When justice is denied, it can be a devastating blow to the victim and their family. Such is the case with Shanquella Robinson, a 25-year-old woman from Charlotte, North Carolina native whose family was denied justice when US authorities refused to pursue charges against her alleged attacker. Despite overwhelming evidence, the US federal prosecutors chose to ignore the situation, leaving Shanquella and her family without the closure they deserve. The injustice of this case has sparked outrage from the Robinson family and activist for a call to action .
United States Attorney Dena King and the FBI shared their reasoning in a statement released Wednesday, April 12, saying that there was not enough evidence of wrongdoing to issue criminal charges in Robinson’s case.
“As in every case under consideration for federal prosecution, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a federal crime was committed,” a part of the statement said. “Based on the results of the autopsy and after a careful deliberation and review of the investigative materials by both U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, federal prosecutors informed Ms. Robinson’s family today that the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution.”
Previously, Daniel de la Rosa, the attorney general for Baja California Sur, told reporters that Robinson’s death resulted from “direct aggression” and that an arrest warrant for the crime of femicide — the killing of a woman because of her gender — had been issued. De la Rosa believed that a friend of Robinson’s is responsible for her death.
Shanquella Robinson, traveled to San José del Cabo, a resort city on the southern tip of Mexico’s Baja California peninsula, with six friends. A day later, she was found dead in the rental property where they were staying. Although Robinson’s friends told her mother that she’d died of alcohol poisoning, her death certificate recorded that the cause was a spinal cord and neck injury. Calls for authorities to investigate Robinson’s death grew after a video showing one of her friends physically assaulting her went viral. The footage shows Shanquella getting throwing to the ground and being kicked and punched her all over her body and head. A man standing nearby can be heard saying, “Quella, can you at least fight back?”
Robinson’s family have said U.S. authorities have dropped the ball
Sallamondra Robinson, Shanquella’s mother, traveled to D.C. along with civil rights civil-rights attorneyBen Crump, said in a news conferenceheld in D.C. “The people who knew what happened to my daughter are living their lives. They have returned to work and my family is left to wait and wait to beg for answers.”
Quilla Long, Robinson’s sister, said that the process of trying to get justice for her sister has been frustrating and disheartening. “I feel like our government has failed us,” she said.
