Richard ‘Storyteller’ Morrison seeking leave to Privy Council to challenge extradition compensation

Jamaican businessman Richard 'Storyteller' Morrison, who was wrongfully extradited in 1991 to the United States, is now taking steps to go to the United Kingdom-based Privy Council in an effort to get an increase in the $3 million awarded to him as compensation.

Last month, the Court of Appeal upheld the Supreme Court award of $3 million which the government was ordered to pay him.

Morrison had appealed against the amount awarded on the grounds that it was too low for the 22 years of “living hell” he spent in prison in the USA.

On April 18, Morrison filed an application seeking leave from the Court of Appeal to take his case to the Privy Council.

A date is to be set for the hearing of his application.

Morrison says he is seeking the Privy Council's assistance in determining the amount he should be paid for the government's negligence and breaches of his constitutional rights.

He was extradited to the USA in 1991 and was deported to Jamaica in 2013 after spending 22 years in prison.

He filed a suit in the Supreme Court against the government seeking compensation for negligence and breach of his constitutional rights.

The government accepted liability and following an assessment of damages, the Supreme Court awarded him $3 million in 2021.

Morrison, who represented himself, appealed on the basis that the award was too low but was not successful.

He was alleged to have been a member of the drug gang called the 'Shower Posse' and was extradited to face several charges including murder, distributing cocaine and marijuana. 

He was extradited to the USA while an appeal was pending to the Privy Council against his extradition order.

Morrison was tried and convicted in the USA for cocaine offences, for which he was not extradited.

The offences for which he was extradited were thrown out for lack of evidence.

The Court of Appeal ruled that it would not disturb the Supreme Court award because the judge correctly found that the respondents did not breach Morrison's constitutional rights, the Extradition Act or the Extradition Treaty.

- Barbara Gayle

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