We heard yesterday that all charges were dropped against the defendant. It was shocking to hear but not totally unexpected. As the judge said in the beginning, the jury only could use the law and regulations for any decisions about the cases.
It was “The Crown” prosecutors vs. the local defense lawyer.
The dingy Stephen was transporting across the channel to Saba Rock only had a solar 360 light on its engine (like 99% of the island dinghies). The regulation from over eighty years ago states a dinghy needs a 2 foot rear pole light which he didn’t have and was in violation. The defendant claimed he didn’t see him. It was dusk. It was questionable whether the defendant’s lights were working.
The speeding in the channel was thrown out because the “5 knots -No Wake Zone” was put up by the Saba Rock Restaurant to hang on the buoys entering the channel and was not a regulation signage by the marine industry. He was going 15 knots which is allowed in the channel. Speculation on where the accident occurred was argued, with the marine surveyor saying it was out of the
channel, in the no wake zone, and the defendant’s lawyer saying it was in the channel. The jury believed the lawyer over the professional marine surveyor and the police reports.
The jury had to base their decisions on these two main criteria. This will now be our mission with “Slow is Pro” to move forward to fight for change to protect the captains and their guests. Our civil cases will focus on the owners of these maga yachts not meeting the proper regulations for their employees. It will be an explosive eye-opener for the tourist boating industry. We had media coverage at the trial which now can be released to use as we build upon what we need to do.
Justice will be served in this way for Stephen.
-The Parents of Stephen L Cross Jr.
