by Linda Straker
- Workmen at Kavanagh site did not witness physical assault by entire family on Smith
- Smith/Kavanagh matter scheduled to be heard on 28 July
- Arley Gill, lawyer for the Kavanaghs, has expressed concern
Eyewitnesses to the incident involving Evan Smith and the Kavanagh family are disputing the claim that every Kavanagh family member physically assaulted Smith before the police arrived on the scene.
Smith’s wife, Nicole, claimed that on Thursday, 25 June 2020 her husband was driving a vehicle which ran over a dog causing its death. Her husband did not stop after running over the dog, but continued to a construction site to drop off staff. Kavanagh followed Smith’s vehicle, and she said that Kavanagh informed her husband about the incident, requested personal details such as contact numbers and address, and instructed him that he should not leave the scene because the police has been contacted. Kavanagh left Smith at the construction site and returned to the scene where the dog was killed, on the side of the road near Kavanaugh’s house construction site.
Relaying what transpired, Smith said her husband was going to drop off another worker at another site, but Kavanagh stopped the vehicle her husband was driving and removed the keys. At the same time, Kavanagh’s wife proceeded to stop Smith from exiting the vehicle by slamming the vehicle door towards him. This was followed by a physical assault by all 4 members of the family.
However, Jehron Felix, a workman at the Kavanagh house construction site, said that he did not witness any physical assault by the entire family on Smith. Felix, who acted as a peacemaker during the commotion, admitted that Sarah Hatton, Kavanagh’s wife, did approach the vehicle instructing Smith to remain in the vehicle until the police arrived.
Foreman for the project, Leslie Prime, who left the construction site, also confirmed that the children were instructed to remain in the family vehicle during the commotion. He did not see the entire family beating up Smith.
Arley Gill, the lawyer for the Kavanaghs, has expressed concern with the behaviour of persons who are not seeking to hear both sides of the story. “This is not a public trial by any means. All that we need to say is that what is on social media and broadcast in the news is a gross misrepresentation of what transpired.” Gill recently served as a magistrate in Dominica.
“Flagrant lies, blatant lies and what we heard so far has been far from the truth. What is the truth? The truth is there was absolutely no racism on the part of Mr Donal Kavanagh, his wife and children. There is absolutely no truth that the family of Mr Kavanagh beat up on anybody. If there were any such racial statements and slurs it did not come from the Kavanaugh family, it came from elsewhere. This incident has caused a lot of pain, a lot of heartache to the family. They have been threatened publicly through different social mediums. They have been attacked through their business via Facebook and elsewhere. There has been protest action without persons stopping and thinking or trying to find out what is the fact. The racial undertones that came here on the scene last Thursday never came from the Kavanagh family. I ask persons to deliberate and to think and to hear both sides of the story and do not come to conclusions. Let the matter be heard in the court. I ask also that persons will respect the Kavanagh family and cease the verbal abuse on social media and elsewhere. I tell you one thing, the first step in justice is the truth. Without truth, justice rings hollow.”
Within hours of the incident becoming a trending news item, a protest was organised by concerned citizens calling for justice for Evan Smith, while the Kavanaghs began receiving death threats via telephone and through Facebook messages.
The Kavanaghs then went to the South St George’s Police Station, but instead of filing a report, they were detained. They were officially charged on Sunday morning with causing harm to Evan Smith. The matter is scheduled to be heard on 28 July.
You are an extremely disgusting racist. The nerve of you referring to us as coons. Vengeance will be ours one day when you will be made the slave when the Most High returns. Rev 13:10.
To the person commenting as “Grenadian”. People on this thread calling themeslves “Grenadian” and “Grenadians” have also made comments of racism, hatred and bigotry. Was this you? I do not think it is fair to comment under a name that suggests that you are talking for Grenada or Grenadians.
Mr. Smith had a stroke or something at least a year ago which left him with speech problems. I met him before he had any speech impediment but Mrs Smith in her interview said that he was traumatized which is why he couldn’t speak. He has also had a bigger (swollen) lip esp on one upper side when I first met him before this alleged incident. I believe that some tourist will stay away because of this incident that has been blown out of proportion and because of the racism being spewed by some Grenadians. Whether you like it or not, Grenada depends on tourism!! All of this happened because Mr Smith ran over the family pet while speeding and didn’t have the decency or compassion to stop and see what happened. Whether the dog was on a leash or not, Mr Smith did not stop, as he should have. Mr Smith was not singled out by this family to be (allegedly) attacked, they were busy building their house, keeping some good Grenadians employed. Do you think they wanted this to happen? To target a black man who ran over their dog, because he was black?? Steupppps.
Island Gurl.
Exactly. Thank you so much for your intelligent comment and voice of pure reason.
A perfect reasoning.
I agree totally. Island Girl you are a voice of reason amonst all the madness.
Personally i have no confidence in Arley Gill. Foe someone who caused the death of a well loved St. Marks resident, ( a Land Rover specialist) and alleged to have claimed Diplomatic Immunity. How can an individual claim Diplomatic immunity in his own country?
And as usual, no charges against the mention individual, no further inquiries by the RGPF. I guess you have to look after your own or seems to go through the motion until its is swept under the carpet.
Would you trust someone with a dubious record to represent you?
The best way I can think of to summarize Mr. Gill’s demeanour and disposition is as follows: He working overtime and in overdrive to obtain his meritorious manumission.
With this said, there is a thing called victim guaranteed qualifications; consequently, it may wise for Mr. Gill limit his statements, to the extent possible, to the facts of the case rather than commenting on the topic of racism, which he clearly does not understand.
The best way I can think of to summarize Mr. Gill’s demeanour and disposition is as follows: He working overtime and in overdrive to obtain is meritorious manumission.
With this said, there is thing called victim guaranteed qualifications; consequently, it may wise for Mr. Gill limit his statements, to the extent possible, to the facts of the case rather than commenting on the topic of racism, which he clearly does not understand.
I see the problem clearly…
Dog lovers who think dogs are equivalent to humans and Racists who cannot accept that a fight between two adults of differing race has nothing at all to do with race.
Have a good weekend all.
GRENADIANS TAKE NOTE:
DOGS LIVES MATTER.
I only hope the poor, innocent dog has a good lawyer.
A man that runs over a dog will always be in the wrong, in any village town or city this is very careless and very wrong.
The dog is the victim and it is dead. Nothing can change that now.
The dog should have been on a leash..It had no right to be on the road. The life of a dog does not equate to the life of a human….The real victim here is the assaulted man
Man 1: Speeding
Dangerous driving
Cruelty to animals
Fleeing the scene of his crime
Lying
Threatening and abusing
Fraudulently trying to obtain compensation
Starting a hate campaign on social media
Man 2: Trying to protect his family and pets