Now All I Feel is Rage: “The Ballad of Esequiel Hernandez” Pt. 2

[SHANEA]

Now All I Feel is Rage: “The Ballad of Esequiel Hernandez” Pt. 2

[SHANEA]

No Escape from Grief: The Ballad of Esequiel Hernández

The Ballad of Esequiel Hernández (July 8th, 10 PM, PBS)

[SHANEA]

The Ballad of Esequiel Hernández

[SHANEA]

Lou Dobbs Protecting Our Borders

[SHANEA]

On the Border:  A documentary film premiering on PBS analyzes the evidence surrounding the killing and the subsequent grand jury hearing involving the four Marines

But that doesn’t mean the troops didn’t expect action. The Marines were told that around 75 percent of the residents of the town of Redford were actively involved in illegal drug trafficking, a plainly preposterous claim. One of the team, James Blood, jokes that he hoped to find a goat loaded with cocaine, perhaps for his own profit.

It emerged that Corp. Clemente Banuelos, the team leader, and the Marine who shot Hernandez had said he “capped the mother******,” which only added to the outrage of the local community.

[RichardM]

Austin filmmaker's 'The Ballad of Esequiel Hernandez' debuts on PBS

Documentary explores Texas teen's killing by Marines

[homerboy2u]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/kivll11bwn4&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/kivll11bwn4&rel=0</a>

 Some reactions, from Richard Vargas.......

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/GTufVRFfolU&rel=0" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/GTufVRFfolU&rel=0</a>

[Ay Chihuahua!]

BTW...This is coming on in the Austin area in about 30 min. on KLRU. 

Here's the schedule.

THE BALLAD OF ESEQUIEL HERNANDEZ
episode: #2103

series: P.O.V.

Tommy Lee Jones narrates a look at the death of an American citizen on the Texas-Mexico border.

Support programs like this

Showtimes:    Tuesday 8th July 2008 22:00 [HD 18-1]
   Tuesday 8th July 2008 22:00 [KLRU]
   Wednesday 9th July 2008 21:00 [KLRU-G]
   Thursday 10th July 2008 00:00 [KLRU2]
   Thursday 10th July 2008 02:00 [KLRU-G]
   Thursday 10th July 2008 03:00 [KLRU2]
   Tuesday 15th July 2008 02:00 [KLRU]
   Tuesday 15th July 2008 02:00 [HD 18-1]
 


Length: 01:26:46:00

[SHANEA]

DVR is set and ready...  Should be interesting, especially with Tommy Lee Jones doing the narration.  This will really put Redford on the map.  Maybe the grocery store and gas station will reopen.

[homerboy2u]

You guys are so lucky to get PBS. i can't get it here anymore with out going to Direct Tv. Anyhow, i was looking in detail the videos on YouTube and can not keep off from my mind the parents of Esequiel Hernandez....



 To look down on your sons grave...it's tough!

 Who knows,maybe Esequiel's death can transform the incident.....in to an idea.

[SHANEA]

I think a picture explains a lot...

[bdhawk133]

Watched it last night.....good movie.....sad story!

[Ay Chihuahua!]

Watched it last night.....good movie.....sad story!

Yes, it was a good movie.  I thought the director actually seemed to present a fair and balanced telling of the story.  It seemed like everyone involved was interviewed except the guy who actually murdered the kid.

It was also very sad.  The interview with the mom and dad choked me up a bit.

But it didn't piss you off?  I was absolutely amazed at how completely idiotic it was to send Marines to run missions against US citizens.  For me this brought up the question of how our folks in DC can be so completely ignorant of the cultures within our own country.  For instance the "intelligence" report that 75% of the people in this border region are involved in narcotics trafficking (what a joke!).  Which, of course, begs the question, are we this ignorant of the many cultures found within Iraq?

I'm just rambling.  Bottom line...this was a very well done documentary of a tragic incident on American soil involving one of our own.  My recommendation, though, is not to watch it before you go to bed.  It's very thought provoking.

[homerboy2u]

Anybody made a copy, they can send?...i am completely out of the ball game, for a good long while.

[rgibson]

Passed thru Redford about 3pm the day of the shooting.  Had followed a BP SUV from Presidio.  BP turned off the road that goes to the Hernadez Rancho.  Shooting was 5pm to 6pm or so.

Have followed in detail since.

The Grand Jury had alot of BP seated.  The Grand Jury had already been seated b4 and was not chosen specifically for this hearing. 

There is a 12,000 page Marine investigation on line accessible, I believe, thru the San Antonio paper web site.

The report was obtained thru Freedom of Information Act.

Read the first 50 pages and the scanned the rest.  Report did not cover up and has some pertinent info.

1.  The Marines had over-obligated and had other special projects going and were not on top of details.

2.  When leaving for Texas, were short of specifically trained folks and took on volunteers the evening b4 troops left CA.

3.  At least one of the last-minute volunteers were one of the four were on the ill-fated patrol.

4.  Upon arrival in Marfa, troops were not given any "local" info/customs/culture/what to expect/etc other than 75% were drug dealers.

5.  Summarized that a group of unfortunate situations all came together for a terrible result.

6.  Through no actions of the Hernadezs, Congress did appropriate a million dollars or so to them.

7.  Esequiel had Marine posters in his room and planned on joining the Marines after High School.

8.  On the other side of the coin.  A few Redford folks have been major players in the drug trade before '93.  Shorty was the main player with a # of helpers.  One of the helpers was arrested on warrant on the porch of the Lajitas Trading Post shortly after we acquired the LTP in '92.  Shorty had wide connections to include Dudley M Hughes Jr, who owned funeral homes in the Dallas area.  Hughes was the one who laundered the $.

When Shorty was convicted in Federal Court in Pecos, Judge Bunton gave him 30 days to clear up his ranches.  Of course, one ranch was across the rio in the Colorado Canyon area.  (Later, raft trips would stop and take a quick tour of the, by then vacant, facilities.)

Texas Ranger, Joaquin Jackson, warned Judge Bunton that Shorty would run and not report back in 30 days and he would be in MX.  Sure 'nuff, Joaquin was correct.

When, one of the movies was filming rio crossings in the Colorado Canyon/Big Hill area, there were quite a few trespass cows from MX and the wranglers set up a corral to keep the cattle away from the set areas.

Joaquin, who had left the Rangers and was Director of Security for the different movies filmed in the area, realized those would have to be Shorty's cattle and remotely set up a sting.  He could not be involved in person because Shorty would recognize Joaquin.  The next day Shorty came across to get his cattle,  was told they would have to be impounded in Alpine.  Shorty could pay the fine, vet bill, and pick them up in Alpine.

Shorty did not want to (or could) go through all the hoops.  So Joaquin's plan continued to unfold.  Shorty was then told, there was a vet traveling the next day from Presidio to Lajitas and they would get the vet to stop and check the cattle, he could pay the vet, and then remove the cattle.

All went as planned, Shorty was cuffed and then Joaquin appears and personally takes Shorty to jail, where he still resides.

Joaquin spent alot of time at the LTP during the movies coordinating about 10 to 15 off duty law officers for the movie.  I was told this story first-hand as it was happening.

Probably some drugs still going on, but nothing like in the Shorty days.  Nearly all the folks in Redford are law-abiding and good people.