The family of Bakari Henderson, a 22-year-old Texan and University of Arizona graduate beaten to death on the Greek island of Zakynthos on July 7 last year are still awaiting justice.
According to a USA TODAY report, the Henderson family in Austin is worried that justice might not be served in full.
“I hate to assume, but it felt like it started as anti-American and then escalated into a hate crime because he was African-American,” Jill Henderson told USA TODAY
The Henderson family plans to travel to the Greek city of Patras for the trial on September 21, more than one year after the murder. The jury will be comprised of three judges and four citizens.
Six of the nine Serbian defendants face charges of first-degree murder, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The prosecutor said that the nine men chased Henderson with the intention of killing him.
Andreas Patsis, a Greek lawyer retained by the Henderson family, said the trial should reveal the motive behind the killing.
“There are already hints of strong anti-Americanism sentiment among the Serbians involved,” Patsis told USA TODAY. “Despite how there was no provocation, the Serbs attacked Bakari and focused only on him, who was an African-American.”
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