Grand Bay Community Fights against Extradition of Resident for Murder Charge
The entire Grand Bay community has risen up as one man to protest the possible extradition of Kennison Charles to the United States to answer murder charges. The Grand Bay resident is being accused of the shooting death of Hans Oliver, another Dominican, in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) on March 26, 2016.
Charles is a father of three who has been resident in Grand Bay for 5 years. Residents describe him as a well-respected and loving man who does not pose any security risks to the community. The people of Grand Bay have embarked on a massive but peaceful protest to draw the attention of PM Roosevelt Skerrit, Attorney General Levi Peter, and Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Evelina Baptiste, to the plight of Charles and to stop his extradition.
The USVI issued an extradition warrant for Charles on the basis of an existing extradition treaty between Dominica and the United States. The US government initiated the treaty in January 1999 and Dominica signed it in May 2000 and it became effective that same month. Following the issuance of the extradition warrant and the issuance of a Warrant in the First Instance by a Dominican judge, Charles was arrested in Grand Bay and confined at the Dominica State Prison, awaiting extradition to the United States.
Protesters bearing various placards in the streets urge the DLP administration to stop the extradition process, contending that Charles would not be given a fair trial and that the accusation against him was spurious. The protesters further alleged that the United States would never extradite any American citizens to another country no matter the grave accusations against the offender.
“If he [Charles] goes back, he will not get a fair trial because they are looking to blame someone for the murder,” one of the protesters alleged. “There was the situation with Kenny Mitchel, the Dominican who was killed in Anguilla by an American citizen and America refused to send back their citizen to Anguilla because they said they were concerned about his safety so we are in the same situation.”
An online petition created to stop the extradition of Charles has garnered more than 600 signatures. Charles is an American Green Cardholder. Following the plea of his lawyer, David Bruney, to secure his bail, Judge Pearl Williams said she would rule on the bail application later this month, given that the DPP Evelina Baptiste cautioned that the bail is up to the discretion of the court. Williams will rule on the bail application on February 23 and the accused remains in jail pending this outcome. Charles is accused of first-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, first-degree assault, third-degree assault, unauthorized use of a firearm causing murder, unauthorized use of a firearm during voluntary manslaughter, unauthorized use of a firearm during a first-degree assault, third-degree assault with a firearm, murder, manslaughter, first-degree assault, and third-degree assault.
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