Nicole Morson, organiser of the Justice for Kenny Mitchel event held over the weekend, said signatures are still needed for the petition that has been launched to help obtain justice for the murder of Mitchel.
Kenny Mitchel, a 27-year old Dominican residing in Anguilla, on April 13, 2019, was killed in a scuffle on that Caribbean island by Scott Hapgood, 44, an investment banker living in the United States. On April 16, 2019, Scott was arrested. He was charged with manslaughter and granted US $74,000 bail on the condition that he return to Anguilla for his future court dates. On April 18, Scott flew to his home in Connecticut on a private jet. He did not appear for his scheduled court appearance on November 11, 2019.
“There was a petition that was started on Kenny’s behalf by leader of the movement, Terron Azille; he started the petition in June with the rise of the George Floyd incident,” Morson stated.
She said the George Floyd incident opened a lot of wounds especially for the family and loved ones of Kenny Mitchel.
“We feel like if we should stand in solidarity with the Black Lives and people who are defending George Floyd, then we should also defend our own and stand in solidarity with them. So we are here for Black Lives Matter and also for Caribbean lives to show that Caribbean lives matter and that we’re speaking for our own,” she explained.
The petition has over 30, 000 signatures and the goal is to reach 100, 000 signatures. Morson encouraged the public to visit the Caribbean Lives Matter Facebook page and sign the petition.
She said the signatures on the petition will help in the extradition of Gavin Scott Hapgood.
“We plan to send a letter to the United Kingdom as there is an extradition treaty between the US and the UK as Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory, so it’s out of the hands of the Anguillians and up to England to enforce the law to get Scott Hapgood extradited,” Morson stated.
She stated that the narrative of Kenny Mitchel that was told in the media was inaccurate and was one-sided. The purpose of the rally was to give the family an opportunity to change that narrative and to let the world know who the real Kenny Mitchel was.
“Kenny is a son of the soil. He is Dominican and he could be our cousin, our nephew, our brother, he could be anyone, our friend and I feel it’s right that we can come out stand up and speak for Kenny because if we don’t speak for our own, then who will?” Morson asked.
At the event, there were also performances and speeches by family members, local performers and activists including Morine Mitchel (Kenny’s mother), Michael Lee, Tasha P, AbiYah ( Nicole Alfred) Yisrael, Conch Shell/ Drummers and more.
A rally was also held in Anguilla for Kenny Mitchel on June 19th, 2020.
Click here to sign the petition and support “Justice for Kenny”
“We plan to send a letter to the United Kingdom as there is an extradition treaty between the US and the UK as Anguilla is a British Overseas Territory, so it’s out of the hands of the Anguillians and up to England to enforce the law to get Scott Hapgood extradited,”
I appreciate all the work you and those working with you have done and are doing in seeking justice for the young man and his family.
But who is “We” I have said before, and I say again. You have to demand action of your government, which has an attorney general, who has to make any and all officil requests to the USA. Why are you not demanding the representation which you voted for from your government? Your government is the one who let the guy go.
Demand an explanation from them. Don’t allow this person to sit by doing nothing while you and those working with you are trying so hard and doing so much.
GO to all business places and government building to get the support of all dominicans. DOnt just stand on a corner hoping people will come to you. Not everyone has internet access to go on the link.
A link to the petition page should have been included in the article to make it easier and quicker to sign.
ADMIN: Good point. The link has now been included.
Try getting Shaun King (son of the late Martin Luther King Jr) involved. He can at least publicize it in the United States. Shaun King is contactable via Facebook.
I don’t know if I am reading this wrongly but Kenny’s mother has a big smile on her face while holding a placard which says “I want justice for my son – his life mattered to me”?….. I don’t know how I, being a mother myself, could smile on such an occasion.
If a man dies in a scuffle that means he was not completely innocent. Every country has a system and laws that must be obeyed. The assailant break bail and its up to the country, to issue a warrant to get that man before the court . you asked uk for help and he in turn has to seek assistance from us. You decided to do it on your own accord. All the signatures you gather, how much are they willing to contribute, these things do not come cheap, alternatively let the law take its course. just a thought
Will you be singing the same song if it were your family? smh
If any of my children find themselves in this predicament, they would have me to answer too. At that age, they should know right from wrong, and if they don’t, I failed in my task miserably in bringing up children. A person committed a crime and given bail. A plane knowing that person is on bail and harbour him to prevent justice. You find that plane and pilot and bring the criminal back to face justice, you then charge the pilot for helping a criminal to escape. If a member of your family broke the law you give them up to the police. No one, I MEAN NO ONE is above the law.