ICE Officer Indicted in Houston After Hitting Man With Car
Is this a case of equal justice under state law or is part of a political show trial?
Above: Harris County DA Sean Teare. Image credit: Melissa Phillip/Houston Chronicle/Getty Images
The Facts
- A Harris County, Texas, grand jury indicted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer Mario Alberto Morales, 33, on Friday on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, identified by prosecutors as his unmarked vehicle.
- The Harris County District Attorney's Office released 911 recordings and video connected to the Oct. 10 crash. On the call, Morales identified himself as an officer "with Immigration" and said, "I tried to get around him and he hit my car."
- This was after Morales began pursuing a truck driven by Miguel Parra Hernandez, 48, at around 7:30 a.m. in Houston. Surveillance footage showed Parra Hernandez and a passenger running away on foot before an SUV veered and struck him from behind.
Sources Split
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The Spin
Left narrative
A federal badge isn't a license to run somebody down and then spin a story about it. Equal justice must be applied, and local prosecutors have every right and duty to charge violent conduct no matter which agency signs the paycheck. Letting ICE operate beyond the reach of state law is an invitation for more harm.
Right narrative
Turning a split-second roadway accident during a lawful operation into a felony case reeks of politics, not justice. Officers who chase dangerous suspects shouldn't face prison because a prosecutor wants a trophy for political allies. Due process and a fair look at the evidence beat a show trial every time.
