Federal grand jury indicts BP agent in fatal shooting (update)
Federal grand jury indicts BP agent in fatal shooting
3 hours ago • By Curt Prendergast
A federal grand jury indicted Border Patrol Agent Lonnie Swartz on a second-degree murder charge Wednesday afternoon.
The charge stems from an Oct. 10, 2012 incident in which Swartz fired through the border fence into Nogales, Sonora and fatally wounded 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez.
Sean Chapman, who is representing Swartz in a civil lawsuit filed by the Elena Rodriguez family, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office informed him of the charge Wednesday afternoon.
Luis Parra, who represents the Elena Rodriguez family, said he also was informed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the charge.
Swartz will plead not guilty at the arraignment scheduled for Oct. 9, Chapman said.
"He will fight the charge," he said. "I expect this case will go to trial."
The U.S. Attorney’s Office did not immediately return a request for information.
http://tucson.com/news/local/border/...7963723e0.html
Trial of Border Patrol agent rescheduled to March
12 hours ago • The Associated Press
TUCSON, Ariz. — The trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent accused in the fatal cross-border shooting of a Mexican teenager has been rescheduled for March 22.
Lonnie Swartz was indicted by a federal grand jury in September on one count of second-degree murder.
He's charged in the October 2012 death of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez.
Swartz is accused of firing through the border fence into Nogales, Sonora and striking Rodriguez about 10 times.
Swartz pleaded not guilty in October and his trial originally was scheduled to begin in November.
A new trial date was set Monday in U.S. District Court in Tucson.
Swartz is on administrative leave and allowed to remain free pending trial. But he was forced to surrender his Border Patrol pistol and can't travel outside Arizona and Nevada.
http://tucson.com/news/local/trial-o...11dccba08.html