Florida Jury Unable to Decide Fate of Buju Banton

By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

The trial of Reggae star Buju Banton, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, ended in a mistrial after jurors, deliberating since last Thursday, notified the sitting judge they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

Jurors sent U.S. District Judge James Moody a note Monday saying they could not reach a verdict, but Moody ordered them to continue deliberations. After a second note was sent, Moody sustained a motion by the defense to declare a mistrial, MSNBC reported.

Myrie has been in custody since December 2009 when Drug Enforcement Administration agents arrested him in Miami.

The U.S. Attorney charged the four-time Grammy winner with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilos of cocaine and aiding two others in possessing a firearm during the course of cocaine distribution. A conviction on the charges would have sent the "Rasta Got Soul" singer to prison for 20 years.

Myrie's attorney has maintained all along that the singer was entrapped by a government informant, and that Myrie should be released on bond.

According to the DEA affidavit, Myrie, 36, contacted a confidential informant for the DEA about a possible cocaine purchase. The informant tipped off the DEA and the following day, Myrie and other individuals met with the informant at La Tropicana de Havana restaurant in Sarasota, Florida, where the DEA and local police set up surveillance.

When Myrie allegedly arrived at the meeting, driving his silver Land Rover with the license plate Jah One, the group then headed to a warehouse authorities rigged with audio and video recording devices.

An undercover police officer pulled out one brick from the 20-kilogram, according to the DEA, and one of Myrie's associate's cut it open with a knife.

Myrie, according to the affidavit, "instantly wiped the blade of that knife with his finger and placed that finger in his mouth in what appeared to be an attempt to taste the cocaine."

Additional meetings occurred at local restaurants between the informant and Myrie's associates, which led to authorities arresting those individuals, followed by the apprehension of Myrie in Miami.

The husky-voiced Myrie, who has been compared to the legendary Bob Marley by fans and supporters, reached superstar status in his native Jamaica since arriving on the music scene in the 1990s. He recently introduced a more traditional reggae sound compared to his earlier saucy, dancehall music.

His intolerant stance of the gay community as demonstrated in songs like "Batty Rider" and "Boom Bye Bye," which glorifies the shooting of gay men, has stunted his career in the United States.

A new trial date is expected to be announced later, NewsOne reported.