Buju Banton Seeks Early Release From Prison

TAMPA BAY, Florida, CMC – Grammy winning reggae artiste, Buju Banton, whose given name is Mark Myrie, who was convicted on cocaine trafficking charges in 2011, has filed a motion in court in an attempt to secure an earlier release date.

The Tampa Bay Tribune reports that Buju filed his own motion from prison asking to be released early based on a recent change in federal drug sentencing guidelines. This would mean an earlier release date and deportation to Jamaica.

Buju is currently serving a mandatory ten-year sentence for his conviction on a charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

He is scheduled to be released in 2019.

However, the amendments do not apply to those serving minimum mandatory sentences under the law.

This would only be possible where the convicts cooperate with investigators or give a full confession to their crimes.
According to the paper, this is unlikely to happen, as Buju has maintained his innocence since being arrested.

Buju was convicted in February 2011, days after he won a Grammy award for his album, “Before the Dawn”.