Plante, Legault deny double standard in response to teenager’s death

The family of a Black Montreal teenager who was stabbed to death outside his school last month says there’s a racially motivated double standard when it comes to the province and city’s response to his murder in comparison to another.

Sixteen-year-old Jannai Dopwell-Bailey was stabbed to death in October outside Programme Mile End high school in Cote-des-Neiges, in Montreal’s west end.

Montreal police arrested and charged a minor with second-degree murder in connection to his death. A funeral was held Nov. 19.

But the boy’s family feels his death did not get the attention it deserved, especially from Quebec politicians.

This comes after another 16-year-old, Thomas Trudel, was gunned down in Saint-Michel this month while walking on the street. No arrests were made.

Quebec Premier Francois Legault laid flowers at a makeshift memorial for Trudel, and Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante held a news conference after his death. Police chief Sylvain Caron offered support to the family.

None of that followed Dopwell-Bailey’s death.

“You cannot tell anyone to come and put a flower. But it just goes to show, Jannai’s death was like nothing,” said the boy’s cousin Onica John. “It was swept under the rug. That’s how we felt.

“If Jannai was white he would’ve gotten the recognition his case deserved, but unfortunately Jannai is a Black child from Cote-des-Neiges, so that says a lot. Jannai is a kid that would hang out at the park, play with his friends – not a gang – a group of his friends. He loves to rap, he loves to dance.

“When Thomas died the outpouring of love was different from certain officials. And that hurt because they are both kids. They are both very young kids that were killed in such a horrific way.”

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Jooyoung Lee, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Toronto, says crimes are covered differently based on the victim’s race.

“People of colour who are victims of violence don’t receive the same kind of media attention, public attention as white victims of crime receive.

“We know from lots of research, criminology, sociology, that the identity of the victim actually shapes the kinds of public attention and outcry and resources that police, the media, politicians, communities even spend toward solving theses, toward mourning them.”

Plante and Legault have both denied there is a double standard.

The Montreal mayor was reportedly invited to a vigil the week of Dopwell-Bailey’s death, but did not attend. She says her colleagues in Cote-des-Neiges borough were present and the mayor’s office is in contact with the family.

“I definitely want to reassure everybody that for me there’s no double standard when it comes to just protecting our youth and feeling empathic towards the families,” said Plante.

READ: Montrealers denounce gun violence at march in memory of slain teen

Legault met with Plante Monday, calling on Ottawa to ban handguns and denouncing what happened to both Trudel and Dopwell-Bailey.

“I cannot imagine how you feel losing one of your kids,” said Legault.

“We don’t want to see this kind of violence by knife or by guns. And of course, for guns we need the help of the federal government.”

Dopwell-Bailey’s family is still hoping the second suspect in the case is arrested. His loved ones are calling on the mayor to push for authorities to get the bottom of the killing – like she did for Trudel.

“It would not bring him back but at least to see that someone’s trying to help us to get justice for Jannai,” said John.