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Jamaican musician Vybz Kartel is reportedly battling a “life-threatening” illness and heart condition as he serves a life sentence in prison. According to FOX 5 New York, the outlet obtained a medical affidavit detailing the musician’s ailing health.
According to the outlet, reporter Lisa Evers obtained the “sworn medical affidavit,” which reports that the musician’s Graves’ Disease and heart condition are declining. Additionally, the affidavit reportedly states that his health decline could be fatal if Kartel does not receive medical treatment.
Kartel’s attorney, Isat Buchanan, detailed the conditions the musician faces while incarcerated. He explained that these conditions also impact Kartel’s well-being.
“He’s in a cell, and if you can picture a brick oven, because that’s how those cells are built…”
Buchanan went on to explain that Kartel’s illnesses are “life-threatening.”
“Mr. Palmer’s illness is actually life-threatening.”
Kartel’s full government name is Adidja Azim Palmer.
According to FOX 5 New York, Kartel has been spending 23 hours in “solitary lockdown” for an alleged violation of cellphone use. Kartel’s family also issued a statement to Urban Islandz regarding the matter. Their statement was published on May 25.
“Of the 1,700 inmate population housed at the tower street prison, [only] Kartel and two other men who are already on a security block in the middle of the prison were put on 23 hours locked down because 3 cell phones were allegedly found on the block. But strangely enough, in addition to the 100s of cell phones found daily at that institution, thousands at lockups across the island, the supt seems to have ill will against Kartel.. He is forced to be locked down in a cell without proper ventilation all day in the summer heat with the dust and salt breeze from the nearby sea.”
Additionally, FOX 5 New York reports that Kartel’s “brick cell” has “no air circulation,” no water, and only offers a bucket as a toilet.
Furthermore, Kartel’s lawyer also detailed the musician’s debilitating physical shape.
“His neck was swollen, if you think of a shirt that is about 18.5 inches in the neck area, you couldn’t close the collar on his neck and that’s how bad it is in this moment. His face is actually swollen. And one other thing. He always wears glasses; in this condition, that causes his eyes to protrude.”
The private physician who constructed the musician’s medical report, Dr. Karen Phillips, has explained that his Graves’ Disease has not gone into remission and his “two heart conditions” remain present.
Phillips reportedly recommends that Kartel receive surgery treatment “as soon as possible.”
Buchanan adds that Kartel is “fighting for his life.”
“Fighting for his life, yes, because it can be dangerous. We do not want to get a phone call to say that because he was under this 23-hour lockdown, and unable to breathe, that he succumbed to his illness.”
Kartel was sentenced to life in prison in 2014 after being convicted of the 2011 murder of Clive “Lizard” Williams, as reported by The Guardian. According to FOX 5 New York, Kartel is actively appealing the conviction in a United Kingdom court.
Additionally, his lawyer has reportedly reached out to the prison superintendent regarding Kartel’s “lockdown order.”
