Sunday, November 18, 2012

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano behind murder of ICE agent in Mexico - so woman tells federal judge in Washington

"Dear judge: God and Jesus Christ have asked me to write to you"


Guadalajara -
Trial court judges have to wade through some very curious paperwork at times, but a document which the Honorable Royce Lamberth, Chief Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, received last week was off the charts.

Lamberth is presiding over the trial of Julián Zapata Espinoza, who was arrested almost two years ago in connection with a brutal Feb. 15, 2011 machine gun attack against two American ICE (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents while they were traveling down a highway near Monterrey, in route to Mexico City. One of the agents died at the scene, and the other was gravely wounded. MGRR has published multiple stories on the case.

Zapata Espinoza was detained days after the ambush on the unsuspecting agents. He was extradited to the U.S. last December, and remains in custody while awaiting trial. His next court date is Jan. 23, 2013. Last week judge Lamberth got a surprise letter saying Zapata Espinoza was entirely innocent.

The letter came from one Sherrell Watts, "the CEO of GOD and Jesus Christ website." Lamberth ordered that the letter and some attachments be made part of the official court record in the case (copy below). Among other things, Watts alleges that:

"GOD and Jesus Christ have asked Me to write you because Julian Zapata Espinosa didn't murder ICE Agent Jaime Zapata. He is being framed. ICE Agent Jaime Zapata was murdered because he knew that Janet Napolitano Homeland Security Secretary had been told about Fast and Furious and she wanted to keep him quiet. I am alleging that Jaime Zapata was murdered by his partner Victor Avila or a informant that was riding in the US embassy vehicle with him. The information that follows will prove all of this. Julian Zapata Espinoza and his friends were tortured by the Mexican officials to say they murdered Jaime Zapata. Jaime Zapata had investigated Fast and Furious weapons being found at murder scenes. He told Janet Napolitano about them. And she did nothing about it. Janet Napolitano didn't want people to know that she was aware of and participated in Fast and Furious. Julian Zapata Espinosa will need protection."
U.S. vs. Julian Zapata Espinosa


There's been no comment by Secretary Napolitano's office, or by anyone else in the government. And there probably won't be.
U.S. Inspector General files Fast and Furious Report
Family of ICE agent murdered in Mexico by Zetas gives U.S. notice of intent to sue
Long, slow legal road in case of Zeta hit man alleged to have killed U.S. ICE agent
U.S. ICE agent died needlessly, due to faulty door lock design
Accused Zeta killer of U.S. ICE agent returns to D.C. federal court for hearing
Los Zetas killer makes first U.S. court appearance
Los Zetas killer extradited to U.S.
Top Zeta leader linked to 50 murders, including U.S. ICE agent in 2011


Facts of the case: Zetas prove they're afraid of no one - even federal agents in a government SUV
ICE Agent Jaime Zapata was 32 at the time of his death. He'd previously worked with the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Unit and the Border Enforcement Security Task Force. On the day of the attack Zapata and his partner Víctor Ávila were on official business, traveling from Laredo, Texas to Mexico City. They were riding in a government vehicle carrying U.S. diplomatic tags. As they passed through the north central state of San Luis Potosí, on a major four lane highway between Monterrey and Mexico City, two vehicles began following them and forced them off the road. According to Ávila, as many as 15 men dressed in military uniforms and carrying assault weapons circled their SUV. Zapata rolled down his window to confirm that they were federal agents. In response the assailants began firing at point blank range with AK-47s. They fled immediately.

Badly wounded, Ávila managed to get off a cell phone call. Zapata attempted to drive away from the scene, but soon collapsed at the wheel. Mexican federal police arrived by helicopter in minutes, but it was too late for Zapata. He died before reaching the hospital. Mexican armed forces captured Zapata Espinoza days later. He didn't deny participating, but claimed that the Los Zeta gunmen thought they were attacking competing drug traffickers disguised as U.S. agents, due to their Latino appearance.

2 comments:

  1. Why print crap like this? Sherrell Watts has no web presence and sounds like a paranoid nut case.

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    Replies
    1. Most readers will probably have the same opinion of the letter writer. Few will attach any credibility to her claims. Nonetheless, the underlying case - the prosecution of a Los Zetas gunman in the U.S. for the murder of an ICE agent on Mexican soil - is very newsworthy. The federal judge in Washington who is presiding over the trial found that Watts' accusations should be made part of the public file in this case. That's why MGRR reported the story - not to endorse her claims.

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