Brad Will
Brad Will, an Indymedia journalist from New York, was shot to death in Oaxaca, Mexico, on October 27, 2006. He was in Oaxaca to video protests against Governor Ulises Ruiz that paralyzed Oaxaca throughout the summer and the fall. No arrests have been made in the case. And, apparently, there is no investigation either. In fact, as Oaxaca has faded from the media, questions about this and other homicides and disappearances seem further than ever from being answered.
Today Will's parents are in Oaxaca seeking to spur an investigation of his death.
More below.
On Tuesday, I wrote about Brad Will in this Diary. I wrote that Will's family had arrived in Oaxaca to seek justice in his murder. Today's diary updates his family's efforts.
El Universal reports:
The parents of slain New York journalist-activist Bradley Roland Will on Wednesday visited the poor neighborhood where he was fatally shot while filming a protest in October and blamed police henchmen for their son´s death.
Hardy and Kathy Will, accompanied by their son Craig and dozens of supporters, made their first visit to the spot of the Oct. 27 shooting in Oaxaca City. They left behind a cross and flowers.
Because the local, state prosecutor has been unwilling to pursue the matter, today the family will meet with federal prosecutors in an effort to start a serious investigation of the shooting.
State investigators arrested two town officials in the killing but later released them after state Attorney General Lizbeth Caña suggested Will may have been shot by a protester.
Will´s parents, however, said witnesses say they saw police henchmen fire at Will. The family planned to meet with Caña late Wednesday to discuss the case.
Protest leader Flavio Sosa accused Caña of fabricating evidence.
On Thursday, Will´s family plans to go to the Oaxaca offices of the federal Attorney General´s Office to ask it to take over the investigation into their son´s death. Will´s supporters also plan to begin a hunger strike in support of that demand.
There need to be answers to Brad Will's death. And there need to be answers about the many other Oaxaca deaths and disappearances. And beyond that, there needs to be justice. I'm not betting that we'll ever see that. Sadly, it's likely that the entire matter will eventually just fade away.