Shanquella Robinson Case Documents Released By FBI As Judge Considers If Case Will Be In Mexico Or U.S.

In the case of Shanquella Robinson, the FBI is making confidential court documents public. In March, the FBI released 100 pages of records about the police investigation pertaining to Robinson, who was just 25 years old when she died in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, WCNC reported.

Robinson died in October 2022 while on vacation with some friends known as the “Cabo 6.” Several months later, the FBI determined they wouldn’t move forward with any arrests due to the limited amount of evidence. Robinson’s death was deemed inconclusive and the case was closed. Her father, Bernard Robinson, still hopes justice is served so that he and his family can have closure.

“No one in this world who’s got kids and daughters would want this done to they child and have to deal with this not knowing what happened and why it happened,” he said, per WCNC. 

What information did the FBI unveil regarding Shanquella Robinson’s case? 

One thing the legal paperwork uncovered was the course of action Mexico’s authorities and the FBI took to evaluate the events that led to Robinson’s death. It was noted that in January 2023, the FBI reached out to the Mexican prosecutor leading the case with 11 inquiries ranging from who owned the parcel where Robinson died to examining surveillance-camera recordings and reviewing 911-call audio. This action was taken three days before Daniel de la Rosa Anaya, the attorney general of Baja California Sur, was scheduled to hold a press conference about the case.

The prosecutor ignored the inquiry by failing to provide the FBI with answers despite sharing the declassified documents with them. During the news briefing, prosecuting attorneys stated they were seeking to arrest a culprit. An arrest warrant was granted for an unnamed suspect in November 2022, which was another notable discovery highlighted in the unsealed documents. Additionally, Mexican law enforcement examined the cell phone of Robinson’s trip companions, but there were no tips on it relating to her death.

Furthermore, the FBI interviewed a person soon after Robinson’s death, who said the group admitted to heavy drinking and tried to “sober her up” in the shower.

Shanquella Robinson’s family filed two lawsuits seeking justice for their daughter

As Blavity reported, Robinson went on a trip with Daejhanae Jackson, Alysse Hyatt, Wenter Donovan, Malik Dyer, Khalil Cooke and one other person. A video recorded by one of the male parties of the “Cabo 6” showed Robinson being assaulted by Jackson while she was allegedly inebriated. In the clip, which went viral, Robinson was completely naked while the other party repeatedly hit her in her head and neck area while yelling at her. No one helped her. Following the story making headlines, Jackson altered her name to E’Mani Green.

In April, Robinson’s mother, Sallamondra, sued the “Cabo 6,” the FBI and the U.S. State Department for $100 million, alleging the agencies were careless in investigating her daughter’s death. In response, the federal government has moved to dismiss that suit. Separately, on the second anniversary of Robinson’s death, the family brought a wrongful death lawsuit against the six people who traveled with her for the actions of Green, formerly Jackson, and those who sat back and witnessed it. The latter complaint asserts wrongful death, battery, negligence, conspiracy, and emotional distress claims. 

Defendants Hyatt, Donovan, Dyer, and Cooke have all filed to dismiss or transfer the case to Mexico. On May 28, Green filed for an extension of time to respond to Sallamondra’s lawsuit.

Will the lawsuits against the ‘Cabo Six’ move forward in the U.S. or Mexico?

In May, the federal judge in Charlotte heard competing motions in the wrongful death case against the “Cabo Six” on which country the lawsuit should proceed in, per WBTV. 

Sue-Ann Robinson, the attorney representing the victim’s family, argued the U.S. courts are the proper forum for the action.

“A United States citizen should not be allowed to go overseas, harm another U.S. citizen, and come back to the United States and essentially say that they’re off base, that they’re not going to be held liable,” Sue-Ann Robinson told the media outside the courthouse, according to WBTV3.

Sue-Ann also mentioned how the stark differences between the two legal systems, hefty costs and language barriers would strain Robinson’s family if they were required to litigate in Mexico.

While Green’s counsel believes the case should be conducted in a Mexican federal court, where Robinson’s death happened, Bernard agrees that those responsible for his daughter’s death should be tried in court in the U.S. since they didn’t cooperate with the FBI.

“I’d rather for the case to be handled here in the United States, because you came back and lied to the whole United States,” Bernard said. “I just want justice.”