CA: Protected immigrant faces charges in stabbing

SFGate.com ^ | 8/21/08 | Jaxon Van Derbeken

[NormsRevenge]

SAN FRANCISCO -- An immigrant suspected of being in the United States illegally - freed after being shielded from possible deportation by San Francisco officials despite committing two gang-related assaults as a juvenile - faces charges that he tried to stab a man to death last year in San Mateo County, authorities say.

The case of Eric Antonio Uc-Cahun, now 19, a native of Mexico, is the second in which a youthful offender protected from deportation in San Francisco has later been arrested for a violent crime as an adult.

The San Mateo County stabbing was especially vicious, authorities said - a top prosecutor said the victim had been "gutted, like you gut a pig."

Uc-Cahun's history of youth offenses in the city was similar to that of Edwin Ramos, a 21-year-old Salvadoran native facing triple-murder charges in connection with the slayings in June of a San Francisco man and two of his sons on an Excelsior district street.

"How many of these people are there who were the beneficiaries of this process?" asked Joseph Russoniello, the U.S. attorney for Northern California, who has been critical of the city's practice of shielding immigrants from deportation.

"This is what happens when the best intentions are misapplied," Russoniello said. "If there was any justification for this program, cases like this certainly undermine that expectation."

Both Uc-Cahun and Ramos were in San Francisco's juvenile justice system at least twice during Mayor Gavin Newsom's time in office, Ramos for an assault and an attempted robbery he committed when he was 17, Uc-Cahun in connection with assaults and other crimes for which he was arrested in 2006.

[WaterBoard]

The press should refrase the article and say “Mayor Gavin Newsom murdered ....” because his sanctuary city policy of shielding law breakers allowed this murder to occur. Plain and simple.

[the anti-liberal]

Why do sane, reasoning individuals stay in that region?

[purpleraine]

Competing threads?

Between LA and SF, this is becoming a regular occurance. I hope somebody slaps these sancutury oficials with a billion dollar law suit. Yes. I know we will pay, but maybe some people will wake up.

[pogo101]

They’re just doing the stabbings Americans won’t do.

[LuxMaker]

Why do sane, reasoning individuals stay in that region?

Maybe they want to fight for their right to stay where they would like in America without undue burden, similar to the War of Independence.

On another note, as long as illegal immigrants are perpetually allowed in country then the government (legally) can perpetually suspend Habeas Corpus because our nation is perpetually being invaded.

Also speech that speaks out against government activity may in fact be construed as rebellion and could also warrant a suspension of Habeas Corpus.

Create a problem, to become the solution, to establish greater control seems to be the main role of government these days.