A Connecticut man accused of killing a resort worker in the Caribbean island of Anguilla four months ago is discussing it in public for the first time, telling CBS News that he would do it again to protect his two young daughters.
Scott Hapgood, who is charged with manslaughter in the death of Kenny Mitchel, described the past four months as "terrible" but said he hopes to clear his name.
"I was on vacation relaxing with my family and attacked at knifepoint in a private hotel room," Hapgood said. "All that I did was defend my young daughters in front of an attacker that was crazed and desperate and I have to just hold onto that fact. I would do it again and thank God I was in that room when he came."
Hapgood has spent the past several months out on $74,000 bail but is flying back and forth to Anguilla this week ahead of a court appearance on Thursday.
He said "It's certainly the most terrifying thing I've ever experienced. Not just the attack but the way I was treated on the island, the time I spent in jail. The threats since, the frustration with dealing with the local judicial process and the local government."
Many people in Anguilla are angry over the killing, but Hapgood said, "We look forward to a lot of evidence that hasn't been made public getting to the public. I think it will have an immediate and dramatic impact on people's sentiment towards this incident."
A toxicology report shows that Mitchel had had drugs and alcohol in his system when he died, the Stamford Advocate reported, including a blood alcohol content level that was more than double the U.S. legal limit for operating a vehicle.
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