Boy to be sentenced in Border Patrol agent's death

[The Northerner]

Source: Associated Press

SAN DIEGO – A 17-year-old Mexican faces a maximum penalty of life in prison when he is sentenced for killing a Border Patrol agent who was shot eight times in the head, neck and torso in a remote mountainous area.

Christian Daniel Castro Alvarez pleaded guilty in November to murdering a federal officer near Campo, about 60 miles east of San Diego. He told authorities that he and others were attempting to rob the agent, Robert Rosas.

Prosecutors have recommended that U.S. District Judge M. James Lorenz commit Castro to 40 years in prison on Thursday, while a probation officer has urged a life sentence. Federal guidelines call for a minimum sentence of 30 years.

Rosas, 30, was the first Border Patrol agent to be killed by gunfire since 1998, according to The Officer Down Memorial Page, a website that tracks death of law enforcement officers.

Rosas was shot repeatedly from behind and then while he was lying on the ground, according to prosecutors.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100429/ap_on_re_us/us_border_agent_shot

[Archae]

1. This is no "boy."

It's a thug.

A thug who shot the border patrol agent from behind, then multiple times as he was lying on the ground.

Life.

[virgogal]

2. Good,he deserves it.

[MadMaddie]

3. When you have 1 Border patrol Agent covering hundreds

of miles of territory by himself this will happen. The governemnt MUST put more Border patrol or even build a military base near the border where we can rotate soldiers in and out of that role to aid in protecting the border. Maybe we can close a base on foreign soil and bring it to the U>S.

[stray cat]

5. Its like not having safety requirements for miners - we need to care about the border agents

[MadMaddie]

7. I absolutely agree

I watched a special on MSNBC I think and the job is 100x more dangerous than most people think. They are underpaid and under represented.

[24601]

27. Soldiers in Federal Service generally do not enforce the law

unless there are exceptional circumstances - like when the state won't (as in Little Rock integration) or when the state is in insurrection. Non-federalized National Guard may enforce laws; however, they are under state control.

Soldiers routinely performing law enforcement violates federal law - Posse Comitatus, passed to stop the military from enforcing post-civil war reconstruction.

Soldiers are better used deterring/stopping invading armies, not individuals merely breaking the law.

[MadMaddie]

33. Agreed but if it is the Federal governments job to protect the

borders can the Federal government establish new border rules.

[24601]

49. Yep, either change the existing law or hire the people into the

agencies allowed to enforce border security.

The old movie "Tank" with James Garner had the redneck sheriff called it the "pussy communist."

[stray cat]

4. I thought it was a kid but clearly not - sympathy only for the victim

[cstanleytech]

13. Meh, mostly for the victim yes but I have a tiny bit (about >.< much) for the kid to.

He has (by his own actions) after all made an utter waste of the life he was given, of course I could be wrong and he well accomplish something meaningful when or if he gets out one day but I doubt it.

[emilyg]

34. +1

[proudohioan]

6. A particularly heinous and vile crime.

[T Wolf]

8. How many civilians have the border pigs and their militia sidekicks murdered? I would bet the

kill ratio is by far in favor of the feds.

But by all means, let's forget them and save our compassion for the uniformed one.

[AnneD]

10. The theory goes ....

if a person will kill a cop (authority figure)-esp in the manner described-then no citizen is safe.There is no rule of law and chaos reigns.

For those of you not living in a border state-things have really gotten worse. Farmers can't run their fence lines (a daily activity) without sporting fire arms these days. Ranch wives have to carry guns on their person while working around the house. You are many miles from the nearest town, let alone ploice station. Drug and human traffickers are vicious. It has crept across the border and the Gov has to address this problem and they aren't.

[Kali]

11. while you are somewhat correct, I can have compassion for both

officer just trying to do an impossible job, caused by ridiculous policies made up by morons who seemingly have no clue about drug use, poverty, reality on the ground both here and in Mexico.

[CreekDog]

26. I can't muster any compassion for a 17 year old that puts 8 bullets into someone's head

apparently for no more purpose than robbing him.

I also don't see how that can be blamed on society.

8 times? :wtf:

[No Elephants]

42. Reply 11 refers to compassion for both kinds of murder victims

mentioned in Reply #8, not to having compassion this 17 year old murderer.

[Kali]

51. that is correct, thankyou

[paulsby]

12. then present evidence of same

and not justifiable homicide, MURDER, as you claim

[superconnected]

16. I don't see anyone being racist here except YOU.

It should be a case by case basis. Neither side should be killing each other.

Do you find what he did _acceptable_ behavior _because_ he's a Mexican?

[No Elephants]

37. Interesting take. I did not see any mention of race or racism in Reply #8.

I do not agree in full with Reply #8 for different reasons, but I did not see it as a racist post, either.

[sailor65]

18. Got any stats on that?

Or is this just the usual automatic authority hating punk?

[unabelladonna]

19. if the "civilians" obeyed our laws

they wouldn't be dead.
let's not get involved in this nonsense. what about the word "illegal" don't you understand? do you feel compassion for the rasnchers and innocent citizens of our country who have been raped, murdered and robbed by these poor "undocumented" aliens? there are more than you realize.

[No Elephants]

38. Since when does every illegal act justify execution on the spot?

Spotting someone trying to get into the U.S. without papers--or witnessing any other crime--is not an automatic license to kill, ffs.

Just to be perfectly clear: I am not defending Reply #8, or suggesting every border agent is an illegal executioner. I am only questioning your choice of words and the underlying assumptions that choice seems to reveal.

[chrisa]

22. I love these people that come here and try to justify.

Shooting somebody in the head in cold blood. :eyes:

[No Elephants]

39. How did Reply #8 try to justify murder? I read it as saying people were

condemning murder only when done by aliens, not when done by border agents. I disagreed with that. But I did not see in Reply # 8 any attempt to justify murder by either side.

[proteus_lives]

28. So you want to give the thug who shoot him eight times a big kiss?

:puke:

[No Elephants]

40. See Reply # 39.

[bitchkitty]

31. Hatred of police in general drove that statement.

You might think you have reason for that hate, but it's the same as saying that all blacks are lazy, Mexicans criminals, and whites racist.

The young man shot this man eight times, and he shot him in the back. His motivation was not fear, it was greed. He deserves to spend a long, long time in prison.

[Throd]

32. "border pigs"?

[No Elephants]

36. Because no one can have sympathy for victims on both sides? Come on, now.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

9. Life in prison would be proper. Thanks to recent SCOTUS decision, a 17yo can't get the DP.

And if you don't like that fact, please do come over here so I can see you pouting and foaming at the mouth. It will be pleasant.

[superconnected]

14. He shoots someone 8 times in the head and only "may" get life in prison.

I consider that sickening.

[Oregone]

20. He didn't want the man to suffer

[salguine]

15. How long before accusations of racism against the Mexican boy blare out on DU?

[No Elephants]

41. Luckily, so far, only your post and Reply 16 have raised a race issue.

[bluestateguy]

17. A 17 year old who murders is no "boy"

A 12 year old perhaps, but not 17, and not for murder.

[alp227]

21. Adios y no vuelvas, Christian!

This guy ain't no Leonard Peltier or Mumia Abu-Jamal. Hardly any doubt he did what he did. What's next: is he part of a cartel?

[mitchum]

23. That "boy" received a 40 year sentence

[Jkid]

24. Anyone who murders a law enforcement official is a coward.

Anyone who murders a law enforcement official in this way is especially a coward.

[Mz Pip]

25. All the lives that have been shattered

by this senseless act of cowardly violence.

What a waste. I'm not sure 40 years is enough.

[proteus_lives]

29. It isn't.

It should be life without parole or death.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

46. Could be life without parole. Can't be death re: recent SCOTUS decision.

Irks you, doesn't it?

[proteus_lives]

50. Not really.

I think death or life without parole is appropriate.

Why would that irk me?

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

45. Yeah, because murdering somebody who's not a law enforcement official is SO much braver.

:eyes:

[proteus_lives]

30. What scum. I hope he never sees the light of day again.

[MrBig]

35. Selfish, Selfish People

My heart goes out to the victim and the victim's family here. Such a sad and sickening way to die. The murderer is a flat out coward.

My heart also goes out to all of those who are going to be discriminated against due to this one individual's horrific action. No doubt someone will spread a story that this guy was an illegal. People who commit these acts have no understanding of the hate and discrimination that they cause people of their own demographic. I'm thinking of Bernie Madoff and all of the anti-semitism that rose in the wake of the revelation of his nasty actions.

[No Elephants]

43. The posts on this thread are like the results of a Rorschach test.

Read that, too, however you will.

[slackmaster]

48. Hey, YOU'RE the one showing the dirty pictures

:nuke:

[KillCapitalism]

44. It's really too bad he can't get the death penalty.

Sometimes I wonder if China and Iran are the only countries on earth that don't coddle criminals.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

47. Go to one of those wonderful places then. -nt

[Kali]

52. especially those criminals that dare to disagree with the authorities

:wtf:
coddle criminals? are you on the wrong website?

[saigon68]

53. Its just another disruptor

Luckily there is the "Ignore" button

[olegramps]

54. Well, I guess when everything else fails that we could mine the borders.