The family of a teenager stabbed to death in 2008 have condemned the One Bermuda Alliance’s decision to select his killer as an election candidate.

Kellon Hill was attacked by a group of young people wielding weapons as he left a party at Elbow Beach.

The youths were led by Kellan Lewis, then 16, who was convicted of manslaughter and jailed in 2010 over the 18-year-old’s death.

It was announced at a press conference on Tuesday that Mr Lewis was among the OBA’s candidates for the General Election next month.

He is to run in Southampton West.

Jarion Richardson, the OBA leader, yesterday backed the party’s decision to select Mr Lewis, whom he said was a dedicated father and community activist who had “paid his debt to society”.

A statement from the family of Mr Hill released today said: “It is with deep pain and anguish that we, the family of the late Kellon Hill, address the shocking and deeply insensitive decision to present an individual involved in the heinous crime that took Kellon’s life as a candidate for public office.

“In August 2008, our beloved Kellon was taken from us in the prime of his life, just days away from beginning his freshman year at university.”

The statement said that the “brutal” killing of Mr Hill robbed the family of a son, brother, uncle, nephew and friend.

It added: “It also left a permanent scar on our family and community, as we endured the agony of a court process that delivered manifestly inadequate sentencing for those responsible.

“Over the past 16 years, our family has borne the weight of grief and injustice.

“Not one of the perpetrators has reached out to us to express genuine remorse or to make amends for their actions.

“Instead, we have been left to cope with the immeasurable loss of a young man full of potential, whose light was extinguished far too soon.

“The decision by the OBA to roll out one of these individuals as a viable candidate for public service is a gross insult to the memory of Kellon and to our family.

“While we firmly believe in the power of rehabilitation, we also believe that true rehabilitation requires accountability, responsibility, and a willingness to face the consequences of one’s actions.”

The family said: “To date, this individual has made no effort to engage with our family or to address the pain and suffering caused by their involvement in Kellon’s death.

“The lack of consultation with victims’ families in such matters demonstrates a troubling level of insensitivity and a failure to understand the core principles of justice and rehabilitation.

“Public service requires integrity, accountability and trust, qualities that cannot exist without first taking responsibility for past actions and making meaningful amends.

“Every day, Kellon’s mother, father, siblings, nieces, and nephews struggle with the reality of his absence.

“His voice was silenced by an unconscionable act, and it is our duty to speak on his behalf.

“We categorically oppose this decision and call on the political organisation to re-examine its judgment.

“We urge those responsible to ask critical questions: how has this individual demonstrated accountability and remorse?

“What actions have been taken to make amends with the victims’ family and the community? How does this decision reflect the principles of justice and rehabilitation?

“As we remember Kellon, we ask for a higher standard of responsibility and compassion from those who aspire to lead.

“True rehabilitation begins with acknowledgement of harm and making things right with those who have suffered.

“Anything less dishonours the memory of the lives lost and the families left behind.

“We stand as a family in firm opposition to this decision, speaking not only for ourselves but for Kellon, who is no longer here to speak for himself.”

Mr Lewis and four others were charged with Mr Hill’s killing.

However, at their trial, the four other defendants were acquitted by a jury on the direction of Judge Charles-Etta Simmons partway through the trial after she ruled there was no case to answer based on the evidence.

The jury failed to reach a verdict regarding Mr Lewis.

However, after a retrial he was convicted and sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for manslaughter.

Mr Lewis, who was released from prison in December 2014, said in 2020 that he wrote a book about his descent into crime and the hard lessons he learnt to “bring change”.

He told an audience at the Bermuda National Library that he intended to deliver “workshops for individuals in the community who are looking to make a difference, but don’t know how”.

Before the release of Mr Hill’s family’s statement, the One Bermuda Alliance yesterday defended its decision to select Mr Lewis as a candidate.

Mr Richardson said then: “The One Bermuda Alliance stands behind its decision to roll out Kellan Lewis as its candidate in constituency 32, Southampton West.

“He is a dedicated and loving father, a community activist, and author.

“He paid his debt to society and there is no reason to hold it against him. What message would that send to the community, if we did?

“The One Bermuda Alliance is comprised of a cross section of members within the community, something that we are proud of.

“Mr Lewis has proven that your past does not define your future, and when you choose a positive path in life, nothing can stand in your way of blazing a trail."

Campaign group Bermuda Equal Justice Initiative also applauded Mr Lewis’s entry into public life, and said it “demonstrates the power of rehabilitation”.

A post on its Instagram account said: “We remain steadfast in our mission to advocate for justice for all, regardless of who forms the government.

“While we do not take political stances, we recognise that Mr Kellan Lewis’s announcement as a candidate in the next General Election is a proud moment for Bermuda.

“His journey — from overcoming challenges to becoming a published author, entrepreneur, and community activist — demonstrates the power of rehabilitation and the value of second chances.

“We wish Mr Lewis well and thank him for inspiring others, particularly the many young men and women seeking hope within a broken justice system.”

• On occasion The Royal Gazette may decide to not allow comments on a story that we deem may inflame sensitivities

• UPDATE: this article has been updated with comments from the OBA and BEJI