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http://media.guardian.co.uk/
ITV to investigate MacColl death 'cover-up'
Jason Deans
Monday March 17, 2003
The alleged cover-up of the circumstances surrounding the death of singer Kirsty MacColl in a boating accident in Mexico is to be the subject of a television documentary.
The documentary, expected to be shown on ITV, will investigate what really happened when MacColl was hit by a speedboat and killed in front of her two sons while scuba diving off on a coral reef off the Mexican coast in December 2000.
Producer Robin Bextor, father of pop star Sophie Ellis Bextor, is planning to film a trip to Mexico by MacColl's mother, Jean Newlove, to visit the scene of her death and attempt to confront the owner of the Percalito, the speedboat that hit her.
According to statements given to Mexican police by people on the speedboat, boat hand Jose Cen Yam was driving when the accident happened off the resort of Cozumel.
Mr Cen Yam was found guilty of negligent homicide by a Mexican court and is awaiting sentencing.
But Mr Bextor said Ms Newlove felt the boat's owner, Guillermo Gonzalez Nova - the owner of one of Mexico's largest companies, Comercial Mexicana, who was also on board at the time - should share some of the responsibility for her daughter's death.
Ms Newlove was not happy with the Mexican authorities' version of how her daughter died and believes Mr Cen Yam has become a scapegoat. She has hired private investigators to look into what happened.
MacColl had been diving with her two sons for about an hour before their diving instructor motioned to them to return to the surface. As they emerged a speedboat came towards them. MacColl managed to push her two sons out of the way but she was hit and died instantly.
What was happening on the boat at the time of the collision is what most interests ITV and Ms Newlove. Mr Gonzalez was on the speedboat with four other members of his family when the accident happened.
Witnesses have claimed the Percalito was within an area prohibited to speedboats in a maritime national park covering the coral reef where MacColl was diving with her two sons.
But Mr Gonzalez has denied being inside the national park when the accident occurred.
"What Jean feels is that the owner is liable for being in that place. The most interesting thing from the viewer's point of view is that we will be taking Jean out to Mexico," Mr Bextor said.
"Jean will get to see where her daughter died and hopes to get justice for Kirsty. What she wants to do is go out there and confront [Mr Gonzalez]," he added.
"It's a David and Goliath story, but at the same time a mother grieving for her daughter who can't get a straight story from the authorities."
Celebrities including Tracy Ullman and Bono have pledged to back Ms Newlove in her campaign to get to the bottom of what she believes is a cover-up over how her daughter died.
Ms Newlove has already spent ?100,000 and is looking to raise a further ?100,000 to pursue her campaign.
"Of course we're being very painstaking, doing our research and getting the facts. We've also got research that's been done by Jean's team," Mr Bextor said.
He is developing the 60-minute documentary for ITV, the broadcaster that recently made the documentary Winton's Children - the British Schindler, about Sir Nicholas Winton.
ITV to investigate MacColl death 'cover-up'
Jason Deans
Monday March 17, 2003
The alleged cover-up of the circumstances surrounding the death of singer Kirsty MacColl in a boating accident in Mexico is to be the subject of a television documentary.
The documentary, expected to be shown on ITV, will investigate what really happened when MacColl was hit by a speedboat and killed in front of her two sons while scuba diving off on a coral reef off the Mexican coast in December 2000.
Producer Robin Bextor, father of pop star Sophie Ellis Bextor, is planning to film a trip to Mexico by MacColl's mother, Jean Newlove, to visit the scene of her death and attempt to confront the owner of the Percalito, the speedboat that hit her.
According to statements given to Mexican police by people on the speedboat, boat hand Jose Cen Yam was driving when the accident happened off the resort of Cozumel.
Mr Cen Yam was found guilty of negligent homicide by a Mexican court and is awaiting sentencing.
But Mr Bextor said Ms Newlove felt the boat's owner, Guillermo Gonzalez Nova - the owner of one of Mexico's largest companies, Comercial Mexicana, who was also on board at the time - should share some of the responsibility for her daughter's death.
Ms Newlove was not happy with the Mexican authorities' version of how her daughter died and believes Mr Cen Yam has become a scapegoat. She has hired private investigators to look into what happened.
MacColl had been diving with her two sons for about an hour before their diving instructor motioned to them to return to the surface. As they emerged a speedboat came towards them. MacColl managed to push her two sons out of the way but she was hit and died instantly.
What was happening on the boat at the time of the collision is what most interests ITV and Ms Newlove. Mr Gonzalez was on the speedboat with four other members of his family when the accident happened.
Witnesses have claimed the Percalito was within an area prohibited to speedboats in a maritime national park covering the coral reef where MacColl was diving with her two sons.
But Mr Gonzalez has denied being inside the national park when the accident occurred.
"What Jean feels is that the owner is liable for being in that place. The most interesting thing from the viewer's point of view is that we will be taking Jean out to Mexico," Mr Bextor said.
"Jean will get to see where her daughter died and hopes to get justice for Kirsty. What she wants to do is go out there and confront [Mr Gonzalez]," he added.
"It's a David and Goliath story, but at the same time a mother grieving for her daughter who can't get a straight story from the authorities."
Celebrities including Tracy Ullman and Bono have pledged to back Ms Newlove in her campaign to get to the bottom of what she believes is a cover-up over how her daughter died.
Ms Newlove has already spent ?100,000 and is looking to raise a further ?100,000 to pursue her campaign.
"Of course we're being very painstaking, doing our research and getting the facts. We've also got research that's been done by Jean's team," Mr Bextor said.
He is developing the 60-minute documentary for ITV, the broadcaster that recently made the documentary Winton's Children - the British Schindler, about Sir Nicholas Winton.
i have some photos from that.
