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CNN: Man sentenced after leaving water bottles for immigrants

AsburySkinsFan

By AsburySkinsFan
in The Tailgate

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AsburySkinsFan

AsburySkinsFan

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In all fairness I think CNN could have worded the title better; "for those crossing illegally". However, with that said sentencing a man for giving people water itself should be a crime. I hope they don't come after my church, because I know some where along the line we probably gave assistance to someone who was here illegally.

Man Sentenced after leaving water bottle for immigrants

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/08/13/arizona.immigrant.advocate/index.html

An Arizona man caught leaving water bottles in the desert for illegal immigrants has been sentenced to 300 hours of community service and a year of probation, an aid group said.

Walt Staton, a member of the group No More Deaths, left full water bottles in December in Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge for the illegal immigrants who routinely pass through the 18,000-acre refuge, according to court documents.

A judge sentenced him Tuesday to 300 hours of picking up trash on public property and a year of probation, No More Deaths said in a written statement. He is also banned from the refuge during that time, the group said.

Although the case involved only a misdemeanor charge, both sides used the divisive issue of illegal immigration in their arguments; Staton's lawyer argued that Staton's actions were humanitarian, but the government said otherwise.

In a sentencing memo, the federal prosecutors wrote that Staton's "actions are not about humanitarian efforts, but about protesting the immigration policies of the United States, and aiding those that enter illegally into the United States."

Noting the phrase scrawled on many of the plastic water jugs -- "buena suerte," or "good luck" in Spanish -- the prosecutors said, "The obvious conclusion is that the defendant and No More Deaths wish to aid illegal aliens in their entry attempt."

They also said, as did the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, that leaving the full plastic jugs on the refuge is detrimental to the health of the animals that live there.

Citing a biologist, the prosecutors said that animals could eat the plastic and that others could get feet or antlers caught on the bottles.

Prosecutors had requested a $5,000 fine, along with five years of probation, according to court documents.

Staton, whom No More Deaths says is to begin seminary school at the Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, California, had initially refused to pay a $175 fine for littering, said Staton's lawyer, Bill Walker.

After his refusal, the government enhanced the charges against him, arguing that he "knowingly littered," said Walker, who is also a member of No More Deaths.

The charge can carry a $100,000 fine and a year in jail, Walker said. Charges against three other people who were cited with Staton in December were dropped, he said.

A jury convicted Staton in June of littering. Walker said he is appealing.

"We think that Walt did nothing wrong," he said. "We do not think that this conviction will be upheld on appeal."

He described Staton as "the kind of guy you'd want to have as your next door neighbor."

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Arizona declined comment.

Mike Hawkes of the Buenos Aires National Wildlife Refuge said Thursday that although he had no issue with groups leaving water out for illegal immigrants, "there's ways to do it without leaving plastic jugs out there."

He said the plastic jugs were strewn throughout the refuge, which is home to hundreds of bird, reptile and mammal species, according to its Web site.

"We have sympathy for what they have to do," he said. But "they have do to do it without putting plastic bottles out there. ... You can't go anywhere in the refuge without seeing plastic bottles through the countryside."

Hawkes said refuge officials and members of No More Deaths had met and were trying to come up with methods that don't involve plastic bottles.

Staton is the second member of No More Deaths to be convicted of littering, according to court documents; however, the other received a suspended sentence.

Walker said that after Staton's conviction, 13 No More Deaths members were charged with littering on the refuge.

With tens of thousands of illegal immigrants crossing through the refuge -- Hawkes said last year's number was about 54,000, down from hundreds of thousands years earlier -- the last water-related death there was in June 2008, he said.

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Larry

Larry

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In all fairness I think CNN could have worded the title better; "for those crossing illegally". However, with that said sentencing a man for giving people water itself should be a crime. I hope they don't come after my church, because I know some where along the line we probably gave assistance to someone who was here illegally.

How about "for knowingly assisting in the commission of a crime"?

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zoony

zoony

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They also said, as did the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, that leaving the full plastic jugs on the refuge is detrimental to the health of the animals that live there.

Citing a biologist, the prosecutors said that animals could eat the plastic and that others could get feet or antlers caught on the bottles.

I'm okay with it.

I hope he picks up a lot of trash during his 300 hours

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AsburySkinsFan

AsburySkinsFan

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How about "for knowingly assisting in the commission of a crime"?

How about leaving water for people so they don't die? I thought it was hilarious that they were concerned about bottles "strewn around the park" but they don't seem as concerned about bodies being "strewn around the park."

I'm okay with it.

I hope he picks up a lot of trash during his 300 hours

I would gladly serve the time, serving the poor, and when my 300 hours were up, I'd do it all again.

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AsburySkinsFan

AsburySkinsFan

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So encouraging them to both risk their life and break the law is a good deed in Methodist circles?

Going out and giving water I could understand,but not this .

How was he encouraging them when they were already crossing and dying before he ever started leaving the water? And how is leaving the water there not "giving" them water? And if he waited in the dessert for them to cross and handed them the water would he not be just as guilty of the crime of aiding criminals?

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Sticksboi05

Sticksboi05

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How about leaving water for people so they don't die? I thought it was hilarious that they were concerned about bottles "strewn around the park" but they don't seem as concerned about bodies being "strewn around the park."

I would gladly serve the time, serving the poor, and when my 300 hours were up, I'd do it all again.

The fact remains they were crossing illegally so if they die, that's a risk they take.

And this whole "jobs we won't do" nonsense....there are plenty of people who would gladly take hard manual labor jobs in this country.

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AsburySkinsFan

AsburySkinsFan

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We will just have to differ here

You gonna give them a ride next?...a place to stay,a job?

Where does it end or have limits?

Come to central Kentucky and visit any one of our beautiful multi-million dollar horse farms, and start asking for green cards. Now I ask, who are the one's promoting illegal immigration; the farms that hire them or the guy who gives them water so they don't die in the desert?

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twa

twa

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They're just collecting them for the deposit. Doing work that Americans won't do.

Sounds like govt program;)

Libs buy water

Drive out in desert,leave water(with sanctioned propaganda label)

Illegals drink water,throw down bottle

govt employees pick up bottles

taxpayers bend over

Environmental group gets 100 million grant to study impact on environment

Govt to taxpayer...we need to look at a increase in PETA's grant for more study

Disability claims for park rangers rises 30% from stooping to pick up bottles

Govt...we need to appoint a panel of experts to study this phenomenon

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Larry

Larry

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Come to central Kentucky and visit any one of our beautiful multi-million dollar horse farms, and start asking for green cards. Now I ask, who are the one's promoting illegal immigration; the farms that hire them or the guy who gives them water so they don't die in the desert?

Both? :whoknows:

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Corcaigh

Corcaigh

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I think the point of the story is that it's littering that he was warned about,and finally prosecuted for. The rangers have stated that plastic waste is harming animals in the refuge. I don't think there is an issue with him leaving water in metal containers, for example.

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twa

twa

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Come to central Kentucky and visit any one of our beautiful multi-million dollar horse farms, and start asking for green cards. Now I ask, who are the one's promoting illegal immigration; the farms that hire them or the guy who gives them water so they don't die in the desert?

I'd be more than happy to sentence those owners to 10 yrs in prison and fine them to recoup the illegals relocation costs.

A first class plane ticket back home sounds good.

Both encourage it,while they excuse it for economic and humanitarian reasons.:chair:

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