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Buju Banton Wins Grammy on Eve of Retrial

Buju BantonSoul Brother, FilmMagic

Buju Banton will be heading to court today (Feb. 14, 2011) with a new good luck charm -- the 2011 Grammy for Best Reggae Album. Facing life in prison, Buju Banton won the award for his 2010 album, 'Before the Dawn.'

Banton's Grammy comes the day before he is scheduled to appear in court for the start of his retrial on drug conspiracy allegations. In September of last year, the judge handling the case declared a mistrial when the jury could not come to a verdict, pushing a new trial. Banton, whose real name is Mark Myrie, is facing charges of conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine and illegal possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a crime. He is claiming he was entrapped.

In prison since Nov. 2009, Buju Banton was finally able to leave prison after the mistrial when his friend Stephen Marley posted bail by placing his Fla. home, worth $300,000, as collateral. Upon release, Buju was forced to sign an extradition waiver and wear an electronic monitoring device to ensure he stays in America.

"Buju is not guilty. The number of charges doesn't change that," Banton's attorney, David Markus, said in an e-mail. "The prosecution wasn't happy with the first trial, so now it is trying to throw as many charges against the wall in the hopes something sticks."

Watch Buju Banton's 'Wanna Be Loved' video.



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