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Esequiel Hernández, Jr.

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Esequiel Hernández
Personal details
Born
Esequiel Hernández, Jr.

(1979-05-14)May 14, 1979
Died May 20, 1997(1997-05-20) (aged 18)
Redford, Texas
Nationality American

Esequiel Hernández, Jr. (May 14, 1979 – May 20, 1997) was an 18-year-old American high school student killed on May 20, 1997 by United States Marines in Redford, Texas, located approximately one mile from the United States–Mexico border.[1] Hernández was the first American civilian to be killed by active United States Armed Forces while they were on duty since the student massacre at Kent State University in 1970[2] and led to Defense Secretary William Cohen issuing a temporary suspension of troop patrols near the U.S.–Mexico border.[3] The shooting inspired the 2005 movie The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada by Tommy Lee Jones, and the 2007 documentary The Ballad of Esequiel Hernandez.[4]

Death[]

U.S. Marines on drug patrol heavily camouflaged in ghillie suits came upon Hernández herding goats. The camouflaged Marines observed the 18 year old high school student from concealment at a distance of approximately 200 yards maintaining radio contact with their unit.[5] Hernández, who was carrying a .22 caliber rifle that family members said he used to fend off predators, shot in the direction of the Marines.[1] Continuing to call for Border Patrol assistance, the Marines proceeded to track Hernández for twenty minutes, until the Marine fire-team leader shot and killed Hernandez. The bullet entered Hernandez' armpit on his right side.[5]

Investigation[]

A congressional investigation into the killing was scheduled for September 1997.[6] A grand jury examined the fatal shooting and considered criminal charges against the four Marines,[7] but did not indict any of the Marines involved in the shooting.[8] The Justice Department subsequently dropped its investigation.[9] The Marines also investigated the killing.[10] In 1998, the U.S. government paid his family $1.9 million to settle a wrongful death claim.[11] The U.S. Marine who fatally shot Hernández was not charged.[12]

The Ballad of Esequiel Hernandez[]

The 2007 documentary The Ballad of Esequiel Hernandez explores his killing by Marines, analysing both sides of the issue. It won best-documentary awards at the Mexico City Film Festival and Santa Fe Film Festival in 2007 and at the El Paso festival in 2008. It is directed by Kieran Fitzgerald[13] and narrated by Tommy Lee Jones. The documentary premiered July 8, 2008 on PBS.

External references[]

  • PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer broadcast August 13, 1997 Casualties of the Drug War
  • Oversight Investigation of the Death of Esequiel Hernandez, Jr.: A Report of Chairman Lamar Smith to the Subcommittee on Immigration & Claims of the Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, 150th congress. United States Government Printing, January 1998. ISBN 0-16-057719-5 ISBN 978-0-16-057719-2

See also[]

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Gwynne/Marfa (1997-08-25). "Border Skirmish". Time magazine. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,986881,00.html. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
  2. ↑ Paulsen, Monte (1998-12-25). "Fatal Error: The Pentagon's War on Drugs Takes a Toll on the Innocent". Austin Chronicle. http://www.dpft.org/hernandez/paulsen.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
  3. ↑ Kasindorg, Martin (1997-07-30). "Pentagon Pulls Troops Off Drug Patrols". USA Today. http://www.dpft.org/hernandez/usat_073097.html. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
  4. ↑ Dargis, Manohla (2005-12-14). "Dead Man Rising: An Odyssey in Texas". New York Times. http://movies.nytimes.com/2005/12/14/movies/14buri.html. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "On the Border". Hartford Advocate. 2008-06-30. Archived from the original on 2008-07-15. http://web.archive.org/web/20080715175613/http://www.hartfordadvocate.com/article.cfm?aid=8533. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
  6. ↑ Wiessler, Judy (1997-07-17). "House panel plans probe of S. Texas border killing". Austin Chronicle. http://www.dpft.org/hernandez/hc_071797.html. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
  7. ↑ Howe Verhovek, Same (1997-07-31). "Grand Jury to Examine Fatal Shooting of 18-Year-Old by Marine". New York Times. http://www.dpft.org/hernandez/nyt_073197.html. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
  8. ↑ Zeve, Charles (1997-08-14). "Grand jury doesn't indict Marine in border shooting". CNN. http://www.cnn.com/US/9708/14/border.shooting/. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
  9. ↑ Lewis, Anne S. (2008-06-06). "Tragedy on the Border". Austin Chronicle. http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A632179. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
  10. ↑ Major General John T. Coyne, United States Marine Corps. INVESTIGATION TO INQUIRE INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUNDING THE JOINT TASK FORCE-6 (JTF-6) SHOOTING INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON 20 MAY 1997 NEAR THE BORDER BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO. 07 APR 98.
  11. ↑ [1]
  12. ↑ Mittelstadt, Michelle (1998-02-26). "Feds won't press charges in border shooting". Austin Chronicle. http://www.dpft.org/articles/nocharges.htm. Retrieved 2008-07-121. 
  13. ↑ Casady, Michelle (2008-07-08). "Documentary explores Texas teen's killing by Marines". Houston Chronicle. http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/5876001.html. Retrieved 2008-07-11. 
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