U.S. soldier to stand trial in Mexico importing firearms
Apr 28, 2008 Legal Actions, Mexican Information Sources, Opinions
U.S. Army Spc. Richard Medina Torres, 25, the Fort Hood soldier who drove into Mexico with two high-power firearms will be put on trial, federal authorities said in a statement released Saturday.
Medina earlier was charged with smuggling weapons into Mexico, punishable by up to 30 years. The Saturday statement did not mention smuggling, which suggests a judge threw out that charge. Police could not be reached late Saturday for clarification.
José Alfredo Fierro, a lawyer in Chihuahua state where Ciudad Juárez is located, said a court generally would be more lenient if the firearms were legally purchased.
If Medina is convicted and given a minimum sentence, it might be suspended for being a first offense, Fierro said. A trial could take one to eight months, he said.
Now, having crossed into Cd Juarez from El Paso hundreds of times over the years, this guys story is a little flimsy. The roads are well marked, the public parking easily accessible before you are on the bridge, and once you are on the bridge, and you realize you made a mistake, a U-Turn will put you in line for the return to El Paso without ever crossing the International Boundary. Be that as it may;
My question of the day is this. Sgt Medina violated the very strict gun laws of a sovereign nation, Mexico, and when caught, was arrested, as is appropriate.
On the blogs and news websites, there is the beginning of an outcry for the release of this “Patriot” and “Hero” because, he made an “innocent mistake” and didn’t mean any harm by it. Some even go so far as to demand closure of the border and sanctions against Mexico until this guy is released. They seem to forget that Sgt Medina BROKE THE LAWS of a sovereign nation. He committed a very serious FELONY when he took the weapons into Mexico.
So what is the validity of the demands these right wing looney toons are making that Mexico release this US citizen who violated their laws, yet when Mexico demands equal rights and protection for one of it’s citizens in US custody, there is a similar outcry against Mexico meddling in US affairs?
Something is kinda screwy here, one would think!
Mexico and Canada have very strict gun control laws. Perhaps the US should consider similar laws considering the high number of gun related crimes. Certainly, the crimes are not committed by law abiding citizens, but the criminals are getting the weapons from someplace. I see no reason why anyone should have the need for an AR-15 or similar weapon in their homes. I don’t think the founding fathers had that in mind when they established the Second Amendment to the US Constitution
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Tags: CERESA, Gun smuggling, Juarez, Medina, Second Amendment, US Soldier
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April 28th, 2008 at 11:08
1. It is illegal to take guns into Mexico except in accordance with Mexican law.
2. He took guns into Mexico.
and
3. He didn’t take the guns into Mexico in accordance with Mexican law.
However, you think that he should be given a free pass for the act that he did in Mexico and which is illegal under Mexican law.
Now, since
1. It is illegal to bring guns into the United States of America except in accordance with American law.
IF:
1. A member of the Mexican Army brought guns into the United States of America.
and
2. That member of the Mexican Army didn’t bring those guns into the United States of America in accordance with American law.
Would you be saying that he should be getting a free pass for the act that he did in the United States of America and which is illegal under American law?
Do you know what “h - y - p - o - c - r - i - s - y” spells?
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April 28th, 2008 at 11:14
The American press and many people that post in the anti-immigrant forums complain bitterly of Mexican Military incursions into the US. Another topic favorite to the anti-Hispanic crowd is the violence in Mexico’s Northern cities.
Mexico has claimed that some of that violence is generated by American Nationals working as soldiers of fortune for drug lords.
It is a fact that the border is not well defined and errors can be made by armed forces and law enforcement from both countries. But there are facts that cant be denied: drug related killings are usually carried with American weapons that should not be in the hands of citizens (reserved for military use only), and there are plenty of signs advising of the imminent border crossing and plenty of “returns”; you don’t have to go to Mexico unless you want to.
So was this a stupid mistake by a US soldier, like many mistakes the Mexican Soldiers have committed in the past, or was this another military incursion of the United States going into Mexico to destabilize the Government and justify the Wall?
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