[FL] In behalf of Kyishi, a letter to everyone who could help - from a family member

To Senator John McCain, Senator Barack Obama, Nancy Grace and others:

I am writing this letter in hope of turning more attention to the senseless and reckless acts of domestic violence that always seems to rip families completely apart. While balancing the economy, off-shore drilling, and the Iraq war are important, there a plethora of issues that need to be corrected right here at home.

On August 4th, 2008 at approximately 12:30 am, Kyishi Dowdell, 31, was slain in front of her own home on Maley Street in Daytona Beach by her ex-boyfriend and the father of her four children, Craig Flynt, 37. From the 911 tapes, the children where some of the ones making phone calls to 911from inside of house while their mother was being shot to death.

Flynt, who has an extensive criminal record, was on probation and also wanted by the Daytona Police at the time of the shooting. The shooting started on Maley Street while the four children were inside the house and ended after six shots with Flynt dragging Kyishi across the street and killing her execution style.

"The bottom line here is four kids lost their mother and their father last night in seconds in a senseless brutal act," said Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood. But yet Mr. Chitwood failed to acklowledge how Flynt was able to stay so elusive from the cops for well over three months.

“According to a charging affidavit in the May 5 incident, Flynt showed up at 828 Maley St., where Dowdell lived with the children and her mother, and confronted Dowdell with a revolver as their 5-year-old son watched. The home belongs to Kyishi Dowdell's mother, Carol James. At the time, Dowdell told police that Flynt struck her with the handgun above the left eye, leaving a cut. After that, Flynt grabbed Dowdell by the hair and said 'this time it's loaded' and showed her the bullets in the gun. He then held the gun to Dowdell's head, then shoved it into her mouth, according to the report. Flynt released her and drove away.”

The Daytona Beach Police “claimed” to have made it a priority to find him. Daytona Beach has a population of 64,000 people. It is not a large city at all. Flynt's father was Jimmie Flynt, the spokesman for the Daytona Beach Police Department and an investigator with the department's internal affairs division. Chitwood said Jimmy Flynt had tried as much as anyone to bring him in before the murder. I say let’s check the phone records and see exactly whether he put his son’s well being before his duty as a police officer.

According to court documents, Flynt, 37, was sentenced to 57 days in jail in September 2007 after pleading no contest to aggravated assault and domestic battery. He was also ordered to forfeit all his firearms, undergo anger management training and receive psychological counseling. Also in 2007, he was charged with misdemeanor domestic violence and violating a protection order. And in 2000, police charged Flynt with dealing in stolen property and felony criminal conspiracy. According to court documents, the State Attorney's Office chose not prosecute that case. Records show Flynt was fighting with another woman, Vernell Williams, over child support. He has a 4-year-old daughter with Williams, records show.

Hopefully, just hopefully the laws will be changed so that no more victims of domestic violence are killed in such a tragic manner.

So we do we go from here?
• The kids are without their father and mother.
• Kyishi has lost her life at a very young age
• Craig will probably be get the death penalty
• Both families torn completely apart
• The laws are still the same

Please, please bring some national attention to the true victims of domestic violence.

Sincerely,

A family member in mourning, trying to hold it together, and picking up the pieces.

Sources:
http://www.wesh.com/news/17103484/detail.html
http://www.wftv.com/news/17084313/detail.html
http://www.wesh.com/news/17083666/detail.html