Raleigh attorney stands with Shanquella Robinson's family as they demand government to step up

SALISBURY, N.C. (WTVD) -- The cries for justice are growing louder for Shanquella Robinson. National Civil Rights Attorney Ben Crump, surrounded by Robinson's family and social justice advocates demanded justice at a news conference held at Livingstone College in Salisbury.

"What is taking you so long? Why do we have to put such an effort for justice for Shanquella, when we know what happened to her," Crump asked. Robinson was a 25-year-old Charlotte Woman who was killed in Cabo last October while vacationing in Mexico with so-called friends. Crump, who represents Robinson's family is demanding federal authorities step in.

"I authored a letter that we sent to President Biden and Secretary Blinken, asking them to do one or two things. And that was either to extradite the killers of Shanquella Robinson. Because there's an outstanding warrant from the Mexican government based on the evidence, not just on the video," Crump explained.

Standing in solidarity next to Crump was Dawn Blagrove, a Raleigh attorney you will recognize. She is the Executive Director of Emancipate NC and has been fighting for families like Robinson's across North Carolina, where they are also experiencing a slow journey to justice. ABC11 spoke with Blagrove following the emotional press conference.

"Mexico has already done an investigation; they have already issued a warrant for arrest. And the only real holdup is for the American government to cooperate with that warrant, and extradite the people who have been, charged in this case. And the holdup and the red tape seems to be on the American side," explained Blagrove.

She said race is playing a factor in this family's delay of justice and that shouldn't be the case. "If she was a white blonde girl, number one, her story would have never left the media, we've been talking about her nonstop. And number two, it would not be this much trouble, it would not take this much effort to get the State Department to extradite her killers, to face justice," she continued.

This case also hits Blagrove as a black mother of two daughters. "I cannot imagine my children going off and sending my children off on a vacation with people who should have been their friends, and my child coming back in a body bag, and there being no accountability," she said.

And it's accountability that Robinson's mother has been demanding for the past five months. I don't know how no one could have done this to her. It's just terrible," said Robinson's mother, Sallamondra Robinson.

"There's been no arrest since October the 29th. What kind of system is this? I just don't understand," she continued.

Crump said he plans to meet with the Biden administration early next month to expedite the investigation and journey to justice for the Robinson family.