Thread: MO - Hannibal Police under fire and speaking out

Hannibal Police under fire and speaking out

Posted: March 4, 2009 06:06 PM CST

Featured Video

HPD & Immigration - RAW VIDEO
Hannibal Police under fire and speaking out


HANNIBAL, MO (WGEM) -- Hannibal Police speak out for the first time, since coming under fire for the way they handled an illegal immigrant.

Manuel Cazares is charged with two counts of second degree murder for the stabbing deaths of Amanda Thomas and Patrick Epley.

Prior to the murders, Hannibal Police had several run-ins with Cazares, including driving without a driver's license and, a lot of people want to know why he wasn't deported then.

Dozens of comments have been posted on WGEM.com from community members wanting to know how Cazares' immigration status went undiscovered and whether the Hannibal Police dropped the ball.

That's why Captain Jim Hark is speaking out.

"There is no mechanism in place, from the federal level, through state agencies, to municipal law enforcement, that indicates a person's status in the country," says Hark.

In fact, Hark says it wasn't until after his arrest on murder charges, that Cazares admitted to being in the country illegally.

According to Hark, Cazares had a Florida state i.d. card, a Tennessee driver's license and a social security card and they were all valid.


"The only way a person would have investigated further would have been purely based on the fact that he is Hispanic and we all know that police can not take enforcement action based on a person's race, religion, you know we have those protections here in the United States, it's called Civil Rights," explains Hark. "Even though Mr. Cazares was, now has been found to be an illegal immigrant he still is afforded civil rights."

Hark says he's not sure how Cazares obtained his id's or a social security number.

But often times it only takes one or two forged documents to get authentic U.S. identification.

Hark says he stands behind his departments actions and feels confident in saying they operated in the scope of the law and their authority.

http://www.wgem.com/global/story.asp?s=9948631

"There is no mechanism in place, from the federal level, through state agencies, to municipal law enforcement, that indicates a person's status in the country," says Hark.

Bull! Criminal Alien Program, get on it Hark. Your alien could have been arrested for not having ID and while you had him in the jail, put him on the phone with ICE and they ineterview him and will place an immigration hold on him.

According to Hark, Cazares had a Florida state i.d. card, a Tennessee driver's license

Running around with 2 IDs! Isn't that considered illegal by the Patriot Act or Real ID?

explains Hark. "Even though Mr. Cazares was, now has been found to be an illegal immigrant he still is afforded civil rights."

Wrong again. It's human rights, not civil rights.

Dixie