Video Shows Taser Torture of Anastasio Hernandez

A couple of years ago this blog shared the story of the taser-killing of Anastasio Hernandez, an undocumented person who was caught, handcuffed, surrounded and then tortured by US Border Patrol agents. The story took another twist when a new video emerged that gave a fuller view of the torture endured by Mr. Hernandez.

Check out the video and you be the judge on whether or not this taser activity was necessary on an unarmed and handcuffed man surrounded by a dozen trained agents:

 
Sometimes we lose the human side of these stories. I imagine that some felt justification in this taser-torture once they learned that Mr. Hernandez was in the country illegally. However, the other side of the story is that he was a hard-working father of five who was loved by his family and respected by his neighbors. I remain convinced that something is wrong with the taser policy or training currently in place with America's law enforcement officers. Is it just me? Or do you have similiar thoughts about taser use in our nation?

Taser Autopsy: Death of Anastasio Hernandez is 'Unclear'

I have to admit that I often think that doctors aren't much more different than witch doctors. Both professions seem to guess without any real answers. San Diego medical examiner Glenn Wagner did the autopsy on 42-year old Anastasio Hernandez ... a man tasered-to-death by unidentified US Border Patrol agents.

He says that he still can't tell what caused the death of Hernandez.

Wagner's autopsy report characterizes Hernandez' methamphetamine blood level of 0.16 milligrams per liter as acute but lists it as only one of several potential causes. He says it's also unclear how much blame to assign to the taser gun, Hernandez' agitated state and the position in which he was restrained by law enforcement officers.

It appears that we will have to wait for the legal system to determine who is responsible for the death of the 42-year-old father of five U.S.-born children came to the U.S. when he was 14.

Update on Taser-Torture of Anastasio Hernández Rojas [Video]

The groundswell of outrage against the Custom & Border Patrol (CBP) for their brutal taser-related killing of Anastasio Hernández Rojas grows day-by-day. Mexican activists regularly meet at the border to protest the behavior of the CBP officers that killed Rojas earlier this month as shown in the above photo shared with this blog by AFSC-San Diego.





The case for law enforcement officials was not helped by the images and sounds of the Rojas beatdown as caught on the following (grainy) video:




The family of Anastasio Hernandez Rojas shared their thoughts on his death, which occurred after border agents beat and shot him with a taser gun. A family spokesperson and other human rights groups are very clear in their condemnation of the actions of border agents.





What are your thoughts on this case?  Also, does anyone have a digital photo of Mr. Hernandez-Rojas that you can share with me.  I haven't been able to locate one yet.

March Protests Taser-Murder of Anastasio Hernández-Rojas at San Ysidro Border Crossing

Several dozen people chanting “justicia” marched at the San Ysidro border crossing to protest the death of Anastasio Hernández-Rojas, a Mexican citizen who died after being electrocuted with 50,000 volts from the taser gun of unidentified U.S. border agents. Hernández-Rojas, 42, had lived in San Diego since he was 14 and had five American-born children. [SOURCE]

As evening rush-hour commuters streamed past, the protesters gathered at the southbound pedestrian crossing, just yards from where the incident took place.

“We’re touched by the story, the fact that this man was in the United States for so long,” said Donna Havrilak, who drove down from Fallbrook. “He was treated inhumanely.”

The protest was organized by the Raza Rights Coalition and the American Friends Service Committee.

AFSC staffer Christian Ramirez said, "The story of Anastasio is the story of many migrants who have been ripped apart from their families as the result of our failed immigration system. Tragically, this particular incident will end in death."

Taser Autopsy: Anastasio Hernandez-Rojas Death is Ruled a 'Homicide'

Homicide. That is the ruling of the San Diego Medical Examiner's officer in the taser electrocution of Anastasio Hernandez-Rojas. The autopsy results also indicate that methamphetamine abuse and hypertension were contributing factors.

Hernandez-Rojas was beaten and tasered while in the custody of Custom Border Patrol (CBP) agents last week. He died Monday afternoon at Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center in Chula Vista, California.

The Mexican government said the autopsy results "support the strong condemnation the government of Mexico made from the outset, publicly demanding through diplomatic channels a thorough and impartial investigation."

Mexico has asked for an explanation about what happened to Hernandez while he was in U.S. custody.

"One of the agents used a baton to administer to the subject to get him to stop fighting," said San Diego homicide Capt. Jim Collins. "When that was not successful, they used the Taser."

U.S. officials declined to comment aside from a brief statement:

"Customs and Border Protection regrets the loss of life and awaits the results of a complete investigation into this incident."

Does anyone know the name of the unidentified CBP agent that shot the taser gun? Any thoughts, insights or updates that you can share with us?

Taser Death: Anastasio Hernández Rojas (San Ysidro, CA)

Taser-happy law enforcement meets illegal immigration. The result is another taser-related death in America. Anastasio Hernandez came across the Mexico-US border in 1984. He lived in the shadows ... got married ... raised five children in small town of Encanto, CA.

His life was thrown in an uproar last week when he was detained by police and deported to Mexico.

Of course, it is unreasonable to think that a man would who spent 26 of his 42 years on earth in southern California raising five children is going to stay away. Mr. Hernandez and his brother made an effort last Friday to rejoin his wife.

It was a decision that cost him his life.

Hernandez (the Mexican newspapers are calling him Anastasio Hernández Rojas) didn't make it across the border. He was caught by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers. CBP officers took him to the Border Patrol station gate leading to Mexico where they removed his handcuffs in preparation to complete the deportation to Tijuana. Police say that he became violent.

"The agents and the subject all fell to the ground during the fight and the agents radioed for assistance," San Diego homicide police said in a prepared statement. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents joined the struggle and one CBP agent fired a Taser at the man to subdue him.

A short time later the man stopped breathing. Agents began CPR and called paramedics. He was brain-dead when they took him to Scripps Memorial in Chula Vista after the taser electrocution. He died on Monday, May 31.

The family of Mr. Hernandez is devastated. They are convinced the Border Patrol is lying. Witnesses, who said they saw the altercation Friday at San Ysidro, said agents also kicked Anastasio while he was on the ground ... which would explain why he became brain-dead.   There may even be video evidence of the taser electrocution.

Please let us know if you have any new information on this taser-related killing.