Mistrial Declared in Tampa Case Against Buju Banton

A mistrial was declared Monday afternoon in the federal drug trial of reggae star Buju Banton. Jurors, sitting in the federal court in Tampa, advised the judge that they were divided over the verdict after three days of deliberations.

“We are still split on a decision and after reviewing evidence, nobody has changed their minds from our original vote on Thursday,” said a note delivered to the judge from the jurors. The jury was reportedly split six-to-six as to the verdict. (A verdict in this case was required to be unanimous.)

Banton, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie, has been held in jail since December 2009 on drug conspiracy charges. Specifically, he was charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.

The Jamaican reggae star has homes both in Jamaica and in Broward County, Florida. Banton rose to fame in Jamaica in the early ’90s with a homophobic dancehall hit. International fame soon followed. His most recent album was nominated for a 2009 Grammy award. He has been nominated for a Grammy four times.

Last December, a confidential informant allegedly told the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) that Banton wanted to buy some cocaine in Sarasota. According to authorities, Banton and several others met with the informant and then with an undercover officer to negotiate a drug transaction and to inspect the drugs themselves.

After this initial meeting, according to the criminal complaint filed in federal court in Tampa, there were several subsequent meetings to further negotiate and inspect. Banton was not present at any of the subsequent meetings nor was he present during the transaction for cocaine which resulted in the arrest of his alleged co-conspirators.

The case will be retried in December.