FBI, US State Department seek removal from Shanquella Robinson death lawsuit
The FBI and the U.S. Department of State are asking a federal judge to drop them from a lawsuit alleging the agencies mishandled investigations into Shanquella Robinson’s mysterious 2022 death in Mexico.
Robinson, who was 25, died the day after arriving at a resort villa in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Her six travel companions told a doctor treating her at the resort that the Charlotte native drank too much and did not need to be transported to a hospital. Still, the doctor urged the group to call an ambulance as Robinson’s condition deteriorated.
By the time someone did, it was too late. Robinson couldn’t be revived by the doctor or paramedics.
Members of the travel group told Robinson’s family she died of alcohol poisoning. However, her family believed Robinson’s death was more violent. Video shows one of Robinson’s travel mates beating on a naked Robinson. An autopsy report and death certificate show Robinson died of a broken neck, and specifically named the cause of her death as “severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation.”
But no arrests were made and the FBI previously said it would not pursue criminal charges after completing its investigation.
The lawsuit not only targets Robinson’s six travel mates, but also alleges that the FBI did not thoroughly investigate her death and denied the family attorney’s request for records related to the agency’s investigation into the matter. It also alleges the State Department mishandled the extradition of Daejhanae Jackson, the woman who was filmed beating on Robinson.
U.S. Attorney Dena King, the top federal prosecutor for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina, is representing the FBI and the State Department. She filed a motion to dismiss the federal agencies from the lawsuit Wednesday. She also disputed claims and said the agencies are protected by sovereign immunity and other defenses.
Attorney Sue-Ann Robinson, who is not related to the Robinson family, in October filed the lawsuit alleging Robinson’s six travel companions were involved in her suspicious death on Oct. 29, 2022. That lawsuit, announced at a press conference on the two-year anniversary of Robinson’s death, also named the FBI and State Department as defendants.
While the lawsuit was filed in state court, the notice removal said, civil action can be moved to federal court.
King’s request to dismiss the federal agencies also said U.S. District Courts have jurisdiction on Freedom of Information Act requests in civil matters, as well as the claims alleging the State Department was negligent.
King also argued a technicality:
The agencies had not been properly served with the required documents, the removal notice said. A U.S. agency or corporation “must serve the United States,” and also send a copy of the documents the “the agency, corporation, officer, or employee” by mail.
Neither Sallamondra Robinson, Shanquella Robinson’s mother, nor her attorney could be reached for comment.
When the family announced the lawsuit at a press conference last year, Sue-Ann Robinson, who stood with Sallamondra Robinson at a lectern, said the response from the agencies was unacceptable.
“They have not communicated with us anything other than stating that we can wait another five years for a response to our public records request on what they did,” she said. “We don’t have an option. Their actions have led us to this point.”
