TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) - The Latest on a Border Patrol agent’s trial in a fatal shooting (all times local):
4:50 p.m.
Jurors in the trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with second-degree murder in the fatal 2012 shooting of a teenager in Mexico have been released for the day after receiving instructions not to discuss the case with anyone and or read or listen to news reports about the proceedings.
The jurors will return to court Tuesday morning to begin deliberations in the case against Agent Lonnie Swartz in the shooting of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, who had been throwing rocks into the United States near the international crossing in Nogales, Mexico.
Swartz has pleaded not guilty.
The government said in closing arguments that throwing rocks is not “a capital crime.”
The defense team argued the agent’s use of lethal force was justified because he thought he and others were being targeted.
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3:45 p.m.
A jury is receiving its instructions for deliberations in the trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with second-degree murder in the fatal 2012 shooting of a teenager in Mexico.
U.S. District Judge Raner Collins is delivering the guidance before the jury decides whether to find Agent Lonnie Swartz guilty in the shooting of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, who was throwing rocks from Mexico into the United States near the international crossing in Nogales, Arizona.
Swartz has pleaded not guilty.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wallace Heath Kleindienst said in the government’s closing arguments that throwing rocks is not “a capital crime. “
Defense attorney Sean Chapman told jurors in his closing statement that the official’s use of lethal force was justified because he and others thought were they being targeted.
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2:30 p.m.
Lawyers for a U.S. Border Patrol agent on trial in the fatal 2012 shooting of a teenager in Mexico says the official’s use of lethal force was justified because he and others were being pelted by rocks.
Defense attorney Sean Chapman told jurors closing arguments Monday they must find Agent Lonnie Swartz not guilty if prosecutors have not shown beyond a reasonable doubt that Swartz committed a crime.
Swartz is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez, who was throwing rocks from Mexico into the United States near the international crossing in Nogales, Arizona.
Federal prosecutors told the jury earlier Monday that Swartz fired at the teen because he was “fed up with being rocked.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wallace Heath Kleindienst said in the government’s closing arguments that throwing rocks is not “a capital crime” and Elena Rodriguez did not deserve to die.
Elena Rodriguez was shot 10 times, twice in the head and the rest in the back part of his body.
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1:15 p.m.
Federal prosecutors have told the jury in the trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with murder that the official shot and killed a teenager across the Mexican border in 2012 because he was tired of people throwing rocks at him from the other side.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Wallace Heath Kleindienst said in the government’s closing arguments in U.S. District Court on Monday that Agent Lonnie Swartz “was fed up with being rocked. He was angry with those people who had been throwing rocks against the fence.”
The prosecutor says that whatever 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez had done that evening, when he threw rocks apparently to distract border agents during a smuggling attempt, “it wasn’t a capital crime.”
Swartz’s lawyers have said he fired in self-defense.
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11:07 a.m.
Lawyers will begin closing arguments late Monday morning at the trial of a U.S. Border Patrol agent charged with murder in the 2012 fatal shooting of a teenager across the Mexican border.
Lonnie Swartz is charged in the death of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez.
The trial began March 20 in federal court in Tucson.
Prosecutors say Swartz fired 16 shots, hitting the teen 10 times including eight times in the back.
Rodriguez was on a street in Nogales in the Mexican state of Sonora, just across the border from Nogales, Arizona.
Swartz says he fired in self-defense after people threw rocks from the Mexico side during a drug-smuggling attempt.
Prosecutors don’t dispute the teen was throwing rocks, but contend Swartz responded with an unreasonable amount of force.
10:14 p.m.
Closing arguments are expected this week in the trial of U.S. Border Patrol agent charged in the 2012 fatal shooting of a teenager across the Mexican border.
Lonnie Swartz is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez.
The trial began March 20 in U.S. District Court in Tucson.
Prosecutors say Swartz fired 16 shots, hitting the teen 10 times including eight times in the back.
Elena Rodriguez was on a street in Nogales in the Mexican state of Sonora, just across the border from Nogales, Arizona.
Swartz says he fired in self-defense in response to people throwing rocks from the Mexico side during a drug-smuggling attempt.
Prosecutors don’t dispute the teen was throwing rocks, but contend Swartz responded with an unreasonable amount of force.
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