It’s been about five months since Shanquella Robinson was killed while on vacation in Mexico with a group of friends, and justice has still managed to elude her family, and now her family is asking President Biden, the U.S. State Department, and other high-level diplomats to intervene.
On Friday, Robinson’s parents held a press conference in Washington D.C. to demand justice for their murdered daughter, whose body was found back in October 2022 inside the villa she and the group she was traveling with had been staying at.
Shanquella Robinson’s Family Joined By Civil Rights Activists, NAACP For Rally In Washington DC
“I don’t wish this nightmare on anyone. My daughter was beat to death on video,” Robinson’s mother Salamondra told the crowd. “I can hardly talked about it. No one has been arrested and my family is left to wait and beg for answers. Im here as an American citizen to call upon the President to get justice for my daughter.”
Ben Crump, the regional director of the NAACP and others stood aside the family and began the rally with chants of “justice for Shanquella Robinson!” which was met with loud chants back from the crowd.
.@AttorneyCrump now speaking. #ShanquellaRobinson
Watch live on @WBTV_News https://t.co/mGkwqtXpgH pic.twitter.com/mVm9TI9G0W
— Brandon Hamilton (@BHAMonTV) March 3, 2023
“You can only imagine what she’s faced these last 18 weeks,” Crump said of Robinson’s mother. “We will never give up on this family because Shanquella Robinson’s life matters!”
Renowned Defense Attorney Ben Crump Speaks On Dejanae Johnson And The Cabo Six
Crump then gave a brief background on the case of the slain 25-year-old, highlighting all of the things Shanquella accomplished in her short life.
“It’s been 126 days since she died. with video of her being beaten literally to death being released 15 weeks ago, and STILL with all this visual evidence, NO one has been arrested!” Crump bellowed. “We will show up whether the murderers are Black or white! It doesn’t matter!”
Crump then spoke on the suspected culprit behind the “Cabo Six” and Shanquella’s murder, Dejanae Johnson, who has had a warrant for her arrest filed in Mexico The Shade Room previously reported, but remains free to this day.
Parents of #ShanquellaRobinson in DC to demand justice for their murdered daughter https://t.co/X2om3q7bBx
— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) March 3, 2023
“The travel-mates who travelled with her came back and told (Robinson’s family) that she died from alcohol poisoning. But they were texting about it, joking about it in the aftermath of the tragedy.”
Crump Echoes Family’s Call For Diplomatic Intervention: “When A White Woman Goes Missing, It’s Not Hard” To Get Justice
Crump echoed Salamondra’s call for diplomatic intervention from President Biden to bring justice to those who are responsible for the death of Shanquella Robinson.
“We are asking for high-level diplomatic intervention from President Biden and the State Department to bring justice to the person or persons responsible for her death,” Crump said. “It is not a hard act, when a white woman goes missing, it’s not a hard act” to gain justice.
MEDIA ALERT: @AttorneyCrump and attorney Sue-Ann Robinson will hold a news conference tomorrow at 10:30 a.m. ET seeking diplomatic intervention by @POTUS and the U.S. State Department to prioritize bringing those accountable for Shanquella Robinson’s death to justice. pic.twitter.com/AyTtsmV7BC
— Ben Crump Law, PLLC (@BenCrumpLaw) March 2, 2023
Crump added: “We have been advised that the Mexican authorities have not been doing their job. “We have to go above and beyond to get justice as Black people.”
Mexican Authorities Have Advised Robinson’s Family That Their Investigation Is Complete, “But Suspect(s) Still Roam Free”
He went on to say that Mexican authorities have advised the family and their council that their investigation is complete, “but their suspect is still roaming free in the United States, sleeping comfortably in their own beds at night.”
“The U.S. government needs to do one of two things, extradite the person who murdered Shanquella to Mexico to face the charges and the crimes alleged against her, or two, take jurisdiction from Mexico to bring a case for those responsible and bring this family justice.”
RELATED: Mexican Authorities Reportedly Issue Arrest Warrant In Shanquella Robinson’s Death
“The State Department, President Biden, what are you going to do to bring justice for this poor woman (Shanquella’s mother). It’s simple,” Crump went on to say.
Co-council Sue-Ann Robinson, of no relation to Shanquella, was praised by Crump for going to Mexico on her own dime to collect evidence against her killer or killers.
The view tonight from D.C.
I’ll have more on what we’re expecting at tomorrow’s press conference #ShanquellaRobinson at 11 on @WBTV_News @MollyGrantham pic.twitter.com/p3Ufe5X4Da
— Brandon Hamilton (@BHAMonTV) March 3, 2023
“Shanquella was a beautiful woman, an entrepreuner,” she said. “No one should have to suffer the indignities that she did. For me to have to go down there to collect evidence, trying to find answers for this family, no one should have to do that. the family is not asking for anything special. they’re just asking for their government to intervene for a murder we all saw took place on video.”
Civil Rights Activist Tamika Mallory Compares Shanquella To Natalee Holloway, Gabby Petito
Civil Rights activist Tamika Mallory also spoke at Friday’s rally and echoed those sentiments, comparing the situations to that of Natalee Holloway and Gabby Petito, two white women who had widespread media coverage in the wake of their disappearances and deaths.
“There was not a fight on that video, there was an attack. While she was naked, while they joked. The continued to allow her to be beaten, and her neck and spine was broken. She came home in a box!”
Mallory called on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and Vice President Kamala Harris as Black people to “move expeditiously and use their resources” to get justice for Shanquella’s family.
The group went on to say that they have filed letters, in pink envelopes, to the State Department and President Biden, and said they will continue to hold rallies and press conferences and make noise until justice for Shanquella is served.
