• Listen to this segment

• Listen to the entire program

On March 30th while in the custody of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Arizona, long-time LA resident Jose Gutierrez was repeatedly shocked with a taser and suffered a serious head injury. The incident left him in a coma. Gutierrez, an undocumented immigrant, was brought to the U.S. as a child from Mexico and has lived here most of his life. He is also a member of a popular local Spanish rock band called FZ10. Gutierrez currently remains semi-conscious at St. Joseph’s hospital in Arizona, aided by a respirator and feeding tube. Shena Wilson, the mother of Gutierrez’ two U.S. born children, said his injuries include multiple marks from the taser, a displaced tooth, and two black eyes. Doctors also had to remove part of his skull to relieve pressure. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection Gutierrez tried to flee while in custody in San Luis, Arizona, and had to be subdued. No further explanation of his injuries has been made public. Wilson says the US is the only home Jose Gutierrez has ever known. Until this weekend Gutierrez was being guarded 24 hours a day by ICE officials while arrangements were made to deport him to a Mexican hospital while he remained in critical condition. However, after the story of his case broke in the LA Weekly last week, public pressure seems to have achieved a delay for Gutierrez, who is now scheduled to be moved to an L.A. hospital.

GUESTS: Jorge-Mario Cabrera, Communications Director at the Coalition for Humane Immigration Rights of Los Angeles, Shena Wilson, Jose Gutierrez’s girlfriend

Donations to the victim’s family can be made to Chase bank, account No. 3112901538.

Read the original LA Weekly article which broke the story: http://blogs.laweekly.com/informer/2011/04/jose_gutierrez_taser_coma_arizona_border_deported.php