Jury selection will begin again today in a Tampa court house in the retrial of Grammy Winner reggae singer, Buju Banton, five months after a previous jury failed to reach a verdict on federal drug trafficking charges that could put him in prison for life.
Banton now faces four counts of cocaine and gun charges instead of the two for which he was tried last September, as prosecutors added two additional cocaine-related charges against the four-time Grammy-nominated reggae singer, whose real name is Mark Anthony Myrie.
Prosecutors say, Banton conspired with two associates to purchase a shipment of cocaine from an undercover officer. Banton claims he talked a lot about cocaine, but was entrapped by a confidential informant whom he was trying to impress, as the man had implied he could help Banton’s music career.
Banton was arrested in December 2009 at his home in a Miami suburb.
Banton, who has been nominated four times for a Grammy award, won his first ever Grammy yesterday.
