Prosecutors Consider Retrial Of Border Agent Acquitted Of Murder

TUSCON, AZ – While federal prosecutors in Tucson would have preferred winning their case against Border Agent Lonnie Swartz, the jury's verdict was not a complete loss. Swartz, who killed a Mexican teen by firing across the border, was acquitted of murder charges.

The jury, however, could not reach a verdict on the charge of manslaughter.

That gives the prosecution the possibility of a second chance – if they want it. No timetable has been set for announcing a decision.

The decision by the jury in federal court on Monday brought to an end the rare case of a border agent being charged in connection with firing across the border. The jury had deliberated for almost a week. (Get Tucson Patch's daily newsletter and real-time news alerts. Or, find your local Patch here and subscribe).

The trial had lasted almost a month.

Swartz had fired across the border in 2015, striking and killing 16-year-old Jose Antonio Elena Rodriguez.

While the agent maintained that Rodriguez had been throwing rocks and that Swartz was acting in self-defense, prosecutors charged that he had used an unreasonable amount of force.

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