"Antigua 6" Return

The six Americans off Carnival Victory who got in a dispute with a taxi driver over a fare and were subsequently arrested by police on Antigua for fighting with them, have returned to New York after their month-long trial on the island. They ended up pleading guilty to lesser charges and paying a fine.

The New York Daily News reported on their return last week. There are two interesting things about the article posted online. One is that they don't seem to have learned anything by the experience. The incident began when they they believed the taxi driver was trying to overcharge them. There were eleven people in the taxi, and the amount that was in dispute was $50. The difference would have amounted to less than $5 per person. They were in a different country with different customs and different standards and different laws. They were detained for a month during which time it has been reported that some of them were in danger of losing their jobs, and one had to take a semester off of school. They (or someone) had to pay their air fare back and other expenses they incurred during their time on the island, and they lost the last part of their cruise. Not once did any of them say it would have been a better idea to just go ahead and pay the taxi fare.

The other interesting thing is how the tide of public opinion seems to have turned against them. The first couple of items posted in the Daily News seemed to have a lot of postings in the comments that supported them. This time there are few supporters posting, and they are far outnumbered by those who see the six as completely wrong.

But what about the taxi driver at the center of the original dispute? He has plenty to say on the subject in the Antigua Sun.

In any case, it's a safe bet that none of the six will be going back to Antigua any time soon.

Sentencing for 6 Carnival Passengers Detained on Antigua

The Antigua court today handed down fines for the five Carnival Victory passengers detained on Antigua, but no jail time.

The fines and restitution (for damages to the police officers' property) for the five who pleaded guilty totaled approximately $3,600. They were not sentenced to any jail time.

In the plea bargain agreed to on Saturday, the five pleaded guilty to lesser charges and the charges were dropped against a sixth American on trial.

Some of the Americans are reported to have lost their jobs in New York, and the law school student has had to withdraw from school for the semester.

The six, who have remained free on bail since the September 4 incident, are expected to leave Antigua on Wednesday.

Detained Tourists Change Plea to Guilty in Antigua

The prosecutor and defense attorney reached a plea agreement Saturday in the trial of six American tourists detained in Antigua after they fought with police officers who were trying to settle a dispute between the tourists, who had been aboard Carnival Victory, and a taxi driver. They have been detained on the island since the September 4 incident, and both sides had already presented their cases in the month-long trial.

The agreement has five of the six New Yorkers pleading guilty, and the charges against the sixth were dropped. The other five Americans in the taxi were not involved in the brawl and not charged.

The plea bargain is expected to carry a fine but no jail time. Sentencing is scheduled for Monday.

The dispute erupted when the Americans were ashore during a call by Carnival Victory. Eleven had hired a taxi and testified they thought they had negotiated a round trip fare of $50 for the taxi. The driver said the fare was each way, and when the tourists didn't want to pay the other $50, he took them to the police station. The six American's charged (four of them women) claimed they didn't know who the police officers were because most were in plain clothes and claimed they thought they were fighting for their lives. The most serious injury sustained was a bite inflicted on one police officer that needed stitches. The charges were all centered around the resisting of arrest.

According to the AP, the six have been staying with local residents on the island since they were released on bail early last month. Despite what families of the six charge about Antiguans delaying the trial, local court officials have said they delayed at least a dozen cases to expedite the Americans' case.

Update Oct 5, 7am
The Antigua Sun has details of the two sides reaching the agreement. Sentencing will be on Monday.

Antigua Brawl Testimony Continues

The Antigua Sun reports that testimony continued Monday in the case of six Americans off Carnival Valor in Antigua who refused to pay their taxi fare and then fought with police. Monday's testimony was from uninvolved bystanders. The more we hear, the more bizarre the incident seems, and the worse things seem for the Americans, especially considering this was all over $50 in taxi fare. According to the story, the fighting continued even after they were in jail. To be amazed, read the Sun article, but be sure to have a pencil handy so you can keep track of the players.

Friday update on testimony in Antigua taxi fare scuffle trial

Updated Sept 12, 10am
Testimony resumed on Friday in Aruba in the case of six American tourists off Carnival Victory who got into a dispute one week ago with a taxi driver over the fare he was trying to charge them. When taken to a police station, a brawl with the police ensued, resulting in the Americans' arrests.

From Friday's testimony it now is clear this was no little pushing and shoving match. The AP report says, "Prosecutors presented as evidence dozens of pictures showing the officers' injuries, including one of a bite wound that required stitches."

According to the more detailed account in the Antigua Sun, the abuse of the police officers was also extremely verbal, according to the officers' testimony. It also reveals that some of the Americans just wanted to pay the extra taxi fare and be done with it, and it was only some of the Americans who were so belligerent.

The trial will continue on Monday.

Antigua trade assns want laws to prevent repeat of taxi incident

The Antigua Sun is reporting that local trade associations are moving to distance themselves from the incident which happened there last week where six American tourists off Carnival Victory were involved in a brawl over a taxi fare and arrested for fighting with police officers.

The incident, by the way, is still not resolved for the cruise passengers. The court proceedings are in recess until Friday.

We know there was a fight

The court proceedings began yesterday (Sept 9) in Antigua for the six Americans accused of fighting with police officers. In our earlier entry, we reported the fight ensued when the six, who were ashore from Carnival Victory last Friday, refused to pay an additional $50 taxi fare the driver said was due, and he took them to a police station.

The Antigua Sun carries an account of Wednesday's proceedings. What we know from all accounts in yesterday's testimony seems to be that there was a fight and the "enthusiasm" with which the participants fought. The court is now in recess until Friday.

It would have been cheaper to pay the taxi fare

Six Carnival Victory passengers were left behind at Antigua last Friday when they were arrested due to a dispute with a taxi driver, according to the Associated Press. The three couples had paid $50 for a tour by taxi which ended at a local beach. When they found out they had to pay another $50 taxi fare to get back to the ship, they allegedly became unruly, and instead of taking them to the pier, the driver took them to the police station, where, according to the police, they scuffled with police officers.

The six were charged with malicious damage, assault and wounding the police officers. They were released on Monday after paying a bail of $5,000, pending their arraignment on Wednesday.

Let's see. Attorney's fees. Hotel on Antigua for six for three nights, several hundred dollars. Extra air fare home for six, several thousand dollars. Bail for six, $30,000. Three nights in an Antigua jail, priceless.

It would have been cheaper to pay the extra $50 taxi fare.


Update: We can always count on a more colorful report from the New York Post. The Antigua Sun adds some more details and commentary.

Update: The court proceedings began on Wednesday. Updated story on Cruiseblogger.