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 <CENTER> 
<FONT SIZE=+2>  Houston Chronicle July 26, 1997</FONT></B></CENTER><P>


      <CENTER> <FONT SIZE=+1><B>Marines survived teen</B></FONT></CENTER><P>
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Thanks for the enlightening story about the shooting death of
Esequiel Hernandez ("Attorney says Marine fired at border teen as
`last resort,' " Chronicle, July 24). Until now, I had failed to
understand how these combat-equipped Marines could have been so
savagely attacked by this teen-ager that they had to defend
themselves or die first.<P>


But now I've got it. The Marines followed Hernandez for over 200
yards so they could show "great restraint" in shooting him as a
"last resort." The homicidal propensities of teen-aged
goatherders, armed with .22 rifles, are well known in Texas
folklore.<P>


Those Marines were indeed lucky to have survived the deadly
threat to their lives. Too bad Hernandez wasn't as lucky.<P>


<CENTER><B>Arthur R. Sobey,<BR>

Houston</B></CENTER>
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<CENTER><I><FONT SIZE=-1>This article copyright 1997 tthe Houston Chronicle and is reproduced for non-profit educational purposes only.</FONT></I></CENTER><P>
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 <A HREF="http://www.mapinc.org/DPFT/hernandez/">return to Hernandez focus page</A>&nbsp;&nbsp;<A HREF="http://www.mapinc.org/DPFT/">return to DPF-T home page</A></CENTER><P>
    
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