U.S. border agent murder trial begins

[douglas9]

Source: Reuters

PHOENIX (Reuters) - A U.S. Border Patrol agent went on trial on Tuesday in the killing of a Mexican man attempting to cross illegally into Arizona, a case closely watched by pro- and anti-illegal immigrant groups.

Jury selection began in U.S. District Court in Tucson, Ariz., to decide the fate of agent Nicholas Corbett, who faces second-degree murder charges for killing Francisco Dominguez Rivera in the southern Arizona desert.

Corbett, who has claimed through attorneys that he shot in self defense, is also charged with manslaughter and negligent homicide in connection with the January 12, 2007, incident.

Dominguez Rivera, 22, was fatally shot after crossing an isolated stretch of the border between Naco and Douglas with his two brothers and the girl friend of one of the brothers. Corbett said he shot after being threatened with a rock.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN2634977220080226?feedType=RSS&feedName=domesticNews&pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0

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another link:

http://www.svherald.com/articles/2008/02/26/news/doc47c3b9b6466fc243662640.txt

[jody]

1. I wish I were on the jury. n/t

[sailor65]

2. Which is why it's good that you aren't n/t

[jody]

3. No, it's bad that I'm not. n/t

[Tempest]

7. It's very good you're not

Otherwise you would have perverted the U.S. justice system.

You've already made up your mind on his innocence without hearing any of the evidence.

[jody]

8. No, I would be completely objective and not influenced by which lawyer told the best story. n/t

[Tempest]

9. You can claim you'd be objective all you want

And just maybe someone will believe you.

Who knows, maybe you'll start to believe it yourself.

[jody]

10. I've been a member of several juries and court-martial boards. I know what I'm capable of doing. n/t

[a la izquierda]

4. Lou Dobbs's wet dream n/t

[Steerpike]

5. So was it self defense or not?

The article does not seem to state whether or not this unfortunate young man was shot in the back. If forsenics determines this is the case then I would understand a murder conviction. There is not enough facts in this article to come to a educated determination of who is at fault here. Of course there is the fact that there is a dead man with a hole in him.

[douglas9]

6. From the second link.......

The defense claims Corbett came around his vehicle and was confronted face to face by a threatening intruder, and so he shot him. But, evidence submitted by the prosecution shows the bullet entered Dominguez-Rivera’s body just above his left breast and was fired at very close range.