Incarcerated dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel’s lawyer Isat Buchanan says he will be seeking the court’s assistance in relation to the artiste’s alleged lockdown for 23 hours per day, despite the entertainer’s delicate health condition.

Buchanan questioned the authority of the Department of Correctional Services “to change the circumstances of his housing in light of the fact that where he’s currently housed is poorly ventilated”.

Buchanan said the application could be filed in court as soon as Friday.

The Department of Correctional Services (DCS) confirmed that the artiste, whose given name is Adidja Palmer, was among three inmates who were found in possession of a cell phone on Sunday, only a day after another cell phone was found in the possession of the ‘Summertime’ deejay on Friday at the Tower Street Adult Correctional in Kingston.

Kartel’s camp issued a statement that they were worried about the 23-hour detention of the deejay by a particular superintendent of the Tower Street facility, which they feel will only aggravate his medical condition. The family believes that the poor ventilation and persistent heat could affect the deejay’s breathing.

Questioned whether the lockdown punishment was appropriate for the alleged infraction by an inmate and if the ‘King of Dancehall’ deejay should be treated differently from other inmates, Buchanan said: “My intention is to have those questions resolved by the Court. There is a Corrections Act and it is to be followed. Mr Palmer is an Appellant with an appeal before the highest court of the land. The true question is why is Mr Adidja Palmer the appellant being treated like Kartel?”

DCS said Palmer’s movements are being restricted pending the investigation.

It also dismissed allegations that he has been ‘locked down’, stating that he is in a regular cell.

– Claude Mills