2 Illegal Immigrants Win Arizona Ranch in Court

The New York Times ^ | 8/19/2005 | Andrew Pollack

[jdoug6]

Illegal Immigrants Win Arizona Ranch in Court By ANDREW POLLACK DOUGLAS, Ariz., Aug. 18 - Spent shells litter the ground at what is left of the firing range, and camouflage outfits still hang in a storeroom. Just a few months ago, this ranch was known as Camp Thunderbird, the headquarters of a paramilitary group that promised to use force to keep illegal immigrants from sneaking across the border with Mexico. Now, in a turnabout, the 70-acre property about two miles from the border is being given to two immigrants whom the group caught trying to enter the United States illegally. The land transfer is being made to satisfy judgments in a lawsuit in which the immigrants had said that Casey Nethercott, the owner of the ranch and a former leader of the vigilante group Ranch Rescue, had harmed them. "Certainly it's poetic justice that these undocumented workers own this land," said Morris S. Dees Jr., co-founder and chief trial counsel of the Southern Poverty Law Center in Montgomery, Ala., which represented the immigrants in their lawsuit. Mr. Dees said the loss of the ranch would "send a pretty important message to those who come to the border to use violence."

[pfony1]

At one time, the concept of "out-law" meant that a person breaking the law was not protected by the law.

As a result, killing a burglar in your own home was not considered to be a crime.

Times have changed...

[GVnana]

Southern Poverty Law Center strikes again. I hope the good people of Arizona get rid of these judges.

[Blood of Tyrants]

This is only round one. I doubt that this will hold up under appeal.

[Truth29]

Unfortunately, if the media has reported this correctly, there won't be an appeal. The landowner didn't contest the case due to lack of funds.

[jeremiah]

People on this forum used to discuss the tyranny of the govt, the line in the sand, and when was it prudent to begin discussion and motion on taking back this country. Now that we have Republicans in charge, people complain about the tyrants, but don't hold accountable those that are charged with controlling the judiciary, the Congress.

I am pretty sure that if this happened in the late 19th century, there would have been lawyers run out of the state, or left hanging from a rope. Now we treasure freedom so little, that we barely protest. Yes America was once great, now it is run by lawyers and judges, not even elected officials will try to control.

[angryirish]

"send a pretty important message to those who come to the border to use violence."

Yes, the important message to be learned: Double-Tap.

[Tired of Taxes]

This is a civil action to recover damages for injuries inflicted upon the plaintiffs by persons associated with Ranch Rescue, a group of vigilantes that operate as an illegal paramilitary unit. Their unlawful actions, motivated by racial animus, intimidate Latino travelers in the border region and put them at risk and in fear of being assaulted, detained, or worse.

The first line just cracks me up. The defendants (American citizens on their own property) are "illegal" and "unlawful", but the illegals coming across the border are "Latino travelers"...

Of course, I realize one defendent Nethercott himself is a felon, but the "travelers" were breaking the law, too.