A large crowd consisting mainly of young women lined sections of Barry and Tower streets, downtown Kingston, yesterday afternoon and at times shouted " free Kartel". They had to be monitored by the police as they were close to the courthouse where the trial is taking place.

Dancehall entertainer Vybz Kartel, whose real name is Adidja Palmer, and four other men have been on trial since yesterday for the murder of 27-year-old dancer Clive 'Lizard' Williams, of Waterford, St Catherine.

Fashion designer Calvin Haye, who was charged jointly with the men, was freed yesterday after the prosecution offered no evidence against him.

After three days of jury selection, a 12-member jury was selected to try Kartel, entertainer Shawn Campbell, popularly known as Shawn Storm, André St John, Shane Williams and Kahira Jones.

Laughter erupted in court during the jury selection yesterday when a man named Andrew Holness was called to be a juror. "Challenged," defence lawyer Tom Tavares Finson shouted when the name was about to be sworn.

Jeremy Taylor, senior deputy director of public prosecutions, in opening the case to the jury said it was one of common design and joint enterprise to end the life of Williams because of a dispute over property ( a firearm). "This case is not a referendum on dancehall or culture, this is a murder case in which you must decide whether these people are guilty or not guilty," Taylor said.

body has not been found

The Crown is alleging that Williams died after he was beaten at Kartel's house in Havendale, St Andrew. The body has not been found.

One of the two prosecution witnesses who testified yesterday broke down in tears when she said that on the afternoon of August 14, 2011, she saw the deceased and another man called Lemar Chow in her living room. She said they were looking really scared and frightened.

The witness, who is the sister of the deceased, said later that same day she gave the the two men instructions and dropped them at the Portmore Mall, St Catherine, and that was the last time she saw her brother. She said she spoke to Williams on his cell phone on the morning of August 16, 2011. The following day, she reported him missing after she made several phone calls and they went to voicemail.

She said she loved her brother dearly but the relationship at the time "was tenuous because I kept warning him and he would not listen." She said Kartel and three of the accused were her brother's friends.

The girlfriend of the deceased said the last time she saw him was on the morning of August 16, 2011, when she was going to work.