I agree he failed, but doesn't the same thing happen here in NoVA with "out of towners" or even regular Virginians? The number of folks that routinely accidently cross over the bridge into DC and have to find a place to turn around and bug out quick...I would guess is probably rather high.
Heck, I've done it myself once. Get stuck on 66 and miss your last exit because you got cut off in traffic and end up crossing the DMZ into the District of Crime. It happens and then you have to get yourself turned around quickly and quietly and get out of dodge. Should they end up in jail over it...?
l Risk Management, and while I hate ORM briefs, they have probablok...no really...now I'm done:redface:
Not my place to say who goes to jail for what, but if your guilty, and your caught, well you really can't blame anyone but the offender.
I know what's legal and what's not, in the event that I accidentally break the law, and am caught doing so, I'm not going to whine and cry on how it's not my fault, or my favorite, "I didn't know it was illegal", I've been plenty close to going into Jersey accidentally a lot of times when I was in PA, this is even on the Turnpike with exits every 13 or so miles, and I never once HAD TO drive into Jersey while carrying or improperly transporting my firearms, there's always a way to NOT go into some place...I dunno maybe just PULL OVER and THINK about what can go wrong and form a plan, it's called
Operational Risk Management and probably saved my bacon countless times.
While I would like to think that a normal U.S. Policeman would give ANYONE under these circumstances a break, it's up to the officer on the scene. One can hardly be surprised that the Mexican LE arrested the individual. It's not the same ball park out of the country.
Regarding his Military status, to me a non issue, it has nothing to do with his illegal actions, servicemen on leave get locked up all the time, sometimes they get a break, sometimes they don't.
Should we protest every time a serviceman gets drunk and arrested in TJ, which in most cases is off-limits to begin with? What if they "didn't know they were in TJ" before getting drunk and arrested?
Should they still be charged for not knowing?
Granted, this isn't apples to apples, but the fact remains that this guy was caught in an illegal act regardless of his intentions.
To even suggest an armed incursion across the border to "Get him out" is utterly ridiculous. He's in a Mexican jail, (granted not a pleasant place to be) not a POW camp in Cambodia.
As I stated, should they try to bring stateside for trial?
YES, let the Military lock him up for a while.