Dear Source,
I find it extremely hard to understand why heads aren't flying as we speak, but I hope that they eventually will.
Laquina Hennis was last seen walking with Daniel Castillo who, although apparently related in some abstract way to the Hennis family, was simply referred to by the VIPD as a "person of interest" in their initial investigation. (See "Attorney General Confirms Charges Against Castillo, Says Victim Knew Him.")
It seems from Castillo's confession that he strangled Laquina shortly after she walked with him and after he became angry when he referred to her mother in nasty terms. She apparently (all less-than-five-feet of her) slapped him for dissing her mother and then he strangled her to death, bundled her body into a plastic container on his own property and then left the scene.
Judge Leon Kendall has to be either removed from his position under whatever jurisdiction it takes to remove a presiding judge, or else he should simply resign.
Gov. Turnbull appointed him despite an overwhelming "nay" vote from the V.I. Bar Association. Those members apparently overwhelmingly felt that Kendall's prior experience as basically a mere peon in the Attorney General's office, coupled with no experience in the courtroom, rendered his potential appointment a no-brainer. Turnbull ignored the admonitions, the Legislature partied along and his nomination sailed through.
Judge Kendall has, in his relatively short tenure on the bench, proven himself to be totally judgmentally inept. His leniency in letting recidivist criminals out on the streets with minimal or no bail is renown. Castillo (who had a long history of previous crimes) was just another recently who Judge Kendall allowed to go free pending trial — which decision surely resulted in Laquina's death.
The VIPD likewise screwed up big time in the aftermath. I personally find their actions totally incomprehensible and reprehensible.
The VIPD, two days after her disappearance, put out an announcement noting that they were looking for "someone of interest" but gave no further information for another 24 hours and then the FBI was brought in and federal marshals joined the search.
It would appear from his confession that Daniel Castillo strangled to death Laquina Hennis shortly after he was seen walking with her. Her life might have been spared if miraculously someone aware of his history had seen him walking with her. Of course he would never have been out on the street were it not for Judge Kendall's cockeyed judicial nonsense.
How could the VIPD not have acted from the get-go, knowing that Laquina was last seen in the company of Castillo — a known felon with a serious rap sheet? Why on earth, since he was "a person of interest," didn't they check out his listed residence (where apparently Laquina's little dead body was
eventually found) and pick him up for questioning?
If they'd exercised due diligence and followed all those initial leads, they probably would not have been able to prevent her death, but they surely might have saved her family all those dreadful days of waiting and hoping.
I wish that the VIPD had working environments replete with fresh pant, nice functional office furniture, working air conditioning and up-to-date technology, all of which might instill in them a sense of enormous pride and encourage them to stay on the force.
If any of you out there are prone to waxing positive about the VIPD, go down to your local precinct. Nicely pressed uniforms look cool, as does the vehicle fleet. Walking into their general working environment is worse than walking into a 19th Century morgue.
Anna Clarke
St Thomas
Editor's note: We welcome and encourage readers to keep the dialogue going by responding to Source commentary. Letters should be e-mailed with name and place of residence to source@viaccess.net.
