Beenie's Lawyer okay with outcome

Jamaica Observer: KINGSTON, Brian Bonitto – BEENIE Man’s attorney, Roderick Gordon said he is satisfied with yesterday’s outcome in the St Elizabeth Parish Court and believes the Grammy-winning entertainer showed he has respect for the law.

“We didn’t want to be seen as flouting the law or wasting the court’s time and the resources of the State,” Gordon told the Jamaica Observer yesterday. “We had a good case but, in any event, we took the responsible approach.”

Beenie Man, who pleaded guilty on his last court appearance on April 19, was slapped with a fine of $150,000 or three months in prison for breaching the Disaster Risk Management Act when he appeared before Resident Magistrate Horace Mitchell. The fine was promptly paid.

An additional charge of breaching the Noise Abatement Act was thrown out on April 19.

“There was an event that was cited as breaching the Order. The flyer that went out had his image on it – he’s a celebrity. Even though it was not an event he promoted or an event that he applied for permission to host, he recognised that on the face of it, he could be charged when you look at the circumstances. We took that approach, we advised the court of our position, and reminded the court that [at] the first reasonable opportunity, he took that responsible course and pleaded guilty,” said Gordon.

“As a veteran in the industry and somebody who is a significant influencer in the country and the global community, he wanted to communicate respect for the law and that he’s not above the law…I am pleased and the fine handed down is a fair one…It could have been higher…He’s pleased that he can go on with his life as usual,” he continued.

The Corporate Area-based dancehall deejay was charged for breaching the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA) at an event held in the Shrewsbury District of St Elizabeth on November 29, 2020.

The deejay’s social media promotion of a New Year’s Eve party in December 2020 forced the St Elizabeth police to issue a warrant for his arrest. He was subsequently charged.

Beenie Man, given name Moses Davis, won the Best Reggae Album Grammy in 2001 for the album Art and Life. The 47-year-old is known for songs including Girls Dem Sugar, Who Am I, Romie, Slam, and I’m Okay.