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Was Buju Banton Entrapped?

bujubantonmotion

That's what our friend David O. Markus seems to be suggesting in this provocative filing made in the Buju Banton case in the MD FL.

Come and listen to a story about a man named Mark a/k/a Buju:

3. On July 26, 2009, Mr. Myrie ? a well-known reggae musician, recording artist and 2010 Grammy nominee known in the music industry as ?Buju Banton? ? boarded a flight from Madrid, Spain to Miami, Florida. By sheer chance, bad luck, or other reason to which the defendant is unaware, the passenger occupying the seat next to him was the CS. Prior to meeting the CS on the flight, he had never spoken to, met with or even heard of the CS.

4. The CS is a paid government informant. In addition to refusing to disclose the CS?s identity, the government has refused to identify the prior cases in which he has been involved, the outcomes of those cases, the amount of money he has earned making cases for the government, or even the amount he has been paid (or expects to be paid) in this case.

5. During the long international flight to Miami, the CS, after softening up Mr. Myrie with small talk, began discussing cocaine. Throughout the flight, the CS tried to interest Mr. Myrie in buying cocaine. Mr. Myrie, however, was not interested. To Mr. Myrie?s knowledge, the CS did not record this long encounter with Mr. Myrie. The government has not disclosed any reports concerning this exculpatory encounter with the CS.

6. The CS did not give up, however. After all, his livelihood depended on it. Accordingly, over the course of the next five (5) months, the CS repeatedly called Mr. Myrie in repeated attempts to convince him to participate in a cocaine conspiracy with him. Some but not all of the CS?s attempts to ensnare Mr. Myrie were tape recorded. The ones that were recorded have been disclosed in discovery but have not been transcribed. However, counsel has listened to them, and the tapes repeatedly show Mr. Myrie?s attempts to put off the CS.

It goes on from there, but you get the picture.

Last time I was offered coke on a plane it was on Elvis' private jet and we were heading to his favorite fried peanut butter and banana sandwich shop.

But that was the 70s, and things were a little different back then (I mean in terms of our understanding of nutritionally sound and healthy dietary habits).

Full post as published by South Florida Lawyers on January 28, 2010 (boomark / email).