AUSTIN, Texas — A retrial in Greece is coming up for the men arrested in connection to the death of Bakari Henderson, the Austin man who was fatally attacked in Greece in the summer of 2017.
- Bakari Henderson died after a beating in Greece in 2017
- Family wants to continue his legacy
- 7 suspects in case face retrial in Greece
Spectrum News’s Reena Diamante sat down with Henderson’s mother, Jill Henderson, to talk about her feelings and expectations ahead of the new proceedings, which begin on January 8. Watch the full video above.
Bakari Henderson’s family is refusing to give up its fight for justice. More than a year ago, six of nine original suspects were convicted of a reduced charge of assault, not murder. His family found the original verdict and sentencing devastating. Bakari Henderson’s parents, Jill and Phil Henderson, are preparing to travel to Greece on Sunday for the new trial.
Photo of Bakari Henderson (courtesy of Jill Henderson)
“When you lose a child, you don't ever really have closure, but I think it will at least give us a small glimpse of satisfaction to know that at least we overcome that hurdle. I think it would help us with our healing process,” Jill Henderson said.
Going through the legal process all over again will not be easy for the family, Jill Henderson said, but she remains hopeful it could reach a different conclusion and ultimately harsher punishments.
“A lot of highs, a lot of lows, anxious moments, trying to stay calm and just kind of go with the flow this time. I mean, the good thing is we've been before, so at least we're familiar with the area, unlike last time. Just the fact of starting the trial over again is kind of, I guess, stressful,” Jill Henderson said.
Photo of Bakari Henderson (courtesy of Jill Henderson)
Bakari Henderson died in July 2017 after being beaten by a group of men on the streets of a Greek island resort. He flew out to Greece to work on a photo shoot for the opening of a clothing line. Since his death, his family has been working to stay busy, picking up where he left off with his clothing and launching that business venture, Bakari Luxury Sportswear.
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“It’s almost like you have to do it, you just feel like, in order to continue his legacy and to honor his life. It’s almost like you give your life for something. He had poured so much into it. We just felt that that was the best way to continue on,” Jill Henderson said.
They also started the nonprofit, The Bakari Henderson Foundation, which aims to provide transformative healing experiences for families who have lost loved ones at the hands of another. This year, they plan to have a retreat for several families, where they can participate in different activities and create new memories.
“That way you can build relationships, you have a support network, and it's just a way for us to spread more love, and we can also identify things that we think might help individual families,” Jill Henderson said.
Photo of Bakari Henderson (center) with loved ones (courtesy of Jill Henderson)
When Bakari Henderson’s parents first travelled to Greece for the suspects’ trial, they went to the country three times. They do not know how long they will stay this time around, but once it is over they will work to keep honoring their son’s memory.
“We want his legacy to be positive. We want it to be something that shows love not only to people within his community, but people that he may not have ever known personally. He was a person that really was a global citizen. He enjoyed traveling. He enjoyed learning about new cultures, meeting new people. So our goal is to spread the love that he left in our hearts to other people,” Jill Henderson said.