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U. S. BORDER PATROL AGENTS ARE THE VICTIMS
By Karen L. Bune
The two U.S. Border Patrol
agents who were recently prosecuted and convicted for shooting at a drug smuggling illegal alien, who had 743 pounds of marijuana in his possession and who crossed the border from Mexico into Texas, is outrageous. What is even more abominable are the sentences they received—one will spend 11 years and one day in prison while the other will be incarcerated for 12 years.
These two agents were doing their jobs and a difficult one at that. What they encountered was a criminal alien who had no business being in the United States at all coupled with the fact that he was entering
illegally and bringing in a load of marijuana. When the agents tried to stop him, he fled the scene. He endangered the lives of the federal agents and placed his hands in his pants-- in a threatening manner-- that
led the agents to believe he could be possibly producing a gun to shoot at them so they shot at him first.
To add to the profound absurdity of this prosecution and terrible outcome is an even more ridiculous
notion—the illegal alien claims his rights were violated, and he is suing the U. S. government. This alien had no rights, he had no business being in this country, and he chose not to obey the federal agents who
were merely doing their jobs. The alien is not a victim and he should be accorded no title or status as such.
The victims in this case are the two border patrol agents who are being victimized by the system
for doing their jobs and for being subsequently prosecuted, convicted, and sentenced to substantial periods of incarceration. Any sympathy for the illegal alien, who was committing criminal acts, is misplaced and
should be redirected toward the two federal agents—one of whom was a 2005 nominee for Border Patrol Agent of the Year.
Even if-- and the “if” is a big one--
the agents engaged in any infraction of policy or protocol along the way, there was no need to go to this length to get their attention. They could have merely been reprimanded or received some sanction of a far
lesser degree than the extreme they are now facing. It is obvious that the focus of blame was misplaced on the wrong parties and the labeling and identification of who the victim is has been egregiously convoluted
and misdirected.
Copyright 2006 Karen L. Bune
***Karen L. Bune is a Victim Specialist in the State’s Attorney’s Office for Prince George’s County, Maryland.
She is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at George Mason University where she teaches victimology.
Ms. Bune is a nationally recognized speaker and consultant on victim issues. She is Board Certified in Traumatic Stress and is a Diplomate and Fellow of the Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. She can be reached at kbune@gmu.edu
MORE STORIES BY KAREN BUNE:
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE GETS ATTENTION
U. S. PARK POLICE FORCE IN DISARRAY
D.C. POLICE COMMANDER SOLBERG’S APOLOGY UNNECESSARY
POLICE VICTIMIZATION HAS WIDE IMPACT
US CAPITOL POLICE CHIEF GAINER RESIGNS
PERSISTANCE PAYS OFF FOR MIMI
MAJOR LINDA DIXON FULFILLS PROMISE TO VICTIM
METRO DC POLICE GAY AND LESBIAN LIAISON UNIT
U.S. CAPITOL POLICE CHIEF GAINER
US CAPITOL POLICE MOUNTED UNIT DEALT A HARD BLOW
TRIBUTE TO CHIEF GAINER
CONGRESSWOMAN MCKINNEY - SUPERB EXAMPLE OF NON-VICTIM
RETURN TO NY COP HOMEPAGE
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