Alan Senitt

Alan Senitt (December 26 1978 – July 9 2006) was a British political activist whose murder in Washington, DC garnered media attention. He had just graduated with an MA in International Studies and Diplomacy from the prestigious School of Oriental and African Studies, SOAS, at the University of London.

From Pinner, North London, Senitt was a former chairman of the Union of Jewish Students. He stood as the Labour Party candidate in Edgware, North London, in the May 2006 local elections.cite news | title=Campaigner knifed to death in US | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/5164356.stm | publisher=BBC News | date=2006-07-10 | accessdate=2006-11-16]

He worked with Lord Greville Janner, a member of the House of Lords and vice-president of the World Jewish Congress in 2005, as director of the Coexistence Trust charity. He also worked for the All-Party British-Israel Parliamentary Group and the British Israel Communications and Research Centre. [cite web | url=http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmparty/memi53.htm | title=All-Party British-Israel Parliamentary Group | publisher=House of Commons | date=2004-05-25 | accessdate=2006-11-16] He moved to the United States in June 2006 to volunteer for Mark Warner's political action committee Forward Together.

Senitt was murdered in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. early on 9 July 2006. Senitt, 27, was escorting a female friend home when they were confronted by three males; at least one had a gun, and one had a knife. One attempted to sexually assault the woman while the other two assailants grabbed Senitt, stabbed him and slashed his throat. Then they fled, riding away in a car driven by a woman. Four suspects were arrested the same day. Christopher Piper, 25, was charged with felony murder and attempted sexual assault. Jeffery Rice, 22; Olivia Miles, 26; and a 15-year-old boy whom police declined to identify because he has been charged as a juvenile, were all arrested murder charges. The juvenile later pled guilty to murder, as well as other charges, and has been sentenced. [cite news | author=Associated Press | authorlink=Associated Press | title=Teen Sentenced in Murder of Aspiring Pol | url=http://www.newsvine.com/_news/2006/11/16/444025-teen-sentenced-in-murder-of-aspiring-pol | publisher=Newsvine | date=2006-11-16 | accessdate=2006-11-16]

On May 21, 2007, Piper and Rice pleaded guilty to robbing and killing Alan, and committing other robberies in the city. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/21/AR2007052101634.html?hpid=moreheadlines Guilty pleas in British Activist's Death] ] They were sentenced August 24 to 37 and 52 years respectively in prison by the D.C. Superior Court [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6962788.stm BBC NEWS | England | London | US pair jailed for killing Briton ] ] .

References

* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/09/AR2006070900215.html Washington Post, "Man Slain In Attack on Couple in Georgetown"]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Georgetown-Slaying.html New York Times, "Apologetic Police Commander Reinstated"]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-2264263,00.html The Times, "Tributes for 'brilliant' British activist murdered in the US"]
* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,11069-2263859,00.html The Times, "Charity worker dies saving his friend from sex attackers"]

External links

* [http://www.alansenittmemorialtrust.org The Alan Senitt Memorial Trust]
* [http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30200-1281198,00.html]