POV -The Ballad of Esequiel Hernández | PBS 2008

By Kieran Fitzgerald

In 1997, U.S. Marines patrolling the Texas-Mexico border as part of the War on Drugs shot and killed Esequiel Hernández Jr. Mistaken for a drug runner, the 18-year-old was, in fact, a U.S. citizen tending his family's goats with a .22 rifle. He became the first American killed by U.S. military forces on native soil since the 1970 Kent State shootings. "The Ballad of Esequiel Hernández," narrated by Tommy Lee Jones, explores Hernández's tragic death and its torturous aftermath. His parents and friends, the Marines on patrol, and investigators discuss the dangers of militarizing the border and the death of one young man. A co-presentation of Latino Public Broadcasting. An official selection of the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival.

Find out more about this film:
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2008/ballad

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Broadcast Date:
July 8, 2008

Clips and Trailers on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/pov2006

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Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Texas
• Mexico
• border
• War
• on
• Drugs
• Hernández
• Marines
• american
• killed
• documentary
• trailer
• P.O.V.
• PBS

[VALDIGNE]

justice for Esequiel Hernández !

[HansCent]

I happen to catch the show last night. And the interesting part to it was, he had a MARINES poster at home and his little brother tore it up after his death. As for the episode being too 'left' well, you really need to see it before you judge it.

[La1Chona]

very sad:( tht one of are's hispanis boys died ths way

[joynthis]

More border troops coming soon.

[joynthis]

More troops headed for the border. More of this coming soon.

[eatpumkin090]

@hiram1308 I posted that comment over a year ago. I really don't care.

Maybe it was the. I notice everyone that doesn't support having a boarder is getting approval from everyone else and everyone that supports it is getting internet rage thrown at them.

It's easy to say "boarders are in humane". But no one thinks about the effect it has on the economy and job loss to legal citizens.

Instead of complaining about stuff on the internet. Go do something in REAL LIFE about your issues.

[hiram1308]

the marines were camoflauged, and since its the marines you figure they are pretty well camo'd up, the marines claim he points the 22 at them so they take fire on him, it could be said to be an accident, but can you imagine the heartache his family feels for their son being killed in his own home basically over nothing, he was minding his own business, doing what he does everyday

[hiram1308]

this story takes place in a border town along the rio grande river, and its a small community that border patrol agents were saying that there was a lot of drug smuggling going on, there was really no reason for the millitary to get involved but they did, obviously border patrol agents need somebody else to do their job, esequiel was hearding sheep along the river, actually near his home and he had a small 22 on him, the marines claim he aimed at them but there is no way he could have because

[hiram1308]

if you watch the documentary which u obviously happen, you'll learn that the community that they were in was an agricultural place, and esequiel, the one killed, was hearding sheep, once you see the documentary you'll see the crime behind the story, don't start talking about something you know nothing about, learn your facts before saying that a family should get over the death of their own, when there was no reason for him dying to begin with.

[tejanovet]

I was a Marine for 5 years. I'm from south Texas and seen this film, read the newpaper articles and in fact the Marine C.O. interviewed in it was LtCol McGee whom I served with in Iraq. The Marines in this situation should have been convicted and dishonarably discharged with a suspended sentance. How can we let this happen to an American boy!? A US citizen born and bred when the Marines were in the wrong but the case with Border Agents Compean and Ramos has those men sent to prison for and ileg

[averagejoesgym71]

I was in the Marines 9 years. I think it was an accident. Nonetheless, Marines are trained to kill. Sure, they get "peacekeeping" training also but thier specialty is killing. I haven't seen the film yet, but, my initial impression is that someone or someones from Border Patrol should spend a couple months in jail. It is unacceptable that they were not responding to calls for assistance. One vehicle with one loudspeaker could have cleared up everything.

[averagejoesgym71]

I could give you a number of sources, but, for now, just watch the documentary "Power of Nightmares" to get a small sample of just how off the mark you are. Right wingers, particularly neocons, use fear to control you. They encourage the boogie man so your fear will make you irrational.