Thread: AZ-Poisoning Tucson’s jury pool for border agent trial

Poisoning Tucson’s jury pool for border agent trial
By Linda Bentley | July 30, 2008

TUCSON – Last month Attorney Jim Calle, on behalf of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Nicholas Corbett, 40, filed a motion for a change of venue, requesting Corbett’s trial be transferred to the U.S. District Court in Phoenix.

Ending with a hopelessly hung jury on March 10, 2008, Corbett’s first trial on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and negligent homicide for fatally shooting Francisco Dominguez-Rivera, 22, was declared a mistrial. Corbett says he acted in self defense.
Calle explained the facts surrounding the Jan. 12, 2007 incident, when Corbett, whose responsibilities require he enforce the anti-terrorism, immigration and drug laws of the United States, was performing his duties as a Border Patrol agent.

While working in an area between Douglas and Naco, Arizona, Corbett spotted and tried to apprehend three brothers, Francisco Dominguez-Rivera, Jorge Dominguez-Rivera, and Rene Dominguez-Rivera, along with Jorge’s girlfriend, Sandra Vidal Guzman, who entered the United States illegally.

Later during a confrontation, Francisco Dominguez-Rivera picked up a rock to assault Corbett, who shot and killed him.

Not only was there ongoing coverage of the Corbett case, Calle said, “There also have been numerous print and television stories on all manner of border issues directly related to the mission and activities of the U.S. Border Patrol,â€

Corbett was doing his job….period…. there should be no trial! Corbett had a right to protect himself from the barbarian illegal that threw a rock at him! Hopefully Corbett will not be framed and falsely imprisoned like former border guards Ramos and Compean! I’ll keep Corbett in my prayers!

EL, not only pray for Corbett, but the whole country with prosecutors like Johnny Sutton on the loose. With this kind of national policy, we are all being spun into some unreal black hole we will never get out of.

is johnny sutton somehow involved with this prosecution...
sure seems like it if we have another BP agent charged with a crime

Jamesw62, I have no idea if Sutton is involved or not, but I am certain the mantra of protecting illegal alien criminals has crossed all state borders.

Clearly, the DHS is deemed the enemy in most border towns. This trial should be moved to Billings but Flagstaff might be a marginal compromise. Hotshot Grant Woods continues to blather in the media about Corbett's prior bad acts, without judiciary interference. And the judge has not yet ruled on the admissibility of this questionable "evidence." The real problem is, along the border, everyone has heard about this case. And because everyone has taken a side, a blind two-year-old can see the jury pool is poisoned.

That said, I'd bet this judge won't permit a venue change. I doubt the prosecution's win-at-any-cost philosophy normally enlists this much talent and spends this much money. Seems to me they have thousands of Mexican murderers to prosecute if they're not afraid of the Mexican government, ACFLU, MALDEF, LULAC, SPLC, et al. Seems like the prosecution plans a war of attrition. The American judiciary has an unlimited ocean of funds provided by taxpayers. Consequently, if they cannot convict, they simply retry their victims forever -- kinda' like a life sentence. Bend over Mr Corbett. Apologies for use of the term "Mexican."