State witness makes about face at Buju retrial

A shocking admission by the state's star witness on Wednesday that he had no drug deal in place with reggae star Buju Banton marked the early morning session of the drug case against him.

Defence attorney David Markus ended the cross examination of state witness Alexander Johnson which began on Tuesday.

Newly presented transcripts

David Markus was sharp as he launched an all out attack on the prosecution’s case.

Mr. Markus showed the court several transcripts relating to audio material that was played on Monday.

Several lines in those transcripts bore supposedly damning and incriminating information about apparent conversations Buju had with the witness about drugs.

But things took a shocking turn when the lawyer presented additional transcripts of sections of the recordings that were never presented in written form before the courts.

Interpretation

David Markus prodded Alexander Johnson about what exactly some of those statements really meant.

In one line where Buju was heard telling Johnson it was a done deal, Johnson had told prosecutors the artiste was speaking about their apparent drug deal.

However, when David Markus questioned him about whether this was in relation to drugs or not, the witness said it was not drug related.

It was borne out that the done deal meant a plan they had to hang out on a boat owned by one of Mr. Johnson's friends.

The lawyer used the transcript to support this.

Bigger stage

The witness was also heard on an audio tape saying “brother, at any given moment you need to have someone that can back you up with big dollars to put you on a bigger stage”.

Mr. Johson had initially given the court the impression that these statements to Buju were in relation to their apparent drug deal.

He however later admitted when pressed by Mr. Markus that this was about possibly introducing Buju to other music producers in Atlanta, to boost his career.

Mr. Markus also asked the witness why only parts of his conversation with Buju were recorded and he failed to give a substantial answer.

The lawyer also asked why he kept trying to get in touch with Buju after the flash show of drugs despite the artiste's efforts not to stay in contact with him.

He also failed to answer this question.

Mr. Johnson eventually admitted to David Markus, while under cross examination, that he had not made any deal with the artiste relating to drugs.