Probe upholds manslaughter demand in Darien’s Scott Hapgood scenario, legal professional states

Probe upholds manslaughter demand in Darien’s Scott Hapgood scenario, legal professional states

An lawyer for Darien investment banker Scott Hapgood reported a preliminary inquiry has concluded there is more than enough proof to continue prosecuting his consumer on a manslaughter demand in the 2019 loss of life of a Caribbean hotel worker.

“Unfortunately, Mr. Hapgood is ordered to stand demo on a manslaughter cost,” attorney Thomas Watson instructed Hearst Connecticut Media this week.

Watson is representing the Hapgood spouse and children in a lawsuit submitted against Auberge Resorts, the mum or dad company of the Anguilla resort where employee Kenny Mitchel was observed unconscious by authorities immediately after a scuffle with Scott Hapgood. Mitchel was afterwards pronounced dead at an Anguillan hospital.


The Hapgoods contend in the lawsuit submitted from Auberge Resorts that the household was on getaway in April 2019 when Scott Hapgood wound up battling for his life in his hotel place when he was attacked by Mitchel.

Two of the Hapgood children were being in the resort home when the incident unfolded, in accordance to court documents.

Immediately after currently being launched on bond, Hapgood refused to return to the island in November 2019 for a scheduled court appearance for the reason that he explained he feared his daily life was in threat. Due to the fact skipping the courtroom listening to, Hapgood has been considered a fugitive from justice by authorities in Anguilla.

Nevertheless, no exertion seems to have been designed to extradite him back to the island. It stays unclear no matter if that will adjust now that the inquiry into the charge has been finished.

Based mostly on the conclusions in the inquiry, the Anguillan Attorney Basic Dwight Horsford may perhaps search for an indictment and extradition, according to a statement his place of work released final Could.

“The Crown stays identified to progress this situation,” Horsford stated in the assertion. “It will do so — as it has due to the fact proceedings began — objectively, rather and steadfastly with entire regard for the rule of law and the principles of normal justice, which includes the presumption of innocence.”

Horsford did not return requests for comment this week.

Very last Might, Hapgood dropped his appeal of the choice to proceed the inquiry. The inquiry was resumed just after the British Privy Council ordered the probe to carry on.

Watson and a Hapgood loved ones spokesperson declined to remark this 7 days on what the upcoming step could be for the legal situation.

Watson appeared Monday throughout a digital listening to in Marin County Excellent Court docket in California wherever the lawsuit towards Auberge Resorts was filed to advise Judge James Chou that documents connected to the legal inquiry were envisioned to soon be released.

It’s unclear how a lot of of the documents will be publicly released and Chou talked over positioning a protecting buy on the proof to stop public disclosure if specified documents necessary to remain sealed.

The Auberge Resorts lawsuit is scheduled to be back on the courtroom docket March 23.

Mitchel’s relatives has filed a wrongful loss of life lawsuit in federal court in opposition to Hapgood. A federal decide has questioned lawyers representing Hapgood and Mitchel’s household to file paperwork by Jan. 31, indicating whether the felony situation is going ahead. That lawsuit will probably also shift forward now that the felony inquiry is full.

The two pending lawsuits have been stalled due to the COVID pandemic and the inquiry, which was performed by an Anguillan magistrate.

Hapgood and his family have been on family vacation on the Caribbean island when Mitchel showed up at their resort place to fix a sink that experienced not been reported broken, in accordance to the lawsuits.

Immediately after making it possible for Mitchel inside the place, Hapgood statements in the lawsuits that the resort employee pulled out a knife, demanded income and then “physically attacked” him in from of his two youthful youngsters.

Hapgood fought the more youthful gentleman who was “biting, clawing and hitting” in the course of the assault, his lawyers mentioned.

Hapgood was in a position to restrain Mitchel, but lodge employees, who ended up summoned by his daughters, in the beginning did not phone police or an ambulance for nearly 40 minutes, the Darien man’s lawsuit said. A hotel safety guard ultimately took more than restraining Mitchel right until law enforcement arrived, the lawsuit said.

Legal professional Steven Seligman, symbolizing Mitchel’s estate, claimed in their lawsuit that Hapgood saved his arm on the lodge worker’s neck, slicing off his airway for an prolonged period of time of time, which he claims induced the young man’s death.

The lawsuit filed by Hapgood said Mitchel’s result in of death was attributed to a cocaine overdose dependent on an Anguillan toxicology report.

“Despite the toxicology success demonstrating that an overdose prompted Mitchel’s demise, Anguilla has ongoing to prosecute Scott, and he has incurred sizeable expenses in defending the prosecution,” Hapgood’s attorneys claimed.