Wednesday, June 9, 2010

RED... CURTAIN... OF... BLOOD...

(image courtesy of Robb Allen)

Blogson Merlin sent this story to me yesterday. I am still SEETHING with rage:

Coroner: Mexican man's stun gun death a homicide
SAN DIEGO - The San Diego County coroner ruled Wednesday that the death of a Mexican migrant at the U.S. border was a homicide, five days after an American immigration officer shot him with a stun gun.

The cause of death was determined to be a heart attack, with methamphetamine abuse and hypertension listed as contributing factors.

Technically, homicide is the taking of a human life, period. Considering that there is such a legal term as "justifiable homicide", the word "homicide" by itself is relatively neutral. Now, in common usage, it's overwhelmingly used to indicate illegal taking of a human life in the absence of the "justifiable" modifier.

But this is what brought the blood to my eyeballs:
Results of the police investigation will be sent to federal prosecutors, who will determine if criminal charges are filed, Collins said.
WHAT THE FUCKING FUCK???

This dude had a heart condition, was hopped up on drugs, and was actively fighting two Border Patrol agents. What the holy hell were they supposed to use, harsh language? The guy's lucky they didn't dump 30 rounds of 5.56mm FMJs or 9 rounds of 00 buckshot into him; instead, a freak occurrence resulted in him dying from the stun gun. It seems as though the Border Patrol agents were trying like hell to avoid using deadly force, and that the less-than-lethal option didn't work with a crazed methhead...

How in blue blazes are there going to be criminal charges filed against anyone other than the recently deceased? Are we that far gone? Dude breaks immigration law. Gets deported. Resists deportation by attacking the agents charged with returning him to Mexico. Because he's hopped up on illegal drugs, the less-than-lethal device that should only have incapacitated him winds up killing him. How is ANY of this the fault of the Border Patrol guys?

This also chaps my ass six ways to Sunday:
The head of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement promised a federal investigation. John Morton, an assistant Homeland Security secretary, told reporters Wednesday in Mexico City that he is concerned about the case and regrets what he called a tragic death.
"Regrets"? "Tragic Death" Here's a fucking clue: Don't assault the men charged with putting your illegal immigrating, drug taking ass back over the border. This guy had broken immigration law previously (strike one); he had illegal drugs in his system (strike two); and he violently attacked the two agents charged with sending him back (strike three, you are OUT). HE chose to break multiple laws on multiple occasions. HE initiated the fight. This was 100% in his control - he could have chosen to obey immigration law; he could have chosen not to take illegal drugs (especially with a heart condition); he could have chosen to not attack the Border Patrol agents. Instead, he made very poor choices and paid for them with his life.

The only "regret" is that they didn't leave his body for the buzzards with a sign on it saying that resisting deportation while doped up on meth may be hazardous to your health...

That is all.

Also please note a new category label and acronym, PSGWSP, for "Play Stupid Games, Win Stupid Prizes"...

14 comments:

JD said...

God how far we have fallen with Obama in charge. . . Time for some of that change I think. . . .

Midwest Chick said...

Symptom of a larger issue. They've completely gelded the Border Patrol and who would want to work for an agency that sides with the people that they are supposed to be guarding against?

As you point out, the guy paid for his actions with his life but he didn't have to do any of those things. And to rule an accident as a homicide means that the judicial system has been incontrovertibly co-opted.

Jewish Marksman said...

There has been a systematic effort to demoralize the border patrol. Remember Ramos and Campeon?

http://agentramos.blogspot.com/

And that was under Bush, who failed to do the right thing and issue a pardon on his way out

one-eyed Jack said...

Tell us how you really feel about this. Jack

wolfwalker said...

Results of the police investigation will be sent to federal prosecutors, who will determine if criminal charges are filed, Collins said.

That's the way the process is supposed to work, isn't it? Police investigate, then prosecutors decide whether or not to prosecute.

Now, if the prosecutor is actually stupid/evil enough to file charges, then this will be deserving of Righteous Fury. Even more so if it gets past the grand jury.

Paul, Dammit! said...

This could be a political football that can make a win-win for certain people. One, the bleeding hearts can publicly put on sympathetic faces and soothe some of the already butthurt mexican loudmouths, and two, it can raise public outcry against people singled out for simply carrying out their job as mandated by law.

If some politically ambitious people can justify throwing an underling under teh bus, it's possible for the 0bamalamas to spin this to their advantage. Disgusting.

Reputo said...

"Uh, Jose, you are getting a little belligerent here. Now, we would like to use the stun gun on you, but first we need to take you in for your medical work up to see if it is going to kill you. Do you mind peeing in this cup first so we can ascertain what drugs you may be on?"

Jake (formerly Riposte3) said...

I'd hold off on the rage for the moment, Jay. Everything they're saying is pretty much standard (or is supposed to be) when there's a death of someone in custody. The prosecutors always get the results of the investigation, and are the ones who normally make the decision on whether to bring charges or not.

In a high profile case like this - especially with the diplomatic tensions from this and from Monday night's (apparently justifiable) shooting of a Mexican teen - the prosecutor may put it in front of a grand jury just to cover his own backside. That's not really unusual, either.

This looks more like a case of the MSM blowing normal procedures out of proportion because it makes a "better" story than a case of law enforcement throwing someone to the wolves.

Now, if he does get charged, then you - and everyone else - should get your rage on. Right now it looks like it's just following normal procedures.

Jay G said...

Like Jewish Marksman said, though, this has all the markings of Ramos and Campeon redux.

But yeah. This *could* be the MSM playing things up for drama/ratings.

It could also just as easily be the Ă˜bama administration stringing someone up by their cojones for actually enforcing immigration law, too...

I mean, it's not like they don't have a long and storied history of throwing folks under the bus...

Anonymous said...

The tazer did not "cause" the death.
Idiots on the left are clueless.

Studies have shown this.
But it makes better copy for the lamestream media to lie and incite the idiots out there.

ParatrooperJJ said...

First of all the term homicide only means death at the hands of another, it does not mean anyone is at fault. Second of all, all results of federal use of force investigations routienely get forwarded to the AUSAs for review. This does not mean charges are or are not ebing considered. Finally, a Customs and Border Protedtion Officer did the tazering, not a Border Patrol Agent. They are two entirely different agencies.

williamthecoroner said...

Jay

In forensic terms, a homicide is a death due to the deliberate actions of another human being. So, I would definitely rule this case as a homicide--the officers deployed the Tazer, the Tazee died. If the officers had used a pistol, same thing, The officers laid hands upon the suspect, the suspect died, homicide. This would happen in every coroner's/ME's office in the United States.

Now, not all homicides are the same. In many jurisdictions, all homicides have to go to the Grand Jury, to be true billed or not. This avoids the appearance of cover up or prosecutorial discretion.

Not all homicides are murder, too. If a policeman is attacked and kills the attacker--that's a homicide (due to the deliberate actions of another) but the justice system will rule it justified. An hanged criminal dies of homicide--but one carried out by the state.

None of this is a conspiracy, or due to Obama, the homicide ruling was standard forensic practice.

William the Coroner
www.williamthecoroner.wordpress.com

Now, not all homicides are murder

Jay G said...

I understand that point about homicide; in fact, I admitted as such.

What concerns me is that there's any question about charges being filed.

Now, granted, as some have pointed out, this is SOP in these types of cases. I understand that as well.

What I'm getting at - and I may not have made myself clear in my inchoate ragefest - is that given the past treatment of Border Patrol agents (and that's how they were identified in the article) combined with the current administration's willingness to a) suck up to Mexico and b) throw people under the bus; I can see these poor bastards getting railroaded...

Wraith said...

Jake, that story about the teen being shot appears to be absolutely reprehensible conduct on the part of our Border Patrol.

A mob was throwing rocks at them, and they only managed to take out one of them? Mandatory marksmanship classes NOW!