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U.S. Border agent charged with murdering Mexican claims self-defense
Source: Reuters
U.S. APRIL 9, 2018 / 4:56 PM / UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO
U.S. Border agent charged with murdering Mexican claims self-defense
Paul Ingram
2 MIN READ
TUCSON, Arizona (Reuters) - A U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with murdering a Mexican teenager when he fired across the border in 2012 testified on Monday that he acted in self defense after rocks were thrown at him.
Agent Lonnie Swartz, 43, is charged with murder in the shooting death of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez on Oct. 10, 2012. He has pleaded not guilty.
Swartz, who has been on trial in U.S. District Court in Tucson, Arizona, since March 20, sobbed on Monday while recounting the shooting.
The trial, which is expected to run through next week, comes at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing to build a wall along the border with Mexico in an effort to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs.
Swartz testified that he cautiously approached the border fence and fired in response to the rocks being thrown at him.
-snip-
U.S. Border agent charged with murdering Mexican claims self-defense
Paul Ingram
2 MIN READ
TUCSON, Arizona (Reuters) - A U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with murdering a Mexican teenager when he fired across the border in 2012 testified on Monday that he acted in self defense after rocks were thrown at him.
Agent Lonnie Swartz, 43, is charged with murder in the shooting death of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez on Oct. 10, 2012. He has pleaded not guilty.
Swartz, who has been on trial in U.S. District Court in Tucson, Arizona, since March 20, sobbed on Monday while recounting the shooting.
The trial, which is expected to run through next week, comes at a time when U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing to build a wall along the border with Mexico in an effort to keep out illegal immigrants and drugs.
Swartz testified that he cautiously approached the border fence and fired in response to the rocks being thrown at him.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-arizona-borderpatrol/u-s-border-agent-charged-with-murdering-mexican-claims-self-defense-idUSKBN1HG31O