Security boosted as Jamaica rapper's trial ending


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KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Jamaican authorities blocked off streets around the Caribbean island's supreme court Thursday as a high-profile murder trial for dancehall reggae star Vybz Kartel went to the jury.

Heavily armed police cordoned off part of downtown Kingston before the court session, saying they wanted to prevent any possible disruptions by fans of the popular entertainer. Still, shortly before the 11-member jury started to deliberate in the afternoon, about 200 people briefly broke through barricades at one intersection near the court shouting "Free Kartel!"

Kartel and four co-defendants were charged in October 2011 with killing Clive "Lizard" Williams. The five pleaded not guilty.

Authorities allege Williams was beaten to death at Kartel's home in August that year after being lured there to answer for two missing illegal guns. His body has never been found.

Police testified they retrieved a text message from Kartel's phone saying Williams was chopped up so fine that his remains would never be found.

Defense lawyer Tom Tavares-Finson told jurors the prosecution's case against Kartel was "dishonest" and "incompetent," noting that witness statements and a compact disc with evidence saved on it somehow went missing.

Last year, another murder case against Kartel and two other co-defendants collapsed after prosecutors failed to produce evidence to prove allegations that the trio killed businessman Barrington "Bossy" Burton in 2011.

Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, has been one of Jamaica's biggest dancehall performers for a decade. He's known for innovative, but often violent, X-rated lyrics.

Although he has been in jail for about three years, his songs are played widely and many young Jamaicans consider him a hero of sorts. Champion sprinter Usain Bolt has said Kartel is his favorite performer.

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David McFadden on Twitter: http://twitter.com/dmcfadd

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