Calls renewed to keep soldiers off the border

Associated Press

EL PASO Several demonstrations were held Friday on the onemonth
anniversary of the slaying of an 18yearold shot on the TexasMexico
border by a U.S. Marine participating in an antidrug operation.

Immigration rights advocates used the national "day of reflection" to
renew their calls to keep the military out of border enforcement.

At a protest outside the El Paso federal building, the Rev. Bill Morton
said that meekly accepting events such as the slaying of Ezequiel
Hernandez Jr. and the use of soldiers on the border could eventually
result in a more militarized nation.

"The military has a role to play, but it's not to police U.S. citizens,"
he said.

In Washington, a knot of people stood across the street from the
Immigration and Naturalization Service headquarters holding a banner
that read: "Stop the violence at the border. Remember Ezequiel
Hernandez."

"The vigil is designed to bring attention to what has happened to
Ezequiel and reflect on what the human costs are of militarizing the
border,' said Layne Mosler, who helped organize the event.

The action came as 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.

Meanwhile, questions are mounting.

Characterized at the outset by the military as a clearcut case of
selfdefense, the May 20 shooting in Redford has taken on mysterious
undertones as state officials have released details of their
investigation.

Military officials say a member of the fourman team shot Mr. Hernandez
after he had fired twice at the Marines, who were watching a suspected
drug route at the request of the Border Patrol.

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

Texas Ranger David Duncan, the lead investigator, said Friday that 20
minutes elapsed between the time Ezequiel Hernandez Jr. allegedly shot
at a military surveillance team and the time the Marine returned fire.

Mr. Duncan indicated that the Marines had tracked Mr. Hernandez for
about 700 feet before the fatal shot was fired from about 140 yards
away. Earlier, Rangers had indicated that the fatal shot was fired from
about 230 yards away.

Mr. Duncan would not discuss what else may have happened during the
interval before Mr. Hernandez died in the hilly country 200 miles
southeast of El Paso.

However, he reiterated what other officials have said in recent weeks:
Evidence gathered so far is revealing discrepancies in the military's
version of events.

Afterward, the Marines took 22 minutes before calling for aid, Mr.
Duncan said. An ambulance was finally requested when the Border Patrol
and a sheriff's deputy arrived on the scene.

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

Mr. Duncan said investigators have other details but don't want to
release them until the case is presented to a grand jury.

Investigators are also still trying to interview others connected with
the operation and 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.

A request to serve the subpoenas has been made at the provost marshal's
office at Fort Bliss.

Task Force spokeswoman Maureen Bossch said agency officials are awaiting
the subpoenas.

"We haven't been contacted by the Texas Rangers about anything," she
added. "We're standing by to cooperate fully with them."

Staff writer Douglas Holt in El Paso contributed to this report.

(The Marine Will Be Tried For Murder. Heard on the Radio Today.)