Buju Banton bail ruling put on hold for a week

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Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton, jailed since his arrest last December on suspicion of conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine, will have to wait a week longer to find out whether he’ll get out on bail, the Jamaica Observer reports.

The judge in the federal case, Anthony Porcelli, reserved judgment for a week in a hearing Wednesday in Tampa, Fla., saying he wanted to thoroughly review the arguments for and against bail. The prosecution maintains that the Jamaican citizen is a flight risk; the defense counters that his fame means he couldn’t flee. (Roman Polanski might have some advice?)

A mistrial was declared Sept. 27 after jurors in Banton’s case could not come to an agreement after a four-day trial and three days of deliberations. A retrial is expected to begin in December.

Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, faces up to life in prison if convicted.

-- Christie D’Zurilla

Related dispatches from the Ministry of Gossip:

More details emerge in the Buju Banton drug case

Buju Banton arrested on a federal drug charge