Late last week, Buju Banton was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for conspiracy charges related to a cocaine deal the DEA says he set up. If credited with good behavior, his defense attorney, David Oscar Marus, thinks the dancehall superstar will end up serving a little more than half that time and that’s exactly what he plans on doing. Banton has already taken up classes and plans on pursuing a master’s degree. Read more »
Buju Banton’s defense attorney, David Oscar Markus, is asking the judge to reduce the 15 year mandatory minimum imposed on his client for a cocaine deal he had no money invested in and a gun that wasn’t his, calling it “way more than necessary” in documents filed with the court. The brief included “letters from actor, activist, and humanitarian Danny Glover, as well as from several of Banton’s 15 children,” reports the Jamaica Observer. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 23rd.
Buju Banton’s defense attorney David Oscar Markus filed a motion in federal court requesting that his client be granted bail while an appeal is pending and also asked for an acquittal or at the very least, another trial.
Dancehall artist Buju Banton was found guilty on three of the four federal charges against him reports the Jamaica Observer. The 12-person Tampa jury delivered the verdict after two days of deliberations. He was immediately taken into custody and will await sentencing for cocaine he didn’t buy and a gun he never saw. Defense Attorney David Oscar Markus reportedly indicated that they will appeal the ruling.
The 12 jurors hearing Buju Banton’s cocaine conspiracy retrial have retired and begun deliberations. A verdict could be handed down as early as this afternoon. If found guilty, the Grammy Award-winning dancehall extraordinaire could face life in prison. But if he’s innocent, can look forward to a booming career and just as importantly, the highest quality.
Just like before, DEA agent and lead investigator, Dan McCaffrey, acknowledged “there was no evidence” of Buju Banton being a “drug trafficker” on the opening day of the dancehall artist’s retrial on Monday reports the Jamaica Observer. Defense Attorney David Oscar Markus was also able to get him to admit—under cross examination—that Buju didn’t put the money up or stand to profit from the transaction he was arrested for. McCaffrey even went on to say that there’s no link between the man who financed the deal and Buju. However, the agent did counter that he was likely a broker. Today, jurors heard tapes of Buju talking about drugs, but his lawyer said it was just that, talk.
After failing to secure a conviction against Buju Banton in the first trial, federal prosecutors have developed a new legal strategy: hit him with additional charges. The reggae champion’s retrial begins Monday and defense attorney David Oscar Markus will now have to defend him against attempting to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and using a communication facility in the commission of an act, in addition to the original charges reports the Jamaica Gleaner.
Buju Banton’s retrial will begin on February 14th in Tampa, but the dancehall star still doesn’t know if he’ll face a slew of new charges being poured on by the government. If convicted, he could be sentenced to 20 years. His defense lawyer, David Oscar Markus, told the Jamaica Observer that the judge has yet to make a ruling on the extra counts, but did deny their “motion regarding vindictiveness.”
Marley brothers Stephen and Damian dropped this “Jah Army” track late last year, but have now released a new version featuring Buju Banton, who straight rips it: “Dem lock me a in a jail and talk bout dem nah gimme me no bail, mi and mi friend Josey Wales…”
For the first time since he was arrested and held for a ridiculous amount of time in prison, dancehall legend Buju Banton returned victoriously to the stage on Sunday night to a throng of very happy fans in Miami. Other reggae greats like Everton Blender, Nadine Sutherland, Freddie McGregor, Gyptian, and Wayne Wonder kicked off the show. Then the man of the hour ignited the adoring crowd. Read more »
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