Buju Banton's case transferred to TAMPA

Grammy nominated Jamaican reggae star Buju Banton will fight a drug charge against him in Tampa instead of Miami.

Banton waived his bail hearing Wednesday in Miami federal court. His case is being prosecuted in Tampa, where he will be transferred.

U.S. Magistrate Judge William Turnoff issued a temporary order of detention for the 36-year-old singer, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie.

Banton did not speak at the hearing, except to reply, "Yes, sir," to the judge's questions. Like the other 10 jail inmates waiting in the courtroom, he wore a beige jail jumpsuit over a white T-shirt, with his long dreadlocks tied up off his neck and his hands shackled in front of him.

"He believes that because the indictment was filed out of Tampa, that's where the case should be defended," Banton's attorney, Herbert E. Walker III, said after the hearing.

Banton has been in federal custody since last Thursday. He is charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.

Walker said the charge carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

According to a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration affidavit, Banton and two others traveled to Sarasota last week to purchase a large amount of cocaine from an undercover law enforcement officer. The DEA was tipped off by a confidential informant who agreed to wear a recording device during the drug negotiation session.

Banton's attorney said the singer is "completely innocent" of the charges against him.

"He's a very spiritual person," Walker said. "He has a lot of faith in God. He's confident he's going to be exonerated."

The husky-voiced Banton has been a major star in his native Jamaica since the early 1990s with brash dancehall music and, more recently, a traditional reggae sound. His career has been stunted in the United States because of some song lyrics that advocated violence against gay men.

Earlier this month, Banton's ninth album, "Rasta Got Soul," was nominated for a Grammy for best reggae album. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation launched an online petition protesting the nomination

Free up buju!!  more time! this was a set up arrest by the hateful gayz! rasta burn dem all more time hatta fayah blaze babylon burn battyman!! memba there is nothing u can do to stop the rasta man.

exterminate gays and lesbians..

Buju was set up and this is absolutely true, cause buju was on the eyeball of the european gays league list even buju was reported to the jamaican government to take actions about his anti gays lyrics, so what fuck them bastard exterminate gays and lesbian...

how can he travel on tour with 5 kilos of coca???? hellooooooo
even  in the usa one of his concert he was plan for assinated during his show before the lyrics boom boom bye bye comes suddenly his microphone was shut off...

peace buju

Blessed love mi youth  nothing! they can do to stop the rasta man. Inity wolla d time I&I burn dem this is an unnatural behaviour coz even wild animals inna the bush dnt practice it why human? burn battyman and chichiman ablaze  dema all sick inna dem head FREE UP BUJU N LET HIM SING FI THE YOUTHS !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIUZlzd37sI



          FAYAH!

I love Buju more than most and I pray that he is innocent. But if not shame on him. As far as the Gays and Lesbians go. They can't trap him unless he's willing to be trapped don't understand why everyone wants to blame them. I don't like the violence aganist anyone. The bible says "judge not lest ye be judged" meaning you can't judge someone for sin and you are sining too. With that being said FREE Buju if he's innocent.

lyrics and people  that promote the torture and murder of gay people, disgusting, and only one person stands up and says its wrong.   Looks like minarets are obviously a lot more important!!!!

Even he is due dis time of holding drugs but he will be always my first raggalove.

When i see all the crime in the world then i ask whow is guilty..? Give mother earth more crap to eat so more cokoain will be needed...nobody have an halo ..

for me he tell the truth...that sexy M...f..

he will know what to do now ...let him feel a bit of babylon too dis time, not so bad i guess...we will hear his apology lyrics next time 4 sure..

hope he learn and pray everyday for forgiveness...Jah Jah know....