Illegal Alien's hanging in jail fuels many questions

[peejay 327]

Teen's hanging in jail fuels many questions

Arrest for illegal turn starts the end of migrant's dream

By DANE SCHILLER

2008 Houston Chronicle

LEAGUE CITY — The 17-year-old's lifeless body was frozen in a sitting position in solitary-confinement at the Galveston County Jail.

Arturo Chavez's back was flush against a 7-foot partition for the cell's shower. A blue blanket was twisted into a noose, with one end wrapped around his neck, the other tied to a shower head.

He apparently hanged himself about 48 hours after being arrested for what started as an illegal left turn.

It may never be known what swept over Chavez, who illegally emigrated from Guatemala four years ago and spent much of his time trying to improve his English and working to send money home.

"If he did it, it was because he was so beaten down he couldn't take the pain," his older brother Adolfo Chavez said of the suicide.

What is certain is that his life was similar to those of countless people who live in the shadows of society due to their immigration status, and that things hurtled out of control after police pulled him over the night of Aug. 1.

Officials are still investigating his death, ruled a suicide.

A federal lawsuit was filed by Chavez's parents against the League City Police Department, Galveston County and Sheriff Gean Leonard. The lawsuit contends not enough was done to keep Chavez from killing himself.

Those who knew Chavez said, like many undocumented immigrants, he feared any run-in with authorities as it would likely mean he would be deported.

He left Central America when he was 13 and wanted more out of life than he could get with tips loading baggage at a bus station.

Relatives say it took him nearly 15 days to get to Houston, including sneaking into Mexico and riding a passenger bus north.

He crossed the Rio Grande and hiked through South Texas.

Human smugglers demanded $3,500 to guide him, a hefty sum met with help from family and friends.

In Houston, he was known for his hustle and held out hope his improving English skills would get him promoted from busboy to waiter.

Chavez's death was a mystery as much as a shock, said Mario Garcia, who owns the restaurant where Chavez worked.

"I don't understand how you can go from making a mistake to losing your life, I'm dumbfounded by it," Garcia said. "There are two sides to every story, and the truth is probably somewhere right in the middle."

$100 sent home weekly

The kid known by his family as niño, Spanish for boy, had come a long way since leaving his indigenous village. He was sending home at least $100 a week to help his mother, father and sister.

He was not only working full time, but attending Clear Creek High School's program to help newly arrived international students.

He wore woven bracelets made of blue and white yarn — the colors of Guatemala's flag — as well as an anklet with the U.S.A.'s red, white and blue.

"He was very proud of his Mayan heritage," said Elizabeth Laurence, one of his teachers. "He was a feisty young fellow, popular and wanted to learn English very much. He wasn't timid; he tried to use it."

Things were going well with his girlfriend, Jhoseline Martell, whom he met at school.

As the police cruiser's lights flashed behind him near Louisiana Street and League City Parkway, Chavez dialed Martell on his cell phone and stuffed it in his pocket.

"He said the police have stopped me, just listen," recalled Martell, 15.

He normally rode a bicycle to avoid such trouble, but he had recently bought a used green Honda sedan.

He had no driver's license, no insurance and what turned out later to be a fake identification card.

He was arrested and taken to jail. His mugshot was taken while he wore the red shirt from his job as a busboy.

Excessive force alleged

All he had made for himself in the U.S. seemed to hang in the balance as Chavez was locked up at the police station and awaiting transfer to county jail.

At one point, when the holding-cell door was opened, Chavez bolted for freedom, according to a police report.

With officers running behind, the 5-foot-3-inch Chavez made it outside and scrambled up a chain-link fence, but was grabbed by the feet.

The wire atop the fence ripped into his hands.

In the scramble, he was shocked twice with a taser and hit multiple times with a baton, according to police.

Houston attorney Randall Kallinen said the officers used excessive force to apprehend Chavez.

"He had been severely beaten," said Kallinen, who added that a head injury could bring on suicidal thoughts — a mix worsened by solitary confinement. Results of an autopsy are pending.

Gary Ratliff, assistant chief of the League City Police Department, said officers used the minimum of force to catch the fleeing prisoner.

"None of us know what this kid was thinking; no one knows what pushed him to that regard," he said of suicide.

"I really seriously feel for that family. That is a void you just can't fill," he said.

Body sent to Guatemala

Adolfo Chavez, who wears a Rosary identical to the one his brother was buried with, spoke quietly as he described how Arturo came to America to chase a dream.

He also recalled their last phone conversation from jail.

The kid always fighting for a better life sounded broken.

He was now looking at escape charges, resisting arrest, and his body ached.

Adolfo said Arturo asked him to call his parents.

"He said, 'Tell them I love them, and I've always tried to be a good son. I can't take it anymore.' "

Arturo Chavez's body was back in Guatemala last week for a funeral at his parents' home. Family and friends had to raise $6,000 to send his remains back home.

Relatives in the U.S. couldn't afford to attend.

His father, Juan Chavez, said he could hardly believe the condition of his son's body. His face, skull and back were bruised.

His legs were swollen. One hand was torn up.

"He's at peace now," the father said.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5961294.html

[Ban Hammer 14,027]

time for some america hating.

[peejay 327]

time for some america hating.

The Houston Chronicle (aka: The Houston Comical) is packed full of these pro-illegal alien stories that are written with the angle that is always sympathetic to the illegal alien while painting law enforcement in the worst light. The story is tragic, but this kid had absolutely no right to illegally immigrate, work illegally, drive illegally without authorization, and break numerous other laws of our country. As such, he was definitely arrestable, detainable, and deportable. The alternative is to just have open borders into the USA.

Where is the balance? I wonder whose identity he stole or what type of fraudulent ID he used to get his job? I wonder if his employer filled out an I-9 or was just paying this kid off the books? I wonder how much his presence in the USA is costing the school district or what other social services he tapped into while illegally in our country? I wonder if the rest of his family are illegals too?

These stories in the Houston Comical fail to ask any of these pertanent questions. Unfortunately it is the only major newspaper we have in town. It is a joke. It is just a mouthpiece for the chamber of commerce / open borders crowd.

[Ban Hammer 14,027]

time for some america hating.

The Houston Chronicle (aka: The Houston Comical) is packed full of these pro-illegal alien stories that are written with the angle that is always sympathetic to the illegal alien while painting law enforcement in the worst light. The story is tragic, but this kid had absolutely no right to illegally immigrate, work illegally, drive illegally without authorization, and break numerous other laws of our country. As such, he was definitely arrestable, detainable, and deportable. The alternative is to just have open borders into the USA.

Where is the balance? I wonder whose identity he stole or what type of fraudulent ID he used to get his job? I wonder if his employer filled out an I-9 or was just paying this kid off the books? I wonder how much his presence in the USA is costing the school district or what other social services he tapped into while illegally in our country? I wonder if the rest of his family are illegals too?

These stories in the Houston Comical fail to ask any of these pertanent questions. Unfortunately it is the only major newspaper we have in town. It is a joke. It is just a mouthpiece for the chamber of commerce / open borders crowd.

oh i know. but someone on here will say we're evil for him committing suicide. it's america's fault!

[IAMX 3,055]

This is all America's fault. He wasn't in the country illegally, didn't drive illegally, didn't try to escape jail. America just kidnapped him here, gave him a fake license, then forced him into a car to arrest him, then dragged him outside, making it look like an escape, throwing him on a fence to justify using a taser and club. Then, because America couldn't handle the truth, they murdered him.

[peejay 327]

This is all America's fault. He wasn't in the country illegally, didn't drive illegally, didn't try to escape jail. America just kidnapped him here, gave him a fake license, then forced him into a car to arrest him, then dragged him outside, making it look like an escape, throwing him on a fence to justify using a taser and club. Then, because America couldn't handle the truth, they murdered him.

You forgot to mention that the evil empire is also building another Berlin wall on the Rio Grande to prevent the illegals from escaping back to Mexico / Latin America.

[natty bumppo 297]

maybe they should have placed him butt naked in the cell ... with nothing but a bare concrete floor to sleep on ... and nothing else in his cell ... that would have helped prevent the suicide.... oh wait catch 22 ....

[Ggreen 12]

maybe they should have placed him butt naked in the cell ... with nothing but a bare concrete floor to sleep on ... and nothing else in his cell ... that would have helped prevent the suicide.... oh wait catch 22 ....

He's dead already, that's not enough for you?

[LaGreenEyes 0]

Some very heartless comments. I guess just because someone is illegal they deserve to be treated with violence and beaten? Detained and Deported, yes he broke a huge rule, and got caught. He played the game and lost. But to be violently beaten like that, come on. Get over yourselves and be glad you are not nor ever will be in the position of this young man, or the circumstances that made him feel he needed to be here illegally in the first place.

[Heracles 417]

Some very heartless comments. I guess just because someone is illegal they deserve to be treated with violence and beaten? Detained and Deported, yes he broke a huge rule, and got caught. He played the game and lost. But to be violently beaten like that, come on. Get over yourselves and be glad you are not nor ever will be in the position of this young man, or the circumstances that made him feel he needed to be here illegally in the first place.

Give me a f--kin break..

Whenever I post one of many articles of the thousands of A M E R I C A N S that are killed, in A M E R I C A, at the hands of illegal immigrants, I get little to no response. As soon some illegal immigrant is hurt or killed, forgetaboutit. Then it is some sort of crime against humanity.

Edited August 24, 2008 by Aficionado

[Heracles 417]

My favorite post with regards to the issue of illegal immigration

Illegal immigration is not a race issue, nor is it a matter of bigotry. It is an issue of law.

Breaking the law, even frustrating immigration law, shows that the person is not suitable to be admitted to the new country. If you want to move to a new country then you should be made to respect the laws of that country, ALL the laws of that country.

If you don't like the way illegal immigrants are treated or spoken about, then don't become an illegal immigrant, and don't encourage others to become so either.

Personally, if you choose to break the law then you deserve any and all mistreatment you incur. Follow the legal routes like the rest of us or stop complaining.

On the issue of citizenship by birth. I belong to one of those countries where you no longer receive citizenship just because you are born here. I personally think it is a wise policy.

No country has an unlimited amount of resources to support those who won't support themselves. Having a baby within a countries borders should not be the only qualifier for citizenship, otherwise people will (and do) travel just before a baby is born just so they can short-circuit the immigration system.

With the modern ease of travel between countries it is time to legislate for the world we actually live in.Lyn

Last two points being the most important of all.

Edited August 24, 2008 by Aficionado

[IAMX 3,055]

My favorite post with regards to the issue of illegal immigration

Illegal immigration is not a race issue, nor is it a matter of bigotry. It is an issue of law.

Breaking the law, even frustrating immigration law, shows that the person is not suitable to be admitted to the new country. If you want to move to a new country then you should be made to respect the laws of that country, ALL the laws of that country.

If you don't like the way illegal immigrants are treated or spoken about, then don't become an illegal immigrant, and don't encourage others to become so either.

Personally, if you choose to break the law then you deserve any and all mistreatment you incur. Follow the legal routes like the rest of us or stop complaining.

On the issue of citizenship by birth. I belong to one of those countries where you no longer receive citizenship just because you are born here. I personally think it is a wise policy.

No country has an unlimited amount of resources to support those who won't support themselves. Having a baby within a countries borders should not be the only qualifier for citizenship, otherwise people will (and do) travel just before a baby is born just so they can short-circuit the immigration system.

With the modern ease of travel between countries it is time to legislate for the world we actually live in.Lyn

Last two points being the most important of all.

That quote seems more like some ideologue's rant than anything useful to immigration.

That and suggesting there's no race issue to the illegal immigration thing is nonsense. Maybe not for everyone, but significant enough for it to be an issue.

Edited August 24, 2008 by SRVT

[natty bumppo 297]

maybe they should have placed him butt naked in the cell ... with nothing but a bare concrete floor to sleep on ... and nothing else in his cell ... that would have helped prevent the suicide.... oh wait catch 22 ....

He's dead already, that's not enough for you?

too much caffeine? consider sarcasm yet?

... hence the term "catch 22" (need a definition of the term?)

[HAL 9000 96]

Isn't this another repeat thread?

Obsession...

[Chica Yeyé 41]

I think every time this happens we should all go and dance nekkid around the dead body. Sheesh. Obsession, indeed.