Thread: BRIAN TERRY: Feds Secrecy, BP Union Responds

Feds making a big mistake in secrecy over death of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry

by Hugh Holub on Dec. 26, 2010, under border issues, drug smuggling, politics

There is growing frustration in both the media and on the street down in Santa Cruz County over the total lack of any information about the killing of Border Patrol agent Brian Terry on December 14th.

For example, the following editorial from the Nogales International:
(read the entire editorial below as first reply)

A policy of silence

….It’s frustrating because sometimes it doesn’t seem like there’s a rational reason behind the silence. Instead, federal law enforcement agencies like the Border Patrol, FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office appear to stonewall the public as a matter of general policy. Thank goodness, then, for state and local agencies that feel accountable to the public, and that are subject to state laws that require a certain level of transparency. If it weren’t for the Sheriff’s Office, along with Terry’s family and the Border Patrol agents’ union, we’d hardly know anything about this case.

More…

The last “newsâ€

A policy of silence

By Jonathan Clark
Published Friday, December 24, 2010 1:57 PM CST

We’ve had plenty of trouble in the past getting information about criminal incidents involving the Border Patrol. For example, in one recent case involving an agent who pleaded guilty to assaulting an illegal immigrant at the Nogales Station, we couldn’t even get the Border Patrol to tell us if the agent had been fired. But even considering our past experience, the degree to which federal authorities are withholding details on last week’s killing of Agent Brian Terry is head-scratching.

First, it appears to be a straightforward murder case, with the Border Patrol agent the undisputed victim. Terry and his team went looking for some bad guys, they found them, and Terry was shot and killed in the ensuing gun battle. Unlike the incident last month in which an agent shot an illegal immigrant in the stomach at Walker Canyon after the man allegedly brandished a rock, there doesn’t appear to be any “he said/she saidâ€

12-29-10 We would like to clarify two rumors that are being widely circulated. We have never received any information that Agent Terry was hit by "friendly fire". We are 99.9% certain that he was hit by the bandits. We also do not believe the rumors that the suspected bandit was airlifted before Agent Terry by any sort of design. A medevac flew in for Agent Terry with a doctor on board. That doctor pronounced Agent Terry dead at the scene. A second medevac came in and airlifted the suspect out.

12-27-10 We are posting a link to a local blog. To be clear, the Agency tells us nothing about most of these incidents. We glean information through the grapevine and although certain elements within our Local do obtain information through the representational process with those involved in this shooting and other incidents, we are not at liberty to divulge any of that information, and rightly so. We fiercely protect the confidentiality of our members and our job is to guide them through what can be a challenging criminal, civil, and/or administrative process. We agree with this blogger though, in that the Agency does an extremely poor job of getting useful information out, which leads to all kinds of wild speculation. Our understanding is that there is an "ops plan" out there somewhere, wherein this encounter was planned and which guided the BORTAC agents. We haven't seen it, and nobody seems to know where it is. Read the blog here.

12-24-10 As usual, Border Patrol agents learn more about what's going on through the media than from the Agency we work for. An interesting story is posted here. http://www.examiner.com/county-politica ... y-s-murder

12-23-10 Secretary Napolitano is questioned by a news crew about border security and the feelings of Agent Terry's family members. Remember when President Obama is praised for doing so much to protect the border that not too long ago he was requesting CUTS in Border Patrol staffing levels. As with most politicians, talk is extremely cheap, but their actions usually display their true feelings. Read a story and watch a video here. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/slain-b ... pty-words/

12-23-10 Terry's family rips into Napolitano and Obama. Read the story here. http://www.kgun9.com/global/story.asp?s=13725138

12-17-10 There have been reports circulating that Agent Terry and others were armed only with "bean bag" rounds and "rubber bullets". These reports are not true. Without commenting on whether any "bean bag" rounds were involved or appropriate in this particular incident, we can say with absolute certainty that no agent would be deployed out in the field under any circumstances, and particularly in an extreme danger zone such as this, without real guns and real bullets at their disposal.

12-16-10 Local 2544 President Brandon Judd appears on NBC News San Diego here http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local-b ... 78114.html

Donations to the surviving family can be made here:

Fifth Third Bank (www.53.com)
Account Name: Brian Allen Terry
Account Number: 9513164278
Routing Number: 072405455
Phone Number: 800-972-3030

12-15-10 Agent Terry was a member of Local 2544. We believe he was killed by illegal alien "bandits" north of Nogales during a shootout. He was assigned to the Naco station and he was a member of BORTAC. By all accounts he was a great agent.

This is one more example of the sacrifices made by front-line agents to secure this country.

Local 2544 is giving $8,000 to surviving family members so they can fly in from out of state and make funeral arrangements for Agent Terry.


http://www.local2544.us/

12-24-10 As usual, Border Patrol agents learn more about what's going on through the media than from the Agency we work for. An interesting story is posted here. http://www.examiner.com/county-polit...terry-s-murder

I read this article and my chest tightened, I feel so sad for the family and friends of Brian Terry. A man in the prime of his life, a good man, killed in the line of duty. It is indeed sickening that if it were an illegal alien killed there would be news all over the place and outcrys. Where is our governments concern for our own? Our government bueracrats live in their ivory towers far away from the danger and just do not care. I really wish that it were one of their loved ones that got killed. Perhaps then more attention would be payed to the violence and crime our law enforcement persons (real people, human beings also) have to face every day of their lives. It's insane. The crooked politics and crooked politicians and crooked government will all have a great price to pay on judgement day. They will have to pay the piper.