Thread: Coroner: Unclear how migrant died in US custody

http://www.elpasotimes.com/ci_15536427? ... ost_viewed

Coroner: Unclear how migrant died in US custody
By ELLIOT SPAGAT Associated Press Writer
Posted: 07/16/2010 09:21:00 PM MDT

SAN DIEGO—An autopsy report released Friday says it is unclear how a heart condition and methamphetamine use caused the death of a Mexican immigrant who was shot with a stun gun by a U.S. agent, shedding little new light on an incident that has sparked outrage in Mexico.

San Diego County Chief Medical Examiner Glenn Wagner characterizes Anastasio Hernandez's methamphetamine blood level of 0.16 milligrams per liter as acute but lists it as only one of several contributing factors.

It was also unclear how much blame should be assigned to the stun gun and Hernandez's agitated state, Wagner said.

The autopsy said Hernandez was apparently shot with the stun gun three or four times and had puncture wounds on his left buttock and right side. His stomach showed soft tissue that appeared to be from a collapsible baton.

The autopsy confirms preliminary findings that Hernandez, 42, died of a heart attack, with his heart condition and methamphetamine use listed as contributing factors.

The coroner has ruled the death on May 29 a homicide. San Diego police has finished its investigation and will share the results with federal prosecutors, who will decide whether to pursue criminal charges, Lt. Kevin Rooney said earlier this week.

The Mexican government has condemned the use of force against Hernandez. Less than two weeks after his death, a U.S. Border Patrol agent fatally shot a 15-year-old Mexican boy near downtown El Paso. The shooting came just after a group trying to illegally enter Texas threw rocks at officers.

Hernandez was being escorted back to Tijuana, Mexico, at the San Ysidro border crossing when he got into a tussle with federal agents. He had been arrested by the Border Patrol with his brother in the rugged mountains east of San Diego.

Authorities contend that Hernandez became combative after his handcuffs were removed, and Customs and Border Protection officer shocked him with the stun gun. He stopped breathing and showed no pulse.

The autopsy report says Hernandez had "superficial blunt force" injuries on his face, stomach, hands and legs. It does not say in what position authorities tried to restrain Hernandez before he collapsed.

Mexico's and our Federal Govt's fault. If they had both secured their sides of the border he wouldnt have been in the position to make him vulnerable to a heart attack...In Essence this is Obama's and Calderon's fault

I fail to understand why the coronor is calling his death a homicide ? Doesn't that somehow indicate the officers are to blame ?

He resisted and attacked the BP and they defended themselves .

No doubt there will be a big fat lawsuit and tons of taxpayer money paid to this Illegal Alien drug users family.

"an incident that has sparked outrage in Mexico"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Yet they are not outraged over what happens in their own country and they are not outraged when one of them kills someone in the United States.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"An autopsy report released Friday says it is unclear how a heart condition and methamphetamine use caused the death of a Mexican immigrant who was shot with a stun gun by a U.S. agent"

"The coroner has ruled the death on May 29 a homicide."
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Seems to me that these two statements contradict each other.
How can it be both homicide and death by a heart condition and meth use that caused the death? Meth can cause a heart attack at any time and a heart condition can cause death at any time as well.