Real News –Well-known defense attorney Ralph Francis passed away yesterday afternoon, March 2, after weeks of being hospitalized at the Mount St. John Medical Centre.
Although it was widely known that he was gravely ill – and news of his death was circulated prematurely several times – the confirmation of Francis’ death was still received with shock, disbelief, and great sadness.
Francis was regarded as a patriot, with an enduring love for his hometown of Barbuda; an activist with a passion for both the law and social justice; and a sportsman with an appreciation for horses and horsemanship.
Among the adjectives used to describe Francis were the words “humble,” “unpretentious” and “approachable.” Several people tell REAL News they did not know Francis personally, but felt they did, indeed, know him from his radio outings and from his work with The Movement.
His colleagues expressed their sadness, on Tuesday evening, in a statement from the judiciary:
“The Registry and all the Judges at the High Court express their heartfelt and deepest condolences on the passing of distinguished barrister Mr. Ralph Francis, Esq., who, as a senior member of the Bar, was a well-loved figure in court; a fierce advocate who represented his clients to his fullest ability, with humour, good grace, and a hunger for legal argument.
“His presence before the Bench and before juries will be sorely missed,” the statement concludes.
Meanwhile, Harold Lovell, Political Leader of the United Progessive Party, remembers Francis as a friend, colleague, and brother-in-arms in the Party’s battles, particularly its “fight for access to the public media.”
He lauds Francis as “that rare breed of political partisan with the charming ability to disagree agreeably.”
Fellow activist Alister Thomas describes Francis as “a selfless gladiator and drum major for justice.”
“It was not for the money.” Rather, “deep and steeped in his humanity was that consciousness that injustice, corruption, and the autocratic rule of the State must be resisted and fought,” Thomas writes in tribute.
“Ralph has lit a great light. And that light … will continue to shine brightly in the struggle for justice, accountability, and a new and better Antigua & Barbuda,” Thomas promises.
Francis, 72, was confirmed to have died from complications of the COVID-19 virus. He was admitted to the hospital on February 8, “in severe respiratory distress, requiring ventilator support,” a statement from MSJMC says.
