Too young to die like that. Corker and Alexander need to think about this senseless death of a Tennessean in case they have any residual urge to "help the economy".
Posted on 06/23/2007 10:54:02 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
An illegal immigrant is facing vehicular homicide charges in the death of a college student.
Victor Benitez appeared in court Thursday morning for a preliminary hearing in the death of Tennessee State University student-athlete Joycelyn Gardiner.
Three witnesses took the stand and detailed the events surrounding Gardiner’s death.
“There was no sound of breaks or anything; (he) just came straight in. The light was red. I could see the light,” said Kent Redgrave.
One witness told the court that he saw Benitez run a red light and slam into Gardiner’s car.
The crash occurred early Saturday at the intersection of Old Hickory Blvd. and Nolensville Road.
Gardiner died at a hospital several hours after crash.
Officers who responded to the crash said it was obvious Benitez had been drinking.
“As I approached the driver’s side door, I noticed that Mr. Benitez had a strong sense of alcoholic beverages about his person and very red, watery eyes. His speech was very slurred. I inquired of his condition as he had some blood on him. He became very combative and began to use profanity,” said Metro police Officer William Williams.
Williams said he also had arrested Benitez about one year before on suspicion of public drunkenness.
“I actually advised him that the young lady was hurt pretty badly. He started using profanity and stated that he didn't hit anybody and was not involved in a crash,” he said.
A blood sample from Benitez was sent to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for testing.
“She wasn't in a dope deal gone bad. She wasn't in a robbery or burglary. She was just driving down the dad-gum road. You just can't understand until you sit in on meetings with the survivors of these types of crimes: the mommas, the daddies, the sisters. You just don't know,” said Assistant District Attorney James Sledge.
Representatives said they had had no way of knowing that Benetiz was in the U.S. illegally during his previous arrests.
Metro got access in the spring to a new program which allows investigators to do detailed background checks including the status of immigrants.
All of Benitez’s arrests were before the program was put into place.
The case was bound over to a grand jury.
Friends and family of Gardiner declined comment.
The “hits” just keep coming.
I can hardly wait until “they” can ‘come out of the shadows’.
It seems like many of them already have.
And yet Bush presses our Congress to muster “the political courage “ to allow this nonsense to continue . Sickening ..
Bttt
Just say NO to Illegal Alien Amnesty!! Keep calling!! It’s NOT OVER!!
U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121
U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121
White House comments: (202) 456-1111
Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep
Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
What were you saying about these people not breaking laws?
Tell it to Jocylen. But be sure to shout it really, really loud. She may have a hard time hearing you.
L
Part of the next border bill needs to be something that creates a tally of Americans killed by illegal immigrants.
They had no program then to check immigration status. They do now.
B T T T
Ah forget it. It’s all been said. Kick the mofos out.
Too young to die like that. Corker and Alexander need to think about this senseless death of a Tennessean in case they have any residual urge to "help the economy".
My sympathies for the victim’s family.
They couldn’t call Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the phone?
“Williams said he also had arrested Benitez about one year before on suspicion of public drunkenness”
And he was never DEPORTED...
The Nashville police and courts should be sued and fired..
even jailed for criminal neglect and aiding and abetting or something.....
What a waste of a young precious life...
God comfort the family of Joycelyn Gardiner...
“Metro got access in the spring to a new program which allows investigators to do detailed background checks including the status of immigrants”
This is NOT a new program...
Its 10 years old...287g is a provision of the Immigration Act of 1996 ...
FYI, The INS has only 20 agents to cover Tennessee, the east half of Arkansas, and the top half of Mississippi.
Corker and Alexander are too busy talking to Marna Vasquez, an illegal alien from Guatamala...She taught them all they know about immigrants..
She is more immportant to them than Joycelyn..
Or Dustin Inman, killed in GA..or the VA beach girls ...
President Bush's "southern neighbors" showing respect for America:
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