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On Wednesday, U.S. officials announced they would not pursue criminal charges following the 2022 death of Shanquella Robinson, as “the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution.”
According to Charlotte Observer, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in North Carolina shared that the FBI and federal prosecutors have concluded their investigation into Shanquella’s death.
It is unclear how this will affect the requested extradition the Mexican authorities issued last year.
It was previously reported that Mexican officials issued a warrant for femicide for Daejhanae Jackson, one of the people Shanquella had been traveling with at the time of her death.
Nonetheless, U.S. officials did clarify that Daejhanae is not a criminal suspect. However, the Department of Justice or Department of State did not detail their position on extradition.
Citing “a detailed and thorough investigation” and an autopsy conducted by the medical examiner’s office in North Carolina’s Mecklenburg County, officials said they found that “the available evidence does not support a federal prosecution.” U.S. Attorneys Sandra J. Hairston and Dena J. King said in a statement:
“As in every case under consideration for federal prosecution, the government must prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a federal crime was committed,” it continued. “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.”
It remains unclear how or if this will impact the requested extradition of Jackson after Mexican authorities issued an arrest warrant for her last year.
Robinson, 25, died in October under suspicious circumstances a day after she arrived in Cabo, Mexico. She was on vacation with six people. The FBI opened an investigation into her death in November.
Her story went viral and led to widespread pressure against Mexican and U.S. authorities in issuing an arrest warrant for femicide (similar to homicide) against Jackson, one of the six travelers, according to lawyers for her family Benjamin Crump and Sue-Ann Robinson.
Video footage surfaced soon after Robinson died shows a woman attacking her at the villa the group stayed at in Cabo.
According to Crump and Sue-Ann Robinson’s letter to the White House, the woman who attacked Robinson was later identified as Jackson.
In March, the family’s lawyers wrote a letter to the White House citing information from Mexican prosecutors.
On Wednesday, U.S. officials clarified that Jackson is not a criminal suspect after an FBI investigation but did not specify the Department of Justice or Department of State’s position on Jackson’s extradition.
The Department of Justice met with Robinson’s family and attorneys Wednesday morning, telling them they completed their investigation and will not prosecute any of the six suspects.
However, the Department of Justice did say it would be open to reviewing new information if it should come along.
“The death of Ms. Robinson has been incredibly difficult for her family and the community. As a matter of policy, federal officials generally do not issue public statements concerning the status of an investigation. However, given the circumstances of Ms. Robinson’s death and the public concern surrounding this investigation, it is important to reassure the public that experienced federal agents and seasoned prosecutors extensively reviewed the available evidence and have concluded that federal charges cannot be pursued,” Hairston and King wrote.
The State Department had previously told The Charlotte Observer it “supports a thorough investigation into the circumstances of this incident and is closely monitoring local authorities’ investigation.”
Meanwhile, Robinson’s family and lawyers recently held a press conference in Washington, D.C., to call on President Biden to intervene in Shanquella’s case.
A meeting with supporters and media in Charlotte has been planned for Wednesday afternoon.
