Posted on 07/13/2006 9:12:15 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Police are investigating whether Maywood's deputy city clerk sent hate mail and tried to have a councilman killed after the town embraced illegal immigrants earlier this year.
Not long after the City Council approved a symbolic resolution opposing a proposed federal law to make local police enforce immigration law, Councilman Felipe Aguirre and Mayor Thomas Martin began receiving threats in the mail.
Last week, Hector Duarte, 29, was arrested on suspicion of soliciting to commit murder, said Los Angeles County sheriff's spokeswoman Kerri Webb. The target was Aguirre, police said.
Bail was initially set at $1 million, but Duarte was released July 5 pending further investigation. He has not been charged.
Aguirre said Wednesday Maywood police first learned of a possible plot when they arrested a man a month ago during a drug bust. The man allegedly said Duarte had inquired about killing the councilman, he said.
Duarte was relieved of his duties by the City Council on Tuesday night. Attempts to reach him for comment early Thursday were not successful.
Councilman Sam Pena said he didn't believe Duarte was capable of sending threats or trying to get Aguirre killed.
"To me it sounds like they have a very bad informant ... It's all hearsay," Pena said.
Officials said they were investigating a power struggle at City Hall that involves the city's stance on illegal immigration and other issues.
The election last fall that brought immigrants-rights activist Aguirre and an ally into power in Maywood had been a raucous one.
Upon taking office, Aguirre and the council majority enacted policies benefiting illegal immigrants.
The city eliminated the Maywood Police Department's Traffic Division after complaints that officers unfairly targeted illegal immigrants. The city made it more difficult for police to tow cars whose owners didn't have driver's licenses, a practice that had affected mostly illegal immigrants who could not obtain licenses.
Earlier this year, Duarte told The Los Angeles Times that the city's forging of an identity as a "sanctuary" for illegal immigrants had unleashed a torrent of angry calls, e-mails and letters to City Hall.
Maywood, south of downtown Los Angeles, has about 45,000 people, most of whom are Hispanic.
unsubstantiated allegation ping.
There, that's better.
"Last week, Hector Duarte, 29, was arrested on suspicion of soliciting to commit murder"
Well, at least the alleged perpetrator was Hispanic himself, which explains the rather restrained headlines.
Aguirre needs to go down to the border and face actual bullets from the other side, then he can whine about threats.
Well, at least the alleged perpetrator was Hispanic himself, which explains the rather restrained headlines.
Sounds like the threats are an attempt to plant a red herring. Officials are murdered, police scurry off to find white racists, Duarte can sit back and relax. Fortunately it did not work out that way.
Well, at least the alleged perpetrator was Hispanic himself, which explains the rather restrained headlines.
Sounds like the threats are an attempt to plant a red herring. Officials are murdered, police scurry off to find white racists, Duarte can sit back and relax. Fortunately it did not work out that way.
Councilman Sam Pena said he didn't believe Duarte was capable of sending threats or trying to get Aguirre killed.
"To me it sounds like they have a very bad informant ... It's all hearsay," Pena said.
Hector is not guilty!
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