16 illegals sue Arizona rancher

[Larry]

Let's put it this way.

If they'd kicked in his front door, and tied him and his wife up, then they'd still have (some) rights. Including the right to sue.

(There is no right to win.)

Reason they don't have a leg to stand on in this case is because all the rancher did was make them stick around and wait for the cops to show up. Which the rancher had the right to do.

But if (to make up something completely outrageous) the rancher had marched them back to the barn and raped all of them? Then yeah, they'd have tie right to have him prosecuted, and to sue.

[AAARedskin]

I plan on robbing a few banks this coming weekend, and if anybody stops me in any way, I AM GOING TO SUE THEM.

The ENTIRE justice system in this country as we know it is BROKEN and truly needs to be destroyed.....and an entirely new justice system needs to be formed.

[Geoff_K]

If I am on the jury they wont win. There are some things that are TOO NUTS to allow and nothing they can tell me would make me rule for the illegals. He did not shoot them, he did not physically injure them (though he would be allowed to defend himself if they rushed him).

[twa]

VERDICT IN:rolleyes:

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A federal jury found Tuesday that a southern Arizona rancher didn’t violate the civil rights of a group of illegal immigrants who said he detained them at gunpoint in 2004.

The eight-member civil jury also found Roger Barnett wasn’t liable on claims of battery and false imprisonment.

But the jury did find him liable on four claims of assault and four claims of infliction of emotional distress and ordered Barnett to pay $77,804 in damages — $60,000 of which were punitive.

[Thiebear]

EPIC FAIL....

There is no justice.

Maybe he can sell all the sensors to pay for it and just move out to allow them to use the house as a pathway.

that whole trespassers will be shot sign has lost.

[GibbsFactor]

Well that's a shame.

[CrabR]

this should never have come to court

The rancher Should sue the lawyer for legal and court fees

[BALLz]

Next time he should shoot them and burry them. A lot cheaper

[The Brave Little Toaster Oven]

bull****ttttttttt.

[BALLz]

Can this verdict be appealed?

[Bang]

I plan on robbing a few banks this coming weekend, and if anybody stops me in any way, I AM GOING TO SUE THEM.

The ENTIRE justice system in this country as we know it is BROKEN and truly needs to be destroyed.....and an entirely new justice system needs to be formed.

You can and always have been able to sue anyone over anything. I literally could sue YOU over this post.

The trick comes in WINNING the lawsuit.

The system isn't broken. The system is abused. The system works just fine if it were to be used the way it is intended.

In the case of these illegals, if they WIN this suit, then you've got a reason to complain. But not yet. (EDITED for new information! See below before you reply to tell me they won... three posts down.)

Besides. If you try to rebuild the justice system, who is going to write the laws, who is going to create the system?

Lawyers will.

And what do you know, 100% of the time that there's a frivolous lawsuit clogging up our courts, 100% of the time that a clear misrepresentation of justice (like this case) occurs,,, there's a LAWYER behind them, urging them on. Who has turned the justice system into an ATM? Well, as I said, in 100% of these types of head-scratching cases, there's a lawyer willing to argue in it's behalf so he can get paid.

So if you fix the system, understand that they will just write it to keep themselves fat and happy. It's what they've been doing for decades anyway.

The system doesn't need to be fixed. However, the same cannot be said for the ethics of many who practice law in this country.

~Bang

[NavyDave]

The system isn't broken, we just need to water board the ambulance chasers

[twa]

Can this verdict be appealed?

Yes, and I'm sure it will be

Even if it is not reversed the punitive fines can be reduced.

[Bang]

Well, it has been pointed out to me that these illegals did win $77K. (Thanks TB)

Still , don't think the system is broken. On the other hand, a judge needs to be fired and disbarred.

~Bang

[BALLz]

Yes, and I'm sure it will be

Even if it is not reversed the punitive fines can be reduced.

Thats good. It is my understanding that the jury can sometimes be ignorant to the penalties that apply when a guilty verdict is given.

My hope is they didn't know a guilty verdict on those few counts would result in the plantiff being awarded that much money. Perhaps for some reason the thought it would only be a couple grand or something.

If they knowingly awarded the Plantiffs almost 80 grand then they are idiots.

[twa]

If the system is not broken,it is in real need of a rebuild.

I wonder how much this rancher has had to pay in legal bills because of this BS...He would not be the first to lose his land.

[twa]

If they knowingly awarded the Plantiffs almost 80 grand then they are idiots.

Then they clearly are idiots:D

The jury set the punitive damages.

Bang,the problem being the costs of defending yourself from BS suits is crippling to many....a fact many take advantage of to gain settlements

[NavyDave]

So, let's take a vote.

All in favor of "hasn't read the thread, and therefore isn't aware that the illegals in question aren't even accused of doing any of those things"?

OK, now how many in favor of "knows that the people concerned aren't accused of any of those things, but doesn't care if everybody knows that what he's saying isn't true"?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/09/16-illegals-sue-arizona-rancher/

Roger Barnett, 64, began rounding up illegal immigrants in 1998 and turning them over to the U.S. Border Patrol, he said, after they destroyed his property, killed his calves and broke into his home.

Mr. Barnett told The Washington Times in a 2002 interview that he began rounding up illegal immigrants after they started to vandalize his property, northeast of Douglas along Arizona Highway 80. He said the immigrants tore up water pumps, killed calves, destroyed fences and gates, stole trucks and broke into his home.

His Cross Rail Ranch near Douglas, Ariz., is known by federal and county law enforcement authorities as "the avenue of choice" for immigrants seeking to enter the United States illegally.

Mr. Barnett said some of the ranch´s established immigrant trails were littered with trash 10 inches deep, including human waste, used toilet paper, soiled diapers, cigarette packs, clothes, backpacks, empty 1-gallon water bottles, chewing-gum wrappers and aluminum foil - which supposedly is used to pack the drugs the immigrant smugglers give their "clients" to keep them running.

He said he carried a pistol during his searches for the immigrants and had a rifle in his truck "for protection" against immigrant and drug smugglers, who often are armed.

ASSOCIATED PRESS DEFENDANT: Roger Barnett said he had turned over 12,000 illegal immigrants to the Border Patrol since 1998.

A former Cochise County sheriff´s deputy who later was successful in the towing and propane business, Mr. Barnett spent $30,000 on electronic sensors, which he has hidden along established trails on his ranch. He searches the ranch for illegal immigrants in a pickup truck, dressed in a green shirt and camouflage hat, with his handgun and rifle, high-powered binoculars and a walkie-talkie.

His sprawling ranch became an illegal-immigration highway when the Border Patrol diverted its attention to several border towns in an effort to take control of the established ports of entry. That effort moved the illegal immigrants to the remote areas of the border, including the Cross Rail Ranch.

"This is my land. I´m the victim here," Mr. Barnett said. "When someone´s home and loved ones are in jeopardy and the government seemingly can´t do anything about it, I feel justified in taking matters into my own hands. And I always watch my back."

[Bang]

Then they clearly are idiots:D

The jury set the punitive damages.

Bang,the problem being the costs of defending yourself from BS suits is crippling to many....a fact many take advantage of to gain settlements

Yeah, I know. The law ain't for us common folk, eh?

That's why I wrote above that the ethics need to be examined rather than the system be fixed.

~Bang

[twa]

Ya can't legislate ethics , any more than morals though.

and yes I know they have rules for ethics...real effective ones eh?

[Mad Mike]

VERDICT IN:rolleyes:

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A federal jury found Tuesday that a southern Arizona rancher didn’t violate the civil rights of a group of illegal immigrants who said he detained them at gunpoint in 2004.

The eight-member civil jury also found Roger Barnett wasn’t liable on claims of battery and false imprisonment.

But the jury did find him liable on four claims of assault and four claims of infliction of emotional distress and ordered Barnett to pay $77,804 in damages — $60,000 of which were punitive.

It's official. We are living in an idiocracy. :doh:

[Old Bay]

Thats good. It is my understanding that the jury can sometimes be ignorant to the penalties that apply when a guilty verdict is given.

I think this is generally true, and was definitely the case on the jury I sat on. I think it's to make sure that they will give the verdict based off of what is their definition of what is right and that not be skewed by what the punishment may be. Possessing that knowledge could influence the jury in one way or another.

[Larry]

And what do you know, 100% of the time that there's a frivolous lawsuit clogging up our courts, 100% of the time that a clear misrepresentation of justice (like this case) occurs,,, there's a LAWYER behind them, urging them on.

And every one of these cases began when the client contacted the lawyer.

Behind every sleazy lawyer - There's a sleazy client.

[Larry]

Thats good. It is my understanding that the jury can sometimes be ignorant to the penalties that apply when a guilty verdict is given.

My hope is they didn't know a guilty verdict on those few counts would result in the plantiff being awarded that much money. Perhaps for some reason the thought it would only be a couple grand or something.

If they knowingly awarded the Plantiffs almost 80 grand then they are idiots.

Far as I'm aware, the Jury picks the numbers. (In civil cases.)

[Larry]

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/feb/09/16-illegals-sue-arizona-rancher/

Roger Barnett, 64, began rounding up illegal immigrants in 1998 and turning them over to the U.S. Border Patrol, he said, after they destroyed his property, killed his calves and broke into his home.

Mr. Barnett told The Washington Times in a 2002 interview that he began rounding up illegal immigrants after they started to vandalize his property, northeast of Douglas along Arizona Highway 80. He said the immigrants tore up water pumps, killed calves, destroyed fences and gates, stole trucks and broke into his home.

His Cross Rail Ranch near Douglas, Ariz., is known by federal and county law enforcement authorities as "the avenue of choice" for immigrants seeking to enter the United States illegally.

Mr. Barnett said some of the ranch´s established immigrant trails were littered with trash 10 inches deep, including human waste, used toilet paper, soiled diapers, cigarette packs, clothes, backpacks, empty 1-gallon water bottles, chewing-gum wrappers and aluminum foil - which supposedly is used to pack the drugs the immigrant smugglers give their "clients" to keep them running.

He said he carried a pistol during his searches for the immigrants and had a rifle in his truck "for protection" against immigrant and drug smugglers, who often are armed.

ASSOCIATED PRESS DEFENDANT: Roger Barnett said he had turned over 12,000 illegal immigrants to the Border Patrol since 1998.

A former Cochise County sheriff´s deputy who later was successful in the towing and propane business, Mr. Barnett spent $30,000 on electronic sensors, which he has hidden along established trails on his ranch. He searches the ranch for illegal immigrants in a pickup truck, dressed in a green shirt and camouflage hat, with his handgun and rifle, high-powered binoculars and a walkie-talkie.

His sprawling ranch became an illegal-immigration highway when the Border Patrol diverted its attention to several border towns in an effort to take control of the established ports of entry. That effort moved the illegal immigrants to the remote areas of the border, including the Cross Rail Ranch.

"This is my land. I´m the victim here," Mr. Barnett said. "When someone´s home and loved ones are in jeopardy and the government seemingly can´t do anything about it, I feel justified in taking matters into my own hands. And I always watch my back."

Now show me the part that says that the people who are suing him are the same people who did all those nifty things that you've oh so cleverly bolded.