Nine face trial in Greece in slaying of vacationing young Austin man
Nine men accused of fatally beating an Austin native while vacationing in Greece are expected to stand trial in that country starting Friday — a proceeding his family hopes will result in life sentences for the assailants.
The parents of Bakari Henderson have traveled to the Greek city of Patras for the trial and say they are eager for justice.
“We have been waiting 14 months, and so we have been in a holding pattern,” said Henderson’s mother, Jill Henderson. “To have the trial be here, it is a great thing, but we want to make sure they are actually convicted and sentenced to prison. That is my whole goal.”
Bakari Henderson’s death sparked international attention. The 22-year-old graduate of Hyde Park High School had been on the island of Zakynthos to unveil his own fashion line and had been out with friends when officials say he was the victim of a deadly altercation.
Some have suggested the confrontation started after Bakari Henderson and some friends set down their drinks at the end of a table where two men were sitting. A friend of Henderson’s said in media reports that the two men grabbed the beers, smashed them on the table and brandished the shattered bottles as weapons.
A Greek newspaper later published video that appears to show Henderson posing for a selfie with a 20-year-old woman, who the
media outlet said did public relations for the club called Bar Code.
Reports have said video footage shows a security guard walking up to Henderson and shouting at him. A man slaps at Henderson’s head before Henderson throws a punch, the footage shows.
Then, a video seen worldwide shows Henderson, in full flight, being tackled so that he falls against a parked car and gets beaten and kicked repeatedly as he tries to stand. About 20 seconds after the violence erupted, the men leave Henderson collapsed on the street with fatal head injuries. Someone performs CPR.
In the 14 months since Henderson died, his family has formed a foundation aimed at “providing transformative travel experiences for families who have lost loved ones at the hands of another.”
“That has h elped us because of course we are thinking about him daily,” Jill Henderson said. “While we are thinking about him, it helps to put some happy memories in place.”