Puerto Rico files Lawsuits Against the FBI for Killing Filiberto Ojeda Ríos

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Puerto Rico is suing the FBI following the fatal shooting of a nationalist wanted in a 1983 Hartford armored car heist and a separate incident in which agents used mace against journalists. Two lawsuits were filed against the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department last week, and a congressional inquiry was held on Tuesday. It is believed to be the first time a U.S. territory - or state - has sued the federal law enforcement branches. One lawsuit stems from a September standoff in which Filiberto Ojeda Ríos, the 72-year-old leader of Los Macheteros, an armed movement that sought independence for the island, was shot by agents and bled to death. The other follows an incident last month in which FBI agents were accused of using excessive force against journalists covering a raid on a residence targeted in what the FBI called an anti-terrorism initiative. Both suits seek to force the federal government to release evidence, including the names of agents involved. U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Michigan, the ranking Democratic member of the Judiciary Committee, called for a congressional briefing at the request of the Puerto Rico government. In a letter to the committee, Puerto Rico's Gov. Aníbal Acevedo Vilá said the federal government's refusal to provide all information related to the incidents "is an example of an unfortunate breakdown in the relationship of coordination and support that should exist between local and federal authorities." Named in the lawsuits are FBI Director Robert Mueller III, U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and island department directors. [more] and [more]

  • Pictured above: Ojeda, who was armed, was shot once in a Sept. 23 standoff with dozens of agents. The shooting took place on the 137th anniversary of the island's uprising against Spain. Ojeda had been a fugitive for his role in the $7.1 million Wells Fargo heist, in which the thieves drugged guards with sedatives. [more]
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