KINGSTON, Jamaica – A juror who sat on the Vybz Kartel murder trial yesterday denied suggestions that he and fellow jurors were planning the staging of a party prior to the guilty verdict in the case, instead of discussing the evidence presented.

The suggestion was made by attorney Valerie Neita-Robertson while cross-examining Dennis Brown during the trial of Livingston Cain — the member of the Vybz Kartel jury who has been charged with six counts of perverting the course of justice and one count of conspiring to pervert the course of justice.

The charges stem from allegations that between the start of the murder trial in the Home Circuit Court on November 18, 2013 and the rendering of a verdict in the matter in March 2014, Cain tried to persuade his fellow jurors to return a verdict of not guilty and even offered the jury forewoman J$500,000 for a result in favour of Vybz Kartel and his co-accused.

Yesterday, Brown said that there was indeed the planning of a party but denied the suggestions that the evidence was not being discussed in the jury room.

Neita-Robertson suggested to Brown that Cain was upset and did not take part in the discussion of the party. Brown said that Cain did not contribute to the discussion and that he left the room.

Neita-Robertson suggested that it was an after-verdict party.

“It was good to go out and relax. No after-party,” Brown said.

Neita-Robertson suggested that her client voiced his opinion openly and said that he would not return on Monday because of how the case was treated from the Wednesday, but Brown denied the suggestion.

He, however, agreed to the suggestion that before the jurors retired Thursday morning, he had an idea and that he was of the view that the majority of the jurors would vote guilty.

The second witness will take the stand today, the third day of Cain’s trial in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.

Vybz Kartel (Adidja Palmer), Shawn ‘Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Andre St John, and Kahira Jones were convicted in the high-profile case, while a fifth man — Shane Williams — was acquitted. The convicted men were sentenced to life imprisonment. They are currently appealing the case.

Racquel Porter