Rangers to Seek Indictment

By Eduardo Montes
AP Writer

EL PASO, Texas (AP) The Texas Rangers will reportedly seek a murder
indictment against the Marine suspected of fatally shooting a teenager
along the TexasMexico border last month.

Capt. Barry Caver told the El Paso Times that the Rangers will seek the
charge against Marine Cpl. Clemente Banuelos, who allegedly shot and
killed 18yearold Ezequiel Hernandez.

Lesser charges will be sought against the other three Marines who were
on patrol with Banuelos, Caver said in Saturday editions of the
newspaper.

The development follows increasing questions by investigators over the
military's claim of selfdefense in the May 20 incident.

Texas Ranger David Duncan, the chief investigator, said Friday that the
Marines waited 22 minutes before giving first aid or calling for help.
He also said 20 minutes elapsed between the time Hernandez allegedly
shot at a military surveillance team and the time a Marine returned
fire.

Military officials say a member of the fourman team shot Hernandez
after the teen had fired twice at the Marines, who were watching a
suspected drug route 200 miles southeast of El Paso at the request of
the Border Patrol.

The military maintains the 18yearold Hernandez had raised his
.22caliber rifle for a third shot when the Marine opened fire.

Duncan said he didn't know if the delay in medical aid might have played
a role in Hernandez's death. The Rangers have not yet received a copy of
the autopsy report.

An ambulance was finally requested when the Border Patrol and a
sheriff's deputy arrived on the scene.

Investigators have obtained subpoenas for three officials with Joint
Task Force Six, a Fort Blissbased military agency that coordinates
antidrug missions involving the armed forces and civilian authorities.

Agency spokeswoman Maureen Bossch said officials are ready to cooperate
but have not received subpoenas.

On Friday, a month after the shooting, demonstrators in Washington and
El Paso protested military patrols on the border.

A group of people stood across the street from the Immigration and
Naturalization Service headquarters in Washington holding a banner that
read: ``Stop the violence at the border. Remember Ezequiel Hernandez.''

``The military has a role to play, but it's not to police U.S.
citizens,'' said the Rev. Bill Morton at a protest outside the El Paso
federal building.

The U.S. House approved a measure that could station up to 10,000 U.S.
troops along the Mexican border to help stop illegal immigration and
drug trafficking.

Also Friday, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and Mexico's Foreign
Secretary Angel Gurria announced a campaign aimed at making the
international border safer.

The TijuanaSan Diego border is becoming an increasingly dangerous place
for Border Patrol agents, who have been fired upon in recent weeks by
gunmen on the Mexico side of the international line.

The committee on public safety will focus on crossborder violence in
the San DiegoTijuana region, exchanging information and evidence in
investigations.

© Copyright 1997 The Associated Press

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