SouthernJet Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 any others??? 16 illegals sue Arizona rancher Claim violation of rights as they crossed his land Jerry Seper (Contact) Monday, February 9, 2009 An Arizona man who has waged a 10-year campaign to stop a flood of illegal immigrants from crossing his property is being sued by 16 Mexican nationals who accuse him of conspiring to violate their civil rights when he stopped them at gunpoint on his ranch on the U.S.-Mexico border. Roger Barnett, 64, began rounding up illegal immigrants in 1998 and turning them over to the U.S. Border Patrol, he said, after they destroyed his property, killed his calves and broke into his home. His Cross Rail Ranch near Douglas, Ariz., is known by federal and county law enforcement authorities as "the avenue of choice" for immigrants seeking to enter the United States illegally. Trial continues Monday in the federal lawsuit, which seeks $32 million in actual and punitive damages for civil rights violations, the infliction of emotional distress and other crimes. Also named are Mr. Barnett's wife, Barbara, his brother, Donald, and Larry Dever, sheriff in Cochise County, Ariz., where the Barnetts live. The civil trial is expected to continue until Friday. The lawsuit is based on a March 7, 2004, incident in a dry wash on the 22,000-acre ranch, when he approached a group of illegal immigrants while carrying a gun and accompanied by a large dog. Attorneys for the immigrants - five women and 11 men who were trying to cross illegally into the United States - have accused Mr. Barnett of holding the group captive at gunpoint, threatening to turn his dog loose on them and saying he would shoot anyone who tried to escape. The immigrants are represented at trial by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), which also charged that Sheriff Dever did nothing to prevent Mr. Barnett from holding their clients at "gunpoint, yelling obscenities at them and kicking one of the women." In the lawsuit, MALDEF said Mr. Barnett approached the group as the immigrants moved through his property, and that he was carrying a pistol and threatening them in English and Spanish. At one point, it said, Mr. Barnett's dog barked at several of the women and he yelled at them in Spanish, "My dog is hungry and he's hungry for buttocks." The lawsuit said he then called his wife and two Border Patrol agents arrived at the site. It also said Mr. Barnett acknowledged that he had turned over 12,000 illegal immigrants to the Border Patrol since 1998. In March, U.S. District Judge John Roll rejected a motion by Mr. Barnett to have the charges dropped, ruling there was sufficient evidence to allow the matter to be presented to a jury. Mr. Barnett's attorney, David Hardy, had argued that illegal immigrants did not have the same rights as U.S. citizens. Mr. Barnett told The Washington Times in a 2002 interview that he began rounding up illegal immigrants after they started to vandalize his property, northeast of Douglas along Arizona Highway 80. He said the immigrants tore up water pumps, killed calves, destroyed fences and gates, stole trucks and broke into his home. Some of his cattle died from ingesting the plastic bottles left behind by the immigrants, he said, adding that he installed a faucet on an 8,000-gallon water tank so the immigrants would stop damaging the tank to get water. Mr. Barnett said some of the ranch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiLMiCKMANTLE Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 Sounds to me that he was just protecting his property.. plus it is legal to carry a gun practically ANYWHERE in arizona Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norway'sWaddlingMarmaloof Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 God, this country's going down the crapper. Their lucky he didn't put a bullet in 'em, after all the problems he's had. The United States of Mexico..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DMaynard Posted February 9, 2009 Share Posted February 9, 2009 This world is coming to an end. I expect this from the low lifes. It is the pig face judge who didn't throw this out who is beyond contempt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serphnx Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 This world is coming to an end. I expect this from the low lifes. It is the pig face judge who didn't throw this out who is beyond contempt. And the lawyers for the Mexican Defense Fund. They should be disbarred, you can't just file lawsuits that you know don't have a legal leg to stand on. The worst part about this is if he counter sues and wins, they'll just flee across the border again where we can't get at them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thai Jet Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 God, this country's going down the crapper. Their lucky he didn't put a bullet in 'em, after all the problems he's had. The United States of Mexico..... The speed at which we're going down the crapper seems to be excelerating exponentially. Now the poor guy has to waste thousands of dollars defending himself ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norway'sWaddlingMarmaloof Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 The speed at which we're going down the crapper seems to be excelerating exponentially. Now the poor guy has to waste thousands of dollars defending himself ? Sadly, I fully agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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