Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Family Of Mexican Teenager Shot By Border Patrol Files Lawsuit

The lawsuit claims the agents’ actions in killing 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez were “unreasonable” and “excessive,” and asks for a trial by jury.

John Stanton/BuzzFeed

The family of a Mexican teenager who was fatally shot by Border Patrol near Nogales, Ariz., filed a lawsuit in federal district court Tuesday alleging they boy's Fourth and Fifth Amendments rights under the U.S. Constitution were violated.

The civil lawsuit was filed in the 9th U.S. District Court in Tucson by the American Civil Liberties Union and attorneys Luis Parra and Roberto Montiel on behalf of Araceli Rodriguez, the boy's mother.

"The U.S. border patrol agents who killed my son in a senseless act of violence are still out there and they need to be brought to justice," Rodriguez said in a statement. "The U.S. government has not held the agents who shot my son accountable and that is why I am bringing this lawsuit."

The lawsuit claims the agents' actions in killing 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez were "unreasonable" and "excessive," and asks for a trial by jury.

"The agents acted intentionally with the specific purpose of causing serious harm and/or death to Jose Antonio, without legal justification," it says.

On the night of Oct. 10, 2012, Elena Rodriguez was walking on a street that runs parallel to the U.S. border fence, in Nogales, Mexico. Border Patrol agents in the U.S. fired anywhere between 14 to 30 shots through the fence into Mexico, striking Rodriguez at least 10 times, according the the complaint filed Tuesday.

The circumstances of the incident remain unclear, but Border Patrol has said agents were chasing a group suspected of entering the country illegally and fired across the border in response to alleged rock throwing.

The complaint says eyewitness said agents were stationed behind a section of the fence that towers approximately 40-50 feet above the street on the Mexican side, putting into question whether agents could have taken cover instead of using deadly force.

John Stanton/BuzzFeed

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Last Text Sent From Phone Of Murdered Michigan Teen: "OMG. ... I Think I'm Being Kidnapped"

The text, which was received by 14-year-old April Milsap’s boyfriend, was the last sent from her phone before her body was found by joggers.

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36 Powerful Photos Showing Not Everyone Wants To Turn Away The Children At The Border

Much of the media coverage of the unaccompanied minors crisis at the border has focused on anti-immigration protests. But in Texas, California, and elsewhere, many are supporting the children.

Thousands of undocumented children and families have arrived at the U.S. border in recent months, sparking anti-immigration protests. But activists, churches, and ordinary people have also taken to the streets, showing their support for the migrants.

Thousands of undocumented children and families have arrived at the U.S. border in recent months, sparking anti-immigration protests . But activists, churches, and ordinary people have also taken to the streets, showing their support for the migrants.

Jassiel Perez/United We Dream / Via Flickr: unitedwedream

In California, Methodist Bishop Minerva Carcaño visited a detention facility in Ventura County in July, where over 500 unaccompanied children are being held.

Marco Loera / NDLON

In a recent video she shared her message for the children as a faith leader.

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"I'd say welcome, bienvenido, mijito, mijita, we love you," she said. "We're glad that you're here. We hate the fact that you're suffering, but we stand with you and we're going to struggle with you and we're going to make sure that you're alright."

"I'd say welcome, bienvenido, mijito, mijita, we love you," she said. "We're glad that you're here. We hate the fact that you're suffering, but we stand with you and we're going to struggle with you and we're going to make sure that you're alright."

"These are children, these are God's children and therefore they are our children," she concluded.

Marco Loera / NDLON

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Monday, July 28, 2014

Satanic Temple Demands Religious Exemption To Abortion Laws

Using the legal precedent set by the Hobby Lobby case, the Satanic Temple claimed a religious exemption to “informed consent” abortion laws.

The Satanic Temple has launched a campaign to claim a religious exemption against "informed consent" abortion laws based on the Supreme Court's recent decision to allow Hobby Lobby to claim a religious exemption to Obamacare's contraception mandate.

The Satanic Temple has launched a campaign to claim a religious exemption against "informed consent" abortion laws based on the Supreme Court's recent decision to allow Hobby Lobby to claim a religious exemption to Obamacare's contraception mandate.

thesatanictemple.com

Some states have "informed consent" abortion laws, which require medical professionals to provide information about alternatives to abortion, such as adoption. These laws have been accused of allowing bias in an effort to convince women not to abort.

The Satanic Temple released a statement Monday saying they "are not the first organization to criticize the state mandated abortion materials as false and/or biased, they are the first to offer an exemption from such materials on religious grounds."

The Satanic Temple released a statement Monday saying they "are not the first organization to criticize the state mandated abortion materials as false and/or biased, they are the first to offer an exemption from such materials on religious grounds."

thesatanictemple.com

The Satanic Temple is based in New York and their mission "is to encourage benevolence and empathy among all people. In addition, we embrace practical common sense and justice," according to their website.

They do not believe in the supernatural, and are interested in separating superstition from the religion. The group is frequently asked if it is a prank or hoax, to which they write "these campaigns have ultimate goals related issues that are important to us and our membership."

Anyone can gain membership to TST if they join and identify with the seven tenets.

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Video Captures Terrifying Moment Iceberg Collapsed, Unleashing Huge Tidal Wave Near Boaters

“All I could see was this tidal wave coming toward us.”

"I think my heart came up, and I swallowed it. I was petrified," said Wanda Stead to CBC, who captured this dramatic video while boating on Canada's Bay of Exploits with her husband last week.

The footage shows the iceberg slowly falling apart on the lower-left side, but then suddenly collapse at the arch, sending the majority of the structure collapsing into the water below.

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"All I could see was this tidal wave coming toward us," she said to CBC, also admitting they were "too close," parking their boat 100-150 feet away from the large iceberg.

"Accidents are unplanned events," Snead said to CBC. "You never know with something that big ... and people need to know." Her goal of sharing the video was to make people aware of the dangers of approaching large icebergs like this, according to CBC.

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