I think this is the time for Jamaican entertainers to come together and put on a free concert and use the proceeds towards his legal defense.. They will reach their goal quicker..

Joan Smith
10/11/2010

Buju, my brother. The Almighty is with you. The devil's purpose is to destroy. You have my support both financially and spiritually. You are bless my brother and love by many. Keep the faith. ALL IS WELL .

Elli Deedo
10/9/2010

@ Toney Williams: Those who are tearing down our Country must travel to other places, such as Asia, go to Africa, the Middle East, etc. There are several who cannot return to their land. Some have left illegal, any attempt to return is Prison. I've been living overseas for 25 yrs, and I'am always Home. Won't wait for the Pension age. The disease of Grudge out there, I can manage. I can always move between Canada and the U.S.A. when I get tired of them: Try to understand the Evil out there:

Elli Deedo
10/9/2010

@ that Mike Anderson, If you could have helped you would have seen it a different way, it's a pity: I do not know Buju, nor anyone in drugs, but I can afford to help. See if you can be tempted. You would prefer he goe's down than help. His Lawyers are desperately trying their best, and they are White. The Slave masters used to wonder why those Blacks are fighting over the Food instead of trying to unite and share it. Let's show that we know the value of unity. We appreciate his defence team.

Toyna Williams
10/9/2010

Jamaica will never be a better place until we decide to unite ourselves with one another, and help the country to heal and to make a better Jamaica for us. Most of you have already decided not to go back to Jamaica to live but there are the rest of us who are planning on going back in due time. So for those of you how likes to tear down the country because you have abandoned it, please stop doing so. BECAUSE ONE DAY THIS SAME AMERICA IS GOING TO TURNED EACH AND EVERYONE OF US OUT HERE.

Elli Deedo
10/9/2010

I'am very proud to know that I can help and will make my contribution on Monday12.10.10. To all of us as Jamaicans who are in symphaty with Buju, should take this opportunity and give what they can. Unity is strength. I do not know anything about his financial background, and I'am not interested. He is another black Brother, belonging to our tribe, and we must just give freely, from we can afford it: To give is better than to have and only criticize while we can help. Corrupt thinking is hatred:

Toyna Williams
10/9/2010

This is what happen to so many of us Jamaicans we are not loyal nor do we stood up for our people. We sell out criticized and do all manner of evil to each other instead of standing united. Do you see no matter how terrible americans are you could never go to one american and talked about another, they all support each other. Why can we do the same instead of giving people the opportunity to used us against each other.

Toyna Williams
10/9/2010

Some of you can sit there talking that he should just take the plea deal, it is easy for you to say that because it is not you, nor a family member. This is exactly what the US government wanted why they were delaying the trial like this. For him to run out of funds then he Buju will force to take the plea deal. If Buju was so guilty as they say then they would not have to be pulling all kinds of tactics in order to get him. They would have just used the evidence they have.

Toyna Williams
10/9/2010

Reading all this make me wonder if you people are really serious and this is just a joke to some of you. What does being rich has to do with this. No matter how rich you are there are a few things in life that that bring you to your knees. Legal battle and illness. Remember Buju have some very high price lawyers representing him, these lawyers are not penny lawyers, and to see Markus soliciting funds makes me wonder if this is the reason why he never did a better job in arguing Buju's case.

Mel Lisa
10/9/2010

Is this suppose to be some kind of joke? If it is, its not funny. Why would anyone, except for Buju's family and friends, maybe, help to fund his defense? Damn, dem people yah no easy at all!

mark holford
10/8/2010

I am wondering if his lawyer will try to reach a deal with the prosecution, rather than risking a second trial, where anything could happen. He may well be in financial trouble, notwithstanding his apparent property ownership.

Wilfred Gray
10/8/2010

Sometimes in life,we all need somebody to lean on,
help the brother,those who can!
The man is in jail, tried`hung jury, he is not found guilty of any crime,he is not the street for him to do for self,even though he has a lot,cash can run short, !
Blessed are those who endureth chatisement for righteousness sake! let not our enemies wrongly rejoice over us, dear jah!
it was jury,hard for any prosecutor to overcome,buju freed,that is buju favor!
Plead our cause for us oh jah,vindicate us,freed

Richard White
10/8/2010

All this is a ploy....lawyer a the best...Buju nuh bruk,he will be aquitted on technicallity.......People oonu check Forbes he is the 4th on the earning list of reggae entertainers.....

Joe Wonder
10/8/2010

Hey Mr. David Markus, is there no other fund you could set up?
'poor people a dead fi hungry dung a yountry'
what a lame attempt to get paid

Yard Vibz
10/8/2010

Bogle,ah dat me seh 2! Calling the German, Elli Deedo & him Yankee fren, Howie J. Brethren, unno need fi help di gargamel in his time of sorrow. Obviously, this is Markus' way of saying that only Walmart offers discount, and although Myrie depleted all of his 401K funds to satisfy his obligations, the most he (Markus) can do is to announce to the gay community that their most implacable enemy has been relegated to a panhandler. People, lawyers are not your friends; dem nuh have no heart! Peace!

Sassy Yet Classy
10/8/2010

Wow don't eveyone know no matter what trouble is easy to get into but hard to get out of especially when u r.....in America!

mike anderson
10/8/2010

This guy must be kidding, why dont he represent him for free? Better yet, Buju has a nice house in Stony Hill, sell it and fund his defense. I have friends who deal in drugs and my first bit of advice always is put away your bail money and your lawyer money. Maybe if he was charged for some other crime i might be tempted.

Mr Lawman
10/8/2010

A plea deal is the best option at this point, probably get time served and probation since he's lets say " NEW TO THE GAME"...... Down side, he'll get deported back to JA....

Mr Lawman
10/8/2010

Good defense strategy if you ask me.... Put it out there that Buju is no big time druggist like the US Gov make him out to be.....! Then again maybe the lawyers want to make sure they get paid if Buju is found guilty because all his assets maybe seized by the Gov....... This is typical in cases like this.

plush plush
10/8/2010

If Buju was this international drug lord as US is making him out to be. Would the lawyer now be soliciting funds for his trial? You who are commenting to the contrary please think with your brain. It is also easy for you to say he should opt for plea deal because you are not in the situation. Is it that easy to settle for 10 years in prison when there is a very good chance for you to be totally free? Boom Boom Bye. This goes beyond the alleged crime.

Nicolas Henry
10/8/2010

Boy buju, Mi caan help you. Mi already a help some less fortunate kids in JA already. Buju mi tink yuh was a high roller. What happen to the silver range rover with the JAH ONE plate? Mi only si dem pass pan road, mi neva even drive ina one.

ESTEBAN AGOSTO REID
10/8/2010

And most people thought he had money !! Then, again, the price of justice is extremely exorbitant in the United States.

PL BOGLE
10/8/2010

My advice to Buju's attorney is to plea bargain w/ the prosecutor &* don't have a re-trial b.c the re-trial result is indecisively unpredictable. A plea bargain is not an admission of guilt but it is the quickest way out instead of spending two decades in prison. I have come to the realization that a re-trial is only in the financial interest of Buju's lawyer.
@Elli Deedo - Put your money where your mouth is lol im only joking , nuff respect my brother.

Lee Mac
10/8/2010

I've always wondered why a very wealthy individual like Buju Banton would ever commit the crimes alleged by the U.S. Government. According to them, Buju conspired to transport and deal in drugs as, according to Buju on the tapes, he has a lot of mouths to feed. If he's so cash strapped that a legal fund now has to be set up to pay for his defense, then he obviously isn't as wealthy as we all thought. Doesn't this then lend some credibility to the U.S. Government's claim?

Marie Morgan
10/8/2010

...and all this could have been avoided if he had just taken the plea deal and explained it to his fans afterwards. i am a huge buju supporter-despite my views on this case-but i don't think it is fair to ask everyday people to assist with a defense that he got himself into by "talking too much". hopefully others in the reggae industry will lend a hand but i doubt they'll offer much more than the prayers that have already been sent up.

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