GAGGED
Court orders out-on-bail Jaii Frais, Jahvy Ambassador and others against speaking about Carnival night shooting
Published:Saturday | April 25, 2026 | 12:09 AMTanesha Mundle/Staff Reporter
King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie is calling for restraint in public discussion surrounding the firearm case involving popular podcaster Jhaedee Richards and music producer Jahvel Morrison, after both men were yesterday granted $1.5 million bail in the Gun Court.
Speaking with The Gleaner following the hearing, Champagnie, who represents Morrison, popularly known as ‘Jahvy Ambassador’, alongside attorneys Richard Lynch and Sayeed Bernard, said public commentary on the matter should not undermine the court proceedings.
“I do appreciate the need for public education and public information, but it has to be balanced given the fact that the matter is before the court and the court has made one of the conditions of bail a prohibition in relation to the parties speaking about the case,” Champagnie said.
“I recognise also that persons may want to make commentary about it and so on, but I do believe that as officers of the court, we should allow the justice system to work and for it to move unimpeded and for good sense to prevail all around,” he added.
Champagnie confirmed that his client was granted $1.5 million bail with conditions including travel restrictions, regular reporting to the police and a prohibition against discussing the matter publicly or on social media.
Asked about Morrison’s state of mind following his release, Champagnie said his client was relieved.
“All I will say is that he is very satisfied with the outcome today, and he awaits his day in court when the matter will be ventilated further. Beyond that, he has no comment to make,” he said.
Attorney Isat Buchanan, who, along with Iqbal Cheverria and D’ondre Buchanan, represents Richards, known as Jaii Frais, also confirmed that his client was given bail with similar conditions. He said the court also imposed a curfew order, which requires the defendants to be inside their home between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. and report three times weekly to the police. They were also ordered, along with persons closely connected to the matter, not to discuss the case on social media.
Buchanan said his legal team now intends to allow the matter to proceed through the court system but reiterated concerns he previously raised about self-defence in Jamaica’s crime climate.
“What next is that justice takes its course. We are not concerned and we are just watching as we go,” Buchanan said.
On his client’s condition following his time behind bars, Buchanan said Richards was eager to move forward.
“My client is anxious to get back to his life. A day in incarceration is like a thousand years. I’ve said that so many times. So I’m just happy that the judge would have considered all of the issues and bail was offered consistent with the Bail Act,” he said.
Richards has been charged with wounding with intent, shooting with intent, possession of a prohibited weapon and using a prohibited weapon to commit a felony.
Morrison faces charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, wounding with intent and using a prohibited weapon to commit a felony.
The charges stem from a shooting incident at the Big Wall Carnival afterparty at Ranny Williams Entertainment Centre on April 12, during which three people were shot.
According to police reports, a dispute developed among patrons about 9:30 p.m. and escalated into an exchange of gunfire between two individuals. Three persons were injured and taken to the hospital, and two firearms were later seized in connection with the incident.
Richards, who was reportedly among those injured, was treated and released into police custody, while Morrison was also subsequently arrested.