Less than a day after winning a Grammy for best reggae album, popular Jamaican singer Buju Banton was on trial again Monday, accused of conspiring to buy cocaine from an undercover officer.
The case against Grammy-winning reggae star Buju Banton hinges on one man: Alexander Johnson, a former cocaine transporter turned federal informant who has earned over $3 million helping the government in drug cases in recent years
Johnson testified during Banton’s trial Tuesday, telling the jury how he and the singer met in 2009 in the business-class section of a Madrid-to-Miami flight and how, over drinks, they began chatting about the cocaine trade. Johnson said Tuesday that after his eight-hour flight, he went to his superiors at the Drug Enforcement Administration to alert them that he would meet with Banton, whose given name is Mark Myrie, and tape record phone calls and meetings. For several hours Tuesday, Johnson described multiple meetings with Banton in Florida, and prosecutors played tapes and phone calls.
As the Buju Banton defence opened its case independent documentary maker, Stephanie Black, told the US Sam Gibbons Federal Court here that she knew Buju Banton for 16 years and that he never dealt drugs, as far as she was aware. She said Banton never lied to her and that she knew him to be a boaster, like most Jamaicans.
Minutes before Banton took the stand reggae artistes Stephen Marley and Roy 'Gramps' Morgan gave character evidence on Banton's behalf. Both men said they trusted Banton and did not know of him being a drug dealer. They described him as the voice of Jamaica and a person who did all he could to uplift the people of Jamaica. They said while Banton did a lot of talking he was not a drug dealer. "If I did not trust him I would not have use my house to post bond for him," Marley said.
Banton, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, was taken to task for allegedly making boastful comments to government informant Alexander Johnson about being involved in drug dealings.
Preston asked the artiste why, if he was not a drug dealer, would he make statements that he was a financier of drug ventures, being the successful entertainer he is.
Banton shot back saying that he was just “talking crap” and that if he had been a drug dealer he would not have waited five months to meet again with Johnson after their August 1, 2009 meeting. Banton added that if he had been a drug dealer he would have jumped at the opportunity to invest in the drug venture or connect Johnson to other people in the drug business.
Throughout the grilling, Banton kept repeating that he was not a drug dealer.
The entertainer said Johnson set him up to ruin his life but took responsibility. “It’s my fault why I’m here. I’m too trusting. If I never let Alexander Johnson in my ears I would not have been here,” he said.
On one occasion Preston asked: “You never told him that you did not want to do a drug deal?" Banton responded: “I did not tell him I wanted to do one either.”
Banton took the witness stand at 1:55 pm, and led by attorney David Oscar Markus testified that he was not a drug dealer and that he was very ashamed of his behaviour.
“I’m very ashamed of myself for acting in that manner. I feel like I’m getting a public flogging because I should not do it,” Banton said. “I am very much ashamed to see myself behaving like that.”
He also told the jurors, who could start deciding his fate today, that he was not involved in illicit drug dealings. “I know it may look bad and it may sound bad, but I am not a drug dealer. Yes, I talked the talked, but I did not walk the walk,” he said.
Banton and Johnson had met on a flight from Madrid, Spain to Florida on July 26, 2009 when Johnson brought up the conversation of drugs. Banton said that during the eight-hour flight the two conversed on many topics, including legitimate business ventures and women.
The two men met up the following day and after two hours of drinking and talking Johnson brought up drugs. Both men would have several conversations, most of which were recorded between August and December 8, during which drug trafficking was discussed.
But yesterday, Banton maintained that he did nothing illegal, noting that he took no steps to act on the talks.
Banton said reality struck when he was taken to a warehouse by Johnson and shown cocaine on December 8, 2009, two days before he was arrested. He said he never knew that he was going to be shown cocaine. Had he known, he said, he would not have gone with Johnson.
The video of that event was played for jurors on Tuesday and depicted tasting the cocaine from a knife his friend Ian Thomas had used to cut into the package of the illicit drugs.
Buju told jurors that he was scared while in the warehouse and reality struck that Johnson was a real drug dealer. He said his whole life flashed before him and he told himself to play it cool for fear that he would be killed. He said he was under the impression that he was going to see a sail boat and go for lunch.
He said he backed off and told Thomas to give Johnson his own number. He told the court that he never wanted anything more to do with Johnson from then on. However, the artiste said he and Thomas accompanied Johnson to a restaurant where they drank and that he (Buju) threw up all the way home.
Buju kept repeating in court that he was stupid for doing what he did and for saying the things he did. He said he liked hanging out with Johnson even though he kept talking about drugs. He said, however, that he knew that it was all talk for him and that when he left Johnson’s company he would say “idiot”.
Earlier yesterday, Johnson testified under crossexamination that he never made any drug deal with Banton. He said that it was Thomas who brokered the deal for which he, Banton and James Mack were arrested on December 10, 2009. He said Thomas kept changing the buyers and the amount of drugs required.
Under re-examination from prosecutor James Preston, Johnson said that Buju was a broker in the deal.
The trial continues today.
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