Thread: Possible illegal alien faces life in prison

http://www.mailtribune.com/archive/2007 ... llegal.htm

February 16, 2007
Luis Alberto Salas-Juarez
Possible illegal alien faces life in prison
By SARAH LEMON
Mail Tribune

A Medford man convicted Tuesday of murder likely will not be deported for decades amid new allegations of being an illegal alien.

Luis Alberto Salas-Juarez, 23, faces life in prison for the Aug. 13 stabbing of 23-year-old Mark Edwin Lunsford of Butte Falls. Salas is set to hear his sentence today in Jackson County Circuit Court.

Prosecutor David Hoppe said he planned to argue for Oregon's mandatory penalty — life in prison with a minimum of 25 years before parole eligibility — despite a charge of illegally being in the country lodged Wednesday against Salas.

"I'm going to ask that it have no bearing on his sentencing," said Hoppe, a deputy district attorney for Jackson County. "It wasn't an issue at the trial."

Convictions of murder against non-citizens legally residing in the United States commonly result in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer, said ICE spokeswoman Lorie Dankers, adding that she couldn't speak specifically to Salas' case. Serving out a criminal sentence takes precedence over deportation, she said. But the detainer remains in place and tasks an immigration judge with the case upon the criminal's release, she said.

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Salas' attorney Joseph Maier, of Grants Pass, said he believed his client was in the country legally at the time of his arrest. Salas told Medford police officers that he came to the United States at age 8 and, although he spent extended periods in Mexico, graduated from high school in the U.S.

Family members — many of whom live in Oregon, Washington and California — said Salas moved to Medford about a year ago for better job opportunities.

A jury unanimously convicted Salas of Lunsford's murder following a weeklong trial. Eyewitnesses said Salas bumped up against Lunsford during a 2:45 a.m. confrontation in Medford's Theater Alley. Lunsford stepped away from Salas with a stab wound to his chest, witnesses testified. He died about two hours later of massive blood loss following surgery at Providence Medford Medical Center.

Jurors also found Salas guilty of the attempted murder of 23-year-old Lawrence Matthew Crowley, of Medford. Salas tried to slash his stomach after attacking Lunsford, Crowley testified. Salas ran from the scene and was arrested about five minutes later near 10th and Fir streets.

the criminal alien needs to spend time in the worst prision we have and then be deported as soon as his sentence is up. Of course that means that the american taxpayers must pay for him.

We need to secure the border, the bigger the fence the few criminals and drugs can cross the border. Ground sensories will take care of the tunnels. Technology exists we just need to purchase existing and proven technology not the unproven bells being sold to DHS.

Give this one life