British Virgin Islands - Island Sun Newspaper

March 30 2002

BVI GOVERNMENT RESPONDS TO FALSE ALLEGATIONS

Thursday, March 28 His Excellency the Governor Frank Savage and Chief Minister the Hon. Ralph T. O’Neal have written to the Cable News Network’s (CNN) Larry King Show to express “serious objections” to statements that were made by Alexander Benedetto, a fugitive from justice, during his appearance on the Larry King Live programme on Monday, March 25.
The letter, signed by both the Chief Minister and the Governor, states, “Mr. Benedetto’s assertions were replete with falsehoods, gross exaggerations, and erroneous statements on matters of fact and law. The letter goes on to state that the millions of viewers worldwide who had seen the interview may now be left with an “unwarranted negative impression of the law enforcement, judicial and legal system of the British Virgin Islands and of the Territory as a whole.” The Chief Minister and the Governor wrote that if the statements were not corrected, they would have an adverse impact on BVI’s offshore and tourism industries.

The letter ends with a request for equal time on the Larry King Live programme to refute the “many unfair and inaccurate statements” made by Mr. Benedetto during the interview.

Alexander Bennedetto is wanted on murder and conspiracy charges in the BVI arising from the death of an American tourist Lois McMillen in January 2000. Although the murder charge against him was dismissed as a result of a no-evidence submission by his lawyers during the 2001 Criminal Assizes, the Eastern Caribbean Court of Appeals has subsequently reinstated the murder charge. Mr. Benedetto was to have appeared in court to answer to the conspiracy charge earlier this month but did not appear. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.