Post by Logan on Jun 15, 2016 21:37:26 GMT -6
Woman sues feds over treatment at U.S.-Mexico border after being billed for body cavity search
PHOENIX – A young U.S. citizen is suing the federal government after she said she was taken in handcuffs by border offices to a Nogales hospital for a body cavity search – which found nothing – and then billed for the procedure.
Ashley Cervantes says in her lawsuit that she had crossed into Mexico on foot on a Saturday morning in October 2014 to have breakfast at a restaurant where she often eats. On returning, she presented border officials with her birth certificate and state identification card.
Attorney Brian Marchetti said they accused the woman, 18 at the time, of possessing drugs. When she denied that was true, they took her into a detention room where, during the next several hours, she was handcuffed to a chair, had several dogs sniff her, and eventually taken into a separate room where she was patted down and asked to squat so female investigators could visually inspect her.
All that, said Marchetti, occurred without her consent or a warrant. In fact, he said, a request to call her mother was denied.
Read more: www.dcourier.com/news/2016/jun/15/woman-sues-feds-over-treatment-us-mexico-border/
The indignity of having a body cavity search without probable cause is terrible enough, but billing her for the procedure? I'm completely against frivolous lawsuits, but I agree with the young woman for filing suit over this injustice.
PHOENIX – A young U.S. citizen is suing the federal government after she said she was taken in handcuffs by border offices to a Nogales hospital for a body cavity search – which found nothing – and then billed for the procedure.
Ashley Cervantes says in her lawsuit that she had crossed into Mexico on foot on a Saturday morning in October 2014 to have breakfast at a restaurant where she often eats. On returning, she presented border officials with her birth certificate and state identification card.
Attorney Brian Marchetti said they accused the woman, 18 at the time, of possessing drugs. When she denied that was true, they took her into a detention room where, during the next several hours, she was handcuffed to a chair, had several dogs sniff her, and eventually taken into a separate room where she was patted down and asked to squat so female investigators could visually inspect her.
All that, said Marchetti, occurred without her consent or a warrant. In fact, he said, a request to call her mother was denied.
Read more: www.dcourier.com/news/2016/jun/15/woman-sues-feds-over-treatment-us-mexico-border/
The indignity of having a body cavity search without probable cause is terrible enough, but billing her for the procedure? I'm completely against frivolous lawsuits, but I agree with the young woman for filing suit over this injustice.