Connecticut Banker Sues Anguilla Resort After Fatal Hotel Room Struggle

Scott Hapgood, charged with manslaughter in Anguilla, is suing resort operator Auberge Resorts LLC for negligent hiring. The 2019 incident left hotel worker Kenny Mitchel dead.

Connecticut Banker Takes Resort to Court Over 2019 Anguilla Death

Scott Hapgood, the Connecticut investment banker facing manslaughter charges in Anguilla over the April 2019 death of hotel worker Kenny Mitchel, has filed a civil lawsuit against the resort's operator, nbcnewyork.com reports.

The lawsuit, filed Monday in a California court, claims that Auberge Resorts LLC was negligent in hiring Mitchel. According to Hapgood, the resort knew or should have known that Mitchel was facing criminal charges that would have made him ineligible to work in Anguilla. The filing also alleges that the resort delayed contacting police and medical services after the incident.

Hapgood, a Darien resident, maintains he acted in self-defense to protect his wife and three children. He says Mitchel arrived at their room in hotel uniform, claiming he needed to fix the sink — despite no repair request ever being made. The situation escalated rapidly: Hapgood ended up bloodied and bruised, while Mitchel died during the struggle. Hapgood says Mitchel had produced a knife in an attempt to rob the family.

A post-mortem toxicology report found cocaine, marijuana, and alcohol in Mitchel's system at the time of his death.

Spokespeople for Auberge Resorts LLC were not immediately available for comment.

Late last year, Hapgood declined to travel to Anguilla for a pretrial hearing. Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal has said he is concerned about Hapgood's safety on the island. President Trump also weighed in, writing on Twitter that "something looks and sounds very wrong" about the case.

Source: Google News AI — Crime