Trial Opens Over Raid on Elian Gonzalez

[Walter Cronkite]

Border patrol agents enter the Miami home of Lazaro Gonazlez in April, 2000 to seize Elian.

A trial opened Monday in a $3 million-plus lawsuit by 13 people who say they were injured or traumatized when federal agents seized a screaming Elian Gonzalez from his Miami relatives' home.

The opening witness was neighbor Maria Riera, who testified that she clutched her chest and thought she was dying when an agent doused her with tear gas during the April 22, 2000, raid to reunite the 6-year-old boy with his father in Cuba.

The 13 neighbors and protesters are seeking up to $250,000 each, claiming that agents used excessive force during the armed raid.

"I was stopped by a gentleman on my left approaching me with a shotgun," said Riera, who lived across the street from the home where the boy had lived since shortly after he was rescued from a shipwreck on Thanksgiving Day 1999.

She said a black-garbed agent wearing a mask ordered her to "stand back" or he would shoot, adding a word of profanity. She said she complied, but a second agent approached with a gas gun as she stood in her driveway and left her in a gray cloud of tear gas.

A total of 108 people sued over the raid, but U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore limited the case to people who were not on the Gonzalez family property and were beyond police barricades.

Elian, now 11, was one of three survivors of a shipwreck that killed his mother.

The raid took place after the family refused to return the boy so he could be taken back to Cuba.

Source: AP

[Sodomy]

Those stupid people, most likely sweet little innocent Cubans that snuck over here.....Don't give them a red cent. Give them a boat or something similar to get back to Cuba where they can really be traumatized.

I'm sick to death of these sue happy idiots in our country. If they want to be traumatized send them to Iraq to fight for the right to be in this country, send them to Asia to help clean up after the Tsunami. Their "trauma" doesn't amount to much more than a bad day of school in the projects.

Give that money to those boys that are fighting for their right to live in the USA.

Ain't that just so typical of these grease balls we let in when that dope Jimmy Carter was president. They didn't even know what a crapper was in Cuba, and they come over here and suddenly have a lawyer.

[Kellie-Girl]

Those stupid people, most likely sweet little innocent Cubans that snuck over here.....Don't give them a red cent. Give them a boat or something similar to get back to Cuba where they can really be traumatized.

I'm sick to death of these sue happy idiots in our country. If they want to be traumatized send them to Iraq to fight for the right to be in this country, send them to Asia to help clean up after the Tsunami. Their "trauma" doesn't amount to much more than a bad day of school in the projects.

Give that money to those boys that are fighting for their right to live in the USA.

Ain't that just so typical of these grease balls we let in when that dope Jimmy Carter was president. They didn't even know what a crapper was in Cuba, and they come over here and suddenly have a lawyer.

So you're an asshole and a racist.

[Sir Gilead]

Well I agree with Sodomy. I live in Miami and I remember when all of that happened. While I'll be the first person in line to point out when the Government gets out of control, down here in Miami everybody wants a piece of everybody. People will sue you down here for spitting a sidewalk block that they claim as their own.

If those people were so fucking traumatized then why'd it take them over 5 years to file a lawsuit? The Cubans already have it good enough here with speical rules applying ONLY to them. Think it's fair when a Hatian or Dominican reaches our shores only to get caught and sent back? While a Cuban who does the same shit gets away scott free? We reward these people for breaking our laws. They enter this country under illegal pretenses and they get a pat on the back for it.

My family had to enter this country legally so, so does everyone else! I say anyone caught gets sent back automatically. No more playing favorites.

[Harmon]

i think everybody should be fuckin treated fairly....who cares if your black white yellow or whatever this is america where color just means what privilages you get

if america goes to war all americans should stick together until the end, which unforunatly i dont think can happen....im pretty patriotic about my country i love it here.....theres a reason people envy america so much, but us as americans take everything that we get for granted.....


as far as that kid goes...his mom and him were coming here for a reason....i think if ur tryin to sneak across borders and bullshit you can go back home...there is a real way to go about things, without having to sneak!

[Short Irish Guy]

So you're an asshole and a racist.

There's nothing "racist" about his post you fucking moron.

[Kellie-Girl]

There's nothing "racist" about his post you fucking moron.

Actually it is. You're just a bigot with a small dick complex.

[Short Irish Guy]

Actually it is. You're just a bigot with a small dick complex.

Stupid cunt.

You do realize that little Cuban entered this country illegally and had to be sent back to Cuba as per federal law?

Of course you didn't. That would require intelligence and reasoning skills which you obviously do not possess.

[johnny trance]

im not sure about all this drama but i love the picture. its comedy gold.

[Harmon]

aye 2pac and biggy smalls calm down for fools start gettin shot!!!


lol "cant we all just get along"<--- think jack nicolson said that shit

as ref of this fight i say both parties head to their neutral corners!

[Short Irish Guy]

lol "cant we all just get along"<--- think jack nicolson said that shit

Rodney King

[Kellie-Girl]

Small Dick Prick

Stupid cunt.

You do realize that little Cuban entered this country illegally and had to be sent back to Cuba as per federal law?

Of course you didn't. That would require intelligence and reasoning skills which you obviously do not possess.

You need to get a clue. It doesn't matter if Elian entered the country illegally. It was not right to get him with guns thrown in peoples faces. It was just to get a little boy, it wasn't a drug bust.

But you're too stupid to realize that. And you're a racist and pissed off because Elian Gonzalez (back then and now) has a bigger dick than you.

[Short Irish Guy]

You need to get a clue. It doesn't matter if Elian entered the country illegally. It was not right to get him with guns thrown in peoples faces. It was just to get a little boy, it wasn't a drug bust.

The family wasn't going to give him up without a fight. It was an international situation which was carried out by the necessary means. No laws were broken in that raid.

But you're too stupid to realize that. And you're a racist and pissed off because Elian Gonzalez (back then and now) has a bigger dick than you.

Maybe he does but that still doesn't make me a racist. It's easy to call people bad names when you don't have a fucking argument. Once again, I've shown you to be wrong beyond reproach.

You really are fucking stupid. Go drink a bottle of Drano and end your life for the sake of our civilization. Stupid cunt.

[Kellie-Girl]

The family wasn't going to give him up without a fight. It was an international situation which was carried out by the necessary means. No laws were broken in that raid.




Maybe he does but that still doesn't make me a racist. It's easy to call people bad names when you don't have a fucking argument. Once again, I've shown you to be wrong beyond reproach.

You really are fucking stupid. Go drink a bottle of Drano and end your life for the sake of our civilization. Stupid cunt.

Do you really think there was an army of cubans in that house with guns galore? It was overkill plain and simple. You just have a hatred for anyone who isn't white, so you think its fine to bring all those people in there with guns to rough up the people inside.

And before I drink my drano why don't you drink a glass full of AIDS you fucking weak dick.

[Harmon]

kellie i would let you have my dick anyday of the week!

i could send static to your finger tips