Haitian thug faces lawsuit

Progressive, The, March, 2005

New York

For years, New Yorkers have protested against Emmanuel "Toto" Constant, the leader of a Haitian paramilitary death squad known as FRAPH. Constant was served with a lawsuit on January 14. Brought by three women who were savagely assaulted by members of FRAPH, the lawsuit alleges that Constant was responsible for torture, rape, and crimes against humanity. Constant was convicted in November 2000 in absentia in Haiti for his role in a 1994 massacre and sentenced in life in prison. For the past ten years, Constant has been living in Queens, " despite occasional protests outside his home At one such protest in 1997, pictured here, Ron Daniels of the Center for Constitutional Rights denounced Constant. The group is acting as local counsel in the case, which the Center for Justice and Accountability; based in San Francisco, has filed.