Mexico defends decision to prosecute US marine

AP ^

[don-o]

MEXICO CITY (AP) - Mexico's Attorney General's Office is defending its decision to prosecute a U.S. Marine veteran who was jailed after he drove into Mexico in April with three guns in his truck.

The office said in a statement Friday that Andrew Tahmooressi was arrested on weapon charges because he was carrying a pistol, shotgun and rifle and ammunition when he crossed into Tijuana.

[deport]

I have looked the net over for info on how many US Citizens are in Mexican jails and how
many are there on weapons charges. I can’t find any real data.

Here is a story from back in 1998 regarding some incidents and a small amont of data
referencing weapons charges.

**********

http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/mexico/gun.htm

October 23, 1998

Many Americans Are in Mexican Jails on Gun Charges

In all, 135 Americans have been arrested this year on firearms charges. Fifty-seven were released on
bond, had their charges dropped or were convicted and sent back to the United States as part of a
prisoner-exchange program. The rest, like Manuel, sit in crowded Mexican jails and count the
seconds.
end snip

***********

Apparently weapons charges are faily common and even a small pocket knife is illegal.

No date on the following guideance regarding weapons, ammo, knives in Mexico
from tijuana.usconsulate.gov.

http://tijuana.usconsulate.gov/tijuana/warning.html

If you are caught with firearms or ammunition in Mexico...

•You will go to jail and your vehicle will be seized;
•You will be separated from your family, friends, and your job, and likely suffer
substantial financial hardship;
•You will pay court costs and other fees ranging into the tens of thousands of
dollars defending yourself;
•You may get up to a 30-year sentence in a Mexican prison if found guilty.

If you carry a knife on your person in Mexico, even a pocketknife . . .

•You may be arrested and charged with possession of a deadly weapon;
•You may spend weeks in jail waiting for trial, and tens of thousands of dollars in
attorney’s fees, court costs, and fines;
•If convicted, you may be sentenced to up to five years in a Mexican prison.

[Farmer Dean]

Shot by firing squad October 24,1945.

[airedale]

If he looked like one of Obama’s or Holder’s kids then they’d move heaven and earth to get him out. If he’d only denounce the military and the U.S. and maybe desert they’d get him out.

[Gritty]

"Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead!"

Oh, wait a minute. That was back when we had a government and a foreign policy that meant something to the world and we were not a laughingstock to 3rd World dumps. Never mind...

[GoldenPup]

What happened to Vidkun Quisling?

Tried for treason, found guilty and shot by a firing squad.

[Usagi_yo]

Just close the more obscure border crossings first, then slow down people crossing into and out of Mexico. That will cause some economic chaos with Mexico’s border towns, and they *will* feel it as the border towns are the wealthier sections of Mexico — at least Tijuana is.

Money talks in Mexico.

[cromero]

I would not jump on the bandwagon too soon. If it was a Mexican going north he would be held for trial. It just takes longer in Mexico. This was his 4th time crossing. There are signs indicating that the border is the next and last exit. Who is to say that this guy has not been bringing guns for sale in Mexico for a little extra cash. When were these guns bought? How many has he bought lately? I live close to TJ and a local American on the Baja Image committe has visited him at least 3 times and said he was in good health. This Marine could be lying and maybe not.
If he has crossed 4 times, he knows the rules. He confessed before they searched but if he was not stopped would he have gone to the police and confessed. I cross twice a week and there are random checks if you get a red light you are required to pull over into secondary for a search. There are also agents who pull over most trucks or vans if they peer in the vehicle and see too many boxes, they will point you to secondary.
The Mexican legal procedures take a long time. Mexican suspects are treated worse. There is no NCSI TJ. There is not even a fingerprint database in Mexico. They usually just beat you until you confess to something

[The_Republic_Of_Maine]

Hagel doesn't give a tinkers dam about this marine, nor does obama, Army Spec Forces nor navy Seals are going to do anything for fear their Commander will get upset with them, so it is up to a few Marines to go get him.

In the 60's and before, that would have happened, but not since Johnson.

[SunkenCiv]

Impeach now.

Deport now.

Border fence now.

Thanks don-o.

[chiefqc]

Mac daddy can always make a deal that lets the Mexican cartel have free access to the U.S. with no fear of arrest.

He can also supply them with guns. Oh wait he has already done that maybe he can supply them with tanks, rockets and F-16’s.

[Jet Jaguar]

Active Duty ping.

[Candor7]

Obama can just end the aid packages we send to Mexico. Our marine would be home in 24 hours. But our so called president is simply too weak, and a psychopomp to boot.

[skinny old man]

A REAL President would stop ALL Northbound traffic at the border,until Our Marine was brought to the border safe and sound

[christx30]

And they pretty much warned us this would happen at the time. And it make sense that if the enemy feels you are mistreating their people, they will mistreat your people. Why should we expect them to treat Tahmooressi like a visiting dignitary? They are going to nail him every way they legally can in retaliation. US citizens can’t expect any kind of safety down there. I’d avoid Mexico at all cost.

[ASA Vet]

There was no ‘soldier’ involved in this incident.