April 20, 2003

Ranch Rescue: Free at Last!

Good Friday was a great day for Casey Nethercott.

The Ranch Rescue member was released on $25,000 bail Friday in Hebbronville, Texas, ending an ordeal of thirty days in jail “awaiting trial” on politically-correct assault charges.

Nethercott and fellow group member Hank Conner were arrested on March 19 after volunteering to help a South Texas ranch owner – along with the group – to protect his private property from the steady stream of trespassers heading north from the Mexican border.

The pair was charged with assaulting one of the trespassers, an unnamed El Salvadoran national. Ranch Rescue president and national spokesman Jack Foote vehemently denies the charges. A French journalist who accompanied the group also signed a statement supporting the volunteers.

Conner was released on a staggering $200,000 bail nine days after being arrested. Shortly after VDARE.COM reported on Nethercott’s continued detention, he managed to get an attorney who secured his release on a lowered bail amount of $25,000.

Shortly after his release, Nethercott checked in from a roadside payphone Friday afternoon with the group’s California coordinator, Stacy Polk. She reports that Nethercott survived the ordeal, but his vehicle didn’t fare too well after a month in the impound lot.

For his troubles, Nethercott’s van suffered some cosmetic changes including a broken windshield, four flat tires and a missing cell phone out of the vehicle.

But the fun isn’t over yet.

Though out of the clutches of South Texas law enforcement, the Ranch Rescue volunteers still must answer the charges against them in Jim Hogg County.

VDARE.COM will be sure to keep an eye on this one!

First of all, if their accusers turn out to be illegal aliens, there is no guarantee that the prosecution witnesses will ever show up in court. Illegal aliens are routinely released from immigration custody for many thousands less than what Nethercott and Conner had to fork over for freedom.

The revolving door of immigration detention, and the temptation to disappear into the United States might be too overwhelming for the intrepid trespassers.

But you can bet that Nethercott, Conner, Foote, the eyewitness journalist and Ranch Rescue members throughout its 11 state chapters will have no trouble showing up for court.

Because after the “trial” is over, that’s when the real fun begins!

Believe it or not, Jim Hogg County still remains part of the state and federal system - where there are, in fact, laws against malicious prosecution, false arrest, denial of counsel, excessive bail and deprivation of liberty. Most are conveniently listed in the Bill of Rights.

And there’s also a civil monetary remedy in federal district court, ready and waiting for any Constitutional and civil rights violations under the United States Code – 18 USC section 1983 to be exact.

But both legal defense and offense cost money. If you would like to donate to Ranch Rescue, please contact:

Steve Mason - Treasurer, [send him mail]

Ranch Rescue Texas
P.O. Box 4334
Austin, TX
78765

Stacy Polk [send her mail]

Ranch Rescue California
15507 South Normandie Ave. #201
Gardena, CA
90247-4028

Juan Mann [send him email] is a lawyer and the proprietor of DeportAliens.com.