16 illegals sue Arizona rancher

[bayern]

16 illegals sue Arizona rancher

Claim violation of rights as they crossed his land

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´s established immigrant trails were littered with trash 10 inches deep, including human waste, used toilet paper, soiled diapers, cigarette packs, clothes, backpacks, empty 1-gallon water bottles, chewing-gum wrappers and aluminum foil - which supposedly is used to pack the drugs the immigrant smugglers give their "clients" to keep them running.
He said he carried a pistol during his searches for the immigrants and had a rifle in his truck "for protection" against immigrant and drug smugglers, who often are armed.
ASSOCIATED PRESS DEFENDANT: Roger Barnett said he had turned over 12,000 illegal immigrants to the Border Patrol since 1998.

A former Cochise County sheriff´s deputy who later was successful in the towing and propane business, Mr. Barnett spent $30,000 on electronic sensors, which he has hidden along established trails on his ranch. He searches the ranch for illegal immigrants in a pickup truck, dressed in a green shirt and camouflage hat, with his handgun and rifle, high-powered binoculars and a walkie-talkie.
His sprawling ranch became an illegal-immigration highway when the Border Patrol diverted its attention to several border towns in an effort to take control of the established ports of entry. That effort moved the illegal immigrants to the remote areas of the border, including the Cross Rail Ranch.
"This is my land. I´m the victim here," Mr. Barnett said. "When someone´s home and loved ones are in jeopardy and the government seemingly can´t do anything about it, I feel justified in taking matters into my own hands. And I always watch my back."

[Car 4]

If the jury is truly a Jury of His Peers....he hasn't got a thing to worry about. I wonder if the judge is a Clinton appointee?


Car 4

[Ryan]

Why do people who do not have a legal right to be in this country have the right to take advantage of our court system? How can they show an infringement upon rights that they are not entitled to?

[IndianaFuzz]

Let them come to court, then deport them as soon as they do. Then dismiss the case.

[Xiphos]

How can anyone here illegally have any standing in a court of law in this country???

[jmur5074]

That is incredibly moronic. If this guy loses one red cent to the immigrants I'll shit myself.

[Cidp24]

"This is my land. I´m the victim here," Mr. Barnett said. "When someone´s home and loved ones are in jeopardy and the government seemingly can´t do anything about it, I feel justified in taking matters into my own hands. And I always watch my back."

+10000

I admire his stand and I wish him the best.

[lewisipso]

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. Alrighty then!
The immigrants are represented at trial by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), $&%$^#@!^(^*$@@!!!!! \

!

[Captain America]

Thirty-two million dollars for civil rights violations and emotional distress and other crimes. Hell that and worse is a daily occurence in Mexico, they should be use to it. Since when is emotional distress a crime? Did I miss the part where he injured or killed someone? Only in America would stupid crap like this even reach a courtroom.

[213th]

Thirty-two million dollars for civil rights violations and emotional distress and other crimes. Hell that and worse is a daily occurence in Mexico, they should be use to it. Since when is emotional distress a crime? Did I miss the part where he injured or killed someone? Only in America would stupid crap like this even reach a courtroom.

Absolutely! What judge in their right mind would allow this to go forward?

[Caveman]

Thirty-two million dollars for civil rights violations and emotional distress and other crimes. Hell that and worse is a daily occurence in Mexico, they should be use to it. Since when is emotional distress a crime? Did I miss the part where he injured or killed someone? Only in America would stupid crap like this even reach a courtroom.

These illegals were no doubt hunted down and coached into this by the cocksucker lawyers.
None of them would have understood our definition of emotional distress otherwise.
Lawyers are the front line solders in a fight to tear this country apart from within and I find it fitting that allot of US politicians made their start as lawyers.

[TXPO710]

If this kind of thing keeps up, it won't take long to figure out ammo and a shovel are cheaper than law fees.

[Five-0]

If this kind of thing keeps up, it won't take long to figure out ammo and a shovel are cheaper than law fees.

I like the way you roll.

[pgg]

This is nuts. He should be celebrated for taking a stand to defend himself and his country. Instead we have come to this crap

[BigDawg]

First things first....................Mr. Barnett my hats off to you for capturing and returning 12,000 immigrants, and for standing up for your rights. This case needs to be thrown out and the so called victims need to pay for the court action, his lawyers fees, and any and all damages to his property.


How someone with no legal standing in this country can file any kind of suit here is moronic in my book.

[ChesCopPodz]

I'd donate to his defense fund/legal fees

[CTR man]

This is absolutely absurd. If we are not careful, this country is going to be torn apart by these liberal idiot lawyers.

[adroitcuffs]

This is absolutely absurd. If we are not careful, this country is going to be torn apart by these liberal idiot lawyers.

Going to be? Look around, it's already happening.

[CTR man]

Going to be? Look around, it's already happening.

OK, let me rephrase that.

This is absolutely absurd. If we are not careful, this country is going to be further torn apart by these liberal idiot lawyers.

.......until we have nothing left and this country ceases to exist.

[sgtbear111]

While watching his back he saw his government stab hiim in the back.

Next time bring a backhoe.