Incarcerated deejay Buju Banton wants to spend the Christmas holiday with his family.
According to the Tampa Tribune in the United States of America, Banton's attorney said the deejay wants to spend the holiday season with his family despite the judge pushing back his retrial in Florida until February.
According to the article, US District judge James Moody had said Banton's new trial would be in December, but he granted a defence motion to postpone it.
unanimous verdict
The deejay's trial started on September 20 and was declared a mistrial by Judge Jim Moodie when eight days later a 12-member jury failed to return a unanimous verdict after three days of deliberation. A new trial date was to have started in December on a date to be announced, however, the case has been put off until February but a specific date has not been set.
Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, is accused of conspiring to buy cocaine from an undercover officer in Sarasota. He's been held without bail since his arrest in December. He is now trying to get released from jail pending the retrial.
post his property
Banton was offered a US$250,000 (J$21,397,500) bail on October 14 but is still in custody. Last week, Banton's lawyer, David Oscar Markus, told the court that reggae singer Stephen Marley was willing to post his Miami-Dade property, valued at US$350,000 (J$29,956,500) to secure Banton's release. Originally the money was to be provided by Joseph Chavalier, secured by his Florida residence, however, upon doing the appraisal the house was not valued for US$250,000 (J$21,397,500).
Banton must wear a tracking device and must have a security detail at all times. Under US law, the defendant must bear the cost of the security detail. Last week, according to Banton's lawyer he has contacted two security companies.