Posted on 01/24/2005 3:14:19 PM PST by Nice50BMG
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Mon Jan 24, 2:28 PM ET
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MIAMI - A trial opened Monday in a $3 million-plus lawsuit by 13 people who say they were injured or traumatized when federal agents seized a screaming Elian Gonzalez from his Miami relatives' home.
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The opening witness was neighbor Maria Riera, who testified that she clutched her chest and thought she was dying when an agent doused her with tear gas during the April 22, 2000, raid to reunite the 6-year-old boy with his father in Cuba.
The 13 neighbors and protesters are seeking up to $250,000 each, claiming that agents used excessive force during the armed raid.
"I was stopped by a gentleman on my left approaching me with a shotgun," said Riera, who lived across the street from the home where the boy had lived since shortly after he was rescued from a shipwreck on Thanksgiving Day 1999.
She said a black-garbed agent wearing a mask ordered her to "stand back" or he would shoot, adding a word of profanity. She said she complied, but a second agent approached with a gas gun as she stood in her driveway and left her in a gray cloud of tear gas.
A total of 108 people sued over the raid, but U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore limited the case to people who were not on the Gonzalez family property and were beyond police barricades.
Elian, now 11, was one of three survivors of a shipwreck that killed his mother.
The raid took place after the family refused to return the boy so he could be taken back to Cuba.
At $250,000 USD each for those offended by yard trampling I doubt we can afford them.
No matter how they vote.
And by the way.. those that get here and have no marketable skills..
What of them? Must you and I pay their way?
Why?
MIAMI - A federal agent testified Thursday that he sprayed a tear gas gun at demonstrators outside the home of Elian Gonzalez's Miami relatives to keep them from surging over barricades and interfering with the raid to seize the boy and return him to his father in Cuba.
Agent Daniel J. Dargan, testifying in a lawsuit brought against the U.S. government by 13 people who say they were injured by agents, said he was the only one assigned a gas gun during the April 2000 raid and did not remember which supervisor assigned it to him.
"I never sprayed it directly at one person," Dargan said.
The 13 plaintiffs -- nine people in neighboring houses and four women who were behind police barricades -- are seeking up $250,000. They blame their injuries and emotional distress on biased agents bearing shotguns and gas guns.
I guess that according to you, we need more Federal agents who spray tear gas at people standing behind barricades an on their front lawns.
You have never paid a dime for Cuban immigrants.
I imagine the court costs for the criminals to be somewhat weighty.
Shall I dig up welfare stats and WIC and whatnot?
Likely a lot more where you are, and less here in Houston but still a considerable figure.
Honestly, you do not believe that anyone who manages to make it to the States from Cuba is a wonderfully nice fellow and respecting of our laws?
I'd suspect anyone who does not apply for citizenship before arriving.
It's like showing up at my door expecting to share my pizza.
Call first. Then we'll see.
You must be a big fan of Janet Reno's.
Now, make up your mind, are you talking about criminals, or are you talking about immigrants?
Then I can tell you that the overwhelming majority of the Cuban immigrants, who are up perhaps the most successful immigrant group ever to hit these shores, have paid enough taxes, create enough wealth and jobs to pay the bill generated by those among us who are jailed in full, along with a good chunk of the bill for the native-born criminals who share their cells.
I could care less what you believe, think, or suspect.
I don't believe that everyone who arrives here from Cuba is respectful of our laws, any more than I believe being born here makes any one any better.
Show up at your door?
I don't do slums.
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