Government pay immigrant's relatives $2.15 million [relatives of an illegal immigrant]

Star-Telegram ^ | Wed, Jan. 28, 2004 | Associated Press

[yonif]

SAN ANTONIO - The federal government will pay $2.15 million to the relatives of an undocumented immigrant, settling a lawsuit alleging the immigrant was paralyzed in a struggle with immigration officers.

U.S. District Judge Fred Biery approved the deal for the five children and ex-wife of Serafin Olvera Carrera at a hearing in San Antonio on Tuesday.

Olvera, who died at a Houston hospital in February 2002, was paralyzed March 25, 2001, during a raid at a Bryan home involving agents with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service, now U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

In June 2003, a federal jury in Houston convicted officers Richard Henry Gonzales, Carlos Reyna and Louis Rey Gomez, all of San Antonio, of acting with deliberate indifference for failing to give Olvera timely medical care.

Gonzales also was convicted of using excessive force when he doused Olvera with pepper spray.

All three, scheduled for sentencing Thursday in Houston, plan to appeal.

Trial records show Olvera, who was combative with officers, was paralyzed when he was wrestled to the ground by Gonzales and a supervisor. The supervisor was not prosecuted.

The records also show that Gonzales called an administrator in San Antonio more than a dozen times to ask what to do with Olvera, and that the administrator would not return the call. Olvera finally was treated seven hours later.

[Cardini]

YAAAAAAAHAAHAHAHAHAAAAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY.

ARRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGRGRGRGRGGGGG.

Help Me!

[gubamyster]

ping

[goldstategop]

I suppose they were supposed to give the guy a green card, an explanation of how to secure public benefits and a drivers license and a welcome to take up residence in the United States. <sarcasm

[SAMWolf]

Your tax dollars at work.

[B4Ranch]

"Trial records show Olvera, who was combative with officers,"

You damn Yankees, you got everything and we got nuttin'.

Well now you do, so get your ass back to Mexico.

[Lazarus Starr]

We should all sue Mexico then for Mexican food keeping us up late at night. This is sooooo stupid.

[antiRepublicrat]

The records also show that Gonzales called an administrator in San Antonio more than a dozen times to ask what to do with Olvera, and that the administrator would not return the call. Olvera finally was treated seven hours later.

This is the only thing I can find wrong with what they did. They have every right to use any force necessary to protect themselves against a violent criminal, but it's inhuman not to then get him to a hospital in a reasonable amount of time. They can jail and/or deport him when he's stable.

[lilylangtree]

And the taxpayers are to foot the bill. This is a crime!

[RicocheT]

This was an expensive lesson in lack of proper training and what happens when supervision is negligent. Our legal system allows all people, illegals, green card holders, citizens and foreigners on vacation here to sue for negligence.

I'd hope the size of the settlement was tempered by the idea he should still be deported and the cost of treatment and other after care is cheaper in Mexico.

[ikka]

Pay them in Mexican Pesos and make it clear they are not to set foot in the USA again.

[Bikers4Bush]

Now let's send them a bill for the time he spent here.

It should come to about $2.15 million in my opinion.

[Lady Eileen]

Look for even more illegals to hop the borders and mug the border patrol as this news spread.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Trial records show Olvera, who was combative with officers, was paralyzed when he was wrestled to the ground by Gonzales and a supervisor.

Hmmmm... Good lesson here. If I want millions of dollars all I have to do is break the law, then fight an officer, maybe even punch him/her in the face a few times, until he/she and other officers take me down. I can then sue for millions.

What a country!

[azhenfud]

Here's a "Y'all oughta see this" ping.

[george wythe]

How much did the Edwards-like lawyers get?

Just like the tobacco settlements, these lawyers keep shopping until they find these sympathetic juries that give lawyers millions or billions of dollars... to benefit the "children," the "sick," the "downtrodden"...

[janetgreen]

Just another example of the outrage upon America by illegal aliens from Mexico. There's a long list. They think we're suckers, and we are for putting up with it.

[AuntB]

Unbelievable...why does this crap STILL amaze me??

[Dante3]

This is utter insanity. Or someone is the government is getting one heck of a big bribe.

[american spirit]

Can't you just see all those scumbag immigration lawyers just salivating after hearing this. What do you want to bet that there'll be training classes for illegals to resist INS or whoever, get popped on the head a few times, then sue the heck out of the feds. I can see those remittances to Mexico getting a nice boost out of this.