YES, YES, YES!!! Arpiao’s case is now in federal court!
One of Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s officers used a Taser on a Latino military veteran that later died. Ernest “Marty” Atencio was a Gulf War Veteran and he will not be forgotten.
“The civil lawsuit filed at the U.S. District Court in Phoenix alleges the sherriff’s office has violated the First, Fourth and Fourteenth amendments of the Constitution, which protect free speech, unlawful searches and due process rights respectively.”
It was sad to see one of our own military Latino veterans die in an unjust manner under the supervision of Joe Arpaio. Ernest “Marty” Atencio will not be forgotten. It is clear excessive force was used in the video that can be seen here. The footage showed the altercation from 26 camera angles. The struggle took place in the early hours of Dec. 16, 2012, inside a Maricopa County jail and came just hours after the Justice Department accused Arpaio’s agency of routinely violating the civil rights of Latinos.
The Tequila Party Movement wrote the FBI with regard to Marty’s death. In our letter to the Director of the FBI, we seek an outside investigation with regard to the incident of Ernest M. Atencio, a 44-year-old Gulf War veteran who was booked into the jail in Phoenix, when he was allegedly tasered and suffered a heart attack according to his family. We have been told that an internal investigation is being carried out, however, we believe the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) should conduct a full investigation with regard to the possible excessive abusive actions by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) under the leadership of Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
See our joint open letter to FBI Director Robert Mueller regarding Gulf War Veteran Ernest M. Atencio below:
December 19, 2011
FBI Headquarters Director Robert Mueller 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20535-0001
(202) 324-3000Subject: Gulf War Veteran Ernest M. Atencio while in custody of Sheriff Joe Arpaio
Dear Mr. Robert Mueller:
We are seeking outside investigation with regard to the incident of Ernest M. Atencio, a 44-year-old Gulf War veteran who was recently booked into the jail in Phoenix, when he was allegedly tasered and suffered a heart attack according to his family. We have been told that an internal investigation is being carried out, however, we believe the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) should conduct a full investigation with regard to the possible excessive abusive actions by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) under the leadership of Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
According to recent news media, his family told local TV station Channel 5 that he was a ‘loving and sweet boy’ who suffered from a mental illness and is now fighting for his life.
Commensurate with the Daily Mail Reporter, one U.S. veteran of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan attempts suicide every 80 minutes, according to new study. The report reveals 1,868 veterans made suicide attempts in 2009 alone. Many veterans face dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder, high employment and a loss of military camaraderie after returning from tours.
According to the Pew Hispanic Center, while Latinos make up 9.5 percent of the actively enlisted forces, they are over-represented in the categories that get the most dangerous assignments – infantry, gun crews and seamanship – and make up over 17.5 percent of the front lines. DOD numbers reveal 35,000 non-citizens currently in the active Armed Forces.
The MCSO should have been trained on how to handle war veterans particularly when there is a history of mental illness and they should be vigilant with regard to the excessive abuse of these veterans. We are seeking the help of the FBI. An investigation should be conducted by the FBI in light of the recent findings provided by the feds via the Department of Justice (DOJ).
Sincerely,
Bernie Abeytia Immediate Past American GI Forum Commander of the State of Arizona Shirl Mora James Lead Co-President of National Tequila Party Movement Civil Rights and Immigration Attorney DeeDee Garcia Blase Founder, Co-President of National Tequila Party Movement Adam Bustos National President, SOMOS REPUBLICANS“…the next time you’re down in Washington, D.C., to go to the Vietnam War Memorial and look at the names engraved in black granite, you’ll find a whole lot of Hispanic names…who love this country so much that they’re willing to risk their lives in its service….remember that these are God’s children…” – Senator John McCain