Attorney Isat Buchanan granted stay of his two-year suspension

Attorney-at-law Isat Buchanan was today granted a stay of his two-year suspension from practising law.

The stay was granted by the Court of Appeal pending the outcome of his appeal against the suspension period imposed by the Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council (GLC), which has been described as excessive.

Case management conference is set for July next year and after that a date will be set for the hearing of the appeal.

Following the stay, Buchanan will now be able to continue to practise and will be able to go to the United Kingdom Privy Council to represent dancehall artiste Vybz Kartel who is appealing against his murder conviction.

Buchanan was suspended this month after he was found guilty of professional misconduct for offensive comments he made against Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn.

He pleaded guilty in November to breaching ethics rules that guide the conduct of attorneys authorised to practise in Jamaica. He also admitted breaching the canons of the legal profession (Canon of Professional Ethics) Rules.

While co-hosting a programme on YouTube in August, Buchanan had quoted from the lyrics of Vybz Kartel's song Menace, in which he (Kartel) directed that the DPP perform a sexual act.

Attorney-at-law John Clarke instructed by King's Counsel Valerie Neita Robertson represented Buchanan.

Sandra Minott-Phillips KC and Simone Mayhew KC represented the GLC.

-Barbara Gayle

Follow The Gleaner on X and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.