Jury: Rancher did not violate Mexicans' rights

Washingtion Times ^ | 2/17/09 | Jerry Seper

[Nachum]

A federal jury on Tuesday ruled that an Arizona rancher did not violate the civil rights of 16 Mexican nationals he detained at gunpoint after they had snuck illegally into the United States in 2004, but the jury awarded $78,000 in actual and punitive damages to six of the illegal immigrants on claims of assault and infliction of emotional distress

[gussiefinknottle]

oh, i wrote yes before i read the money thing. i would like to sue
all the illegal aliens in atlanta area due to the stress they cause
me plus the use of my taxpayer money. i also feel stressed
having to read or listen to spanish when i call a business or
use my atm. who declared the us a bilingual country? who decided
it was spanish?

[lormand]

Outrageous! Damages paid to the illegals? Who is the traitor that allowed this to go to trial?

[School of Rational Thought]

How does this guy get stuck with actual and punitive damages?

Any of it was a direct result of the Mexican violation of law.

[Ben Hecks]

Illegal aliens have standing to file lawsuits but citizens who file lawsuits asking to see the Kenyan’s birth certificate do not have standing. I’m confused.

[drypowder]

What do you suppose would happen to a gringo (US Citizen) that was in Mexico and put himself on private property and the Mexican land owner did the very same thing as this AZ land owner? I'd say the gringo would get deported after spending a few days or weeks in jail and only after he paid the jailers bribe money to get out.

[NonValueAdded]

Nooooooo!!!!

but the jury awarded $78,000 in actual and punitive damages to six of the illegal immigrants on claims of assault and infliction of emotional distress

Not exactly off the hook and given the traffic across the ranch, this might open the floodgates. Watch for lawyers to advertise on the Spanish channels.

[Cyber Liberty]

Jury: We’re going to screw him anyway. $78K?

[Joann37]

I am emotionally damaged having read about their reward (although it could have been worse). Where’s my $$$$$?

[Taxman]

I wonder if he has sufficient grounds (and he resources) to counter-sue MALDEF?

[radar101]

FROM A TRIAL OBSERVER VIA EMAIL:
Here’s the verdict on Roger Barnett’s trial. There is a lot more to say on the subject, but here are the verdicts as I heard them announced by the clerk of the court. The attorneys plan on appealing some inconsistencies in the verdict. Roger says he feels good about the

verdict. More about this later..... Doug

* Third Claim - Violation of Civil Rights- equal protection under the law

- Finding for the Roger Barnett - Not Guilty as to all Plaintiffs

* Fourth Claim- Assault

- Finding for Adela Vicente - 25% at fault - $1400. compensatory damages
- Finding for Ana Maria Vicente- 25% at fault - $1400 compensatory damages
- Finding for Sandra Velazquez - $1. in nominal damages
- Finding for Sara Vazquez - $1. in nominal damages
-Finding for Roger Barnet vs Jorge Perez - not guilty
- Finding for Roger Barnett vs Rogoberto Perez- not guilty

* Fifth Claim - Battery

- Finding for Roger Barnett vs Ana Maria Vicente - not guilty

* Sixth Claim - False Imprisonment

- Finding for Roger Barnett as to all 6 plaintiffs - not guilty

* Ninth Claim- Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress

- Finding for Adela Vicente ( 25% her fault) - $7500. compensatory damages

$20,000. punitive damages

- Finding for Ana Maria Vicente ( 25% her fault) - $7500 compensatory damages

$20,000 punitive damages

- Finding for Sandra Velazquez - $1.00 nominal damages
$10,000. punitive damages.

- Finding for Sara Vazquez - $1.00 nominal damages
$10,000. punitive damages

-Finding for Roger Barnet vs Jorge Perez - not guilty

- Finding for Roger Barnett vs Rogoberto Perez- not guilty

[jedi150]

Good/Bad news combination. 78K damages is only going to serve as a incentive for scumbag Lawyers(ACLU)and illegals to seek financial gain from situations that could intensionally be performed by people coming into America illegally. Evidenty a persons right to protect privite property is now in question without taking a risk of financial loss when exercising this right.

I suppose this is just another disgusting form of wealth distribution and confiscation of wealth.

EXAMPLE

I have always wanted to go Hunting on Ted Turners Montana properties, if done with preperation and a Lawyer waiting in the wings to sue for EMOTIONAL DAMAGES when you are arrested the current path to the American Dream can be acheived.

Hard work and honesty certainly does not do it any longer.

[Roamin53]

I am outraged that they got anything.....is there any testimony that he did anything untoward toward the women...?

I hope he has a strong appeal.

[Tallguy]

That was always my understanding until I read this passage:

“After a nine-day trial, the eight-person jury — four men and four women — returned the verdict in U.S. District Court in Tucson, Ariz., after a day and a half of deliberation, also tossing charges of false imprisonment, battery and conspiracy against Douglas, Ariz., rancher Roger Barnett.”

I don’t know about you but “false imprisonment”, “battery” and “conspiracy” sound an awful lot like charges in a criminal complaint.

[SandRat]

Border PING

[TheConservativeParty]

Uh, why did the illegals get 78 grand? If anything the ranch owner should press tresspassing charges and then civilly sue the illegals (yes I know, they have no pesos but sue their asses anyway). The illegals got money for emotional distress? How does the judge think the rancher “feels” when thousands of invaders cross his land, kill his calves, leave human waste and garbage all over his property? The man is a US Taxpayer! He should have done the 3 S’s with those invaders. The gov’t is at fault for not securing the borders. The rancher is only doing the job the US Gov’t won’t do!

[blueplum]

From reading a prior story, the rancher evidently verbalized a few negative personal feelings and nudged one woman.
He will most likely have learned from this experience that, when detaining illegals on his property for border patrol response, rather than communicate in English, he should, instead, practice to himself those french, italian or tagalog lessons he’s been studying hard to learn for a rainy day ;)

[Tallguy]

Uh, why did the illegals get 78 grand?

The cynic in me has a hard time believing that any of that $78 grand found its way past the lawyers and into the pockets of any of the Plaintiffs. I'm guessing the billable hours will be inflated to eat up all those dollars.

[HiJinx]

Civil trial.

Roger is Golden - untouchable - in a criminal court. That’s why MALDEF is taking the civil route.

[HiJinx]

Ping!

[HollyB]

The rancher is the one who should have been awarded 78,000 for emotional distress. It’s good he wasn’t charged with a crime, but maybe he can turn around and counter-sue the illegal immigrants now.