Buju Bantons granted an appeal hearing
A U.S. federal appellate court has agreed to a new hearing on the latest appeal of convicted reggae superstar Buju Banton.
The Grammy-winning singer is serving a 10-year sentence for convictions on cocaine conspiracy and trafficking charges stemming from a 2009 arrest that followed a sting operation. He was convicted in 2011 after his first trial in 2010 ended with jurors deadlocked.
In 2012, a panel of the appellate court upheld Banton’s convictions. His former defence lawyer had argued that a government informant improperly entrapped the singer.
It’s not clear when the hearing will take place.
Alwin Marshall-Squire is the Editor-in-Chief of S-Q Publications Inc., overseeing editorial strategy for GTA Weekly, GTA Today, and Vision Newspaper. He leads the publications’ mission to deliver bold, original journalism focused on the people and communities of the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, and the global Caribbean diaspora.
Also writes for GTA Weekly and GTA Today.
