Date May 2010 | ||
The death of Anastasio Hernández Rojas was allegedly caused by a heart attack due to physical exertion during a fight with Border Patrol Agents and methamphetamine poisoning and occurred in May 2010. The controversial death of Hernandez-Rojas occurred after a US border deportation dispute involving Federal agent use of taser(s) and alleged excessive force has caused a demand by Mexican government for a through investigation. A national newspaper in Mexico, El Universal, reports up to 20 US federal border agents were beating Mr. Hernandez-Rojas in the presence of various witnesses while he pleaded for mercy.
According to a report by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), The San Diego coroner’s office recorded in addition to a heart attack: “several loose teeth; bruising to his chest, stomach, hips, knees, back, lips, head and eyelids; five broken ribs; and a damaged spine”, and classified Anastasio’s death as a homicide. A U.S. Justice Department announcement on November 6, 2015 of decision to clear the federal agents involved in the death sparked a protest demonstration involving several hundred people.