DOJ Blocked ICE Agent Shooting Charge over Federal Prosecutor's Objections
DOJ leadership overruled a Minnesota prosecutor to limit charges against an ICE agent who shot a Venezuelan immigrant in Minneapolis.
Department of Justice leadership in Washington blocked civil rights charges against ICE agent Christian Castro, 52, accused of shooting Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg in January during Operation Metro Surge, despite the objections of Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Evans. Prosecutors were told to prepare for false-statement charges only, which carry far lighter penalties. Castro also faces state felony assault charges in Minnesota, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott refused extradition requests. The incident was one of three ICE agent shootings in Minneapolis, two of them fatal.
- DOJ quashed planned deprivation-of-rights charges over the prosecutor's objections
- Agent expected to face only false-statement charges, likely filed under seal
- Castro also faces Minnesota state felony charges; Texas refused extradition
- Victims
- Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis
- Organizations
- Department of JusticeICEProPublica
- Countries
- United States
From the original article
4 min read at propublica.org
Over the “strongest possible” objections from the federal prosecutor handling the case, leaders at the Department of Justice in Washington, D. C. , quashed plans to bring civil rights charges against an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent accused of shooting a Venezuelan immigrant and then lying about it.
By paimapi · propublica.org
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