Lon Horiuchi: Difference between revisions
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| occupation = [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] [[Sniper|sniper]] |
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'''Lon Tomohisa Horiuchi''' (born [[June 9]], [[1954]]) is a U.S. [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] [[sniper]] who became |
'''Lon Tomohisa Horiuchi''' (born [[June 9]], [[1954]]) is a U.S. [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]] [[sniper]] who became notorious after he was charged with [[manslaughter]] following the shootings during the [[Ruby Ridge]] standoff. The charge was controversially dismissed and Horiuchi was later deployed during the [[Waco Siege]]. |
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Raised a [[Roman Catholic]] in [[Hawaii]], the Japanese-American graduated from [[United States Military Academy|West Point]] in 1976. Horiuchi is married and has six children, some of whom were [[homeschooling|homeschooled]].[http://www.theclairefiles.com/Personal/horiuchi.html] Prior to his notoriety, he twice appeared in [[Soldier of Fortune magazine]]. [http://www.outpost-of-freedom.com/randyweaver.htm] |
Raised a [[Roman Catholic]] in [[Hawaii]], the Japanese-American graduated from [[United States Military Academy|West Point]] in 1976. Horiuchi is married and has six children, some of whom were [[homeschooling|homeschooled]].[http://www.theclairefiles.com/Personal/horiuchi.html] Prior to his notoriety, he twice appeared in [[Soldier of Fortune magazine]]. [http://www.outpost-of-freedom.com/randyweaver.htm] |
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Revision as of 18:07, 20 October 2007
Lon Tomohisa Horiuchi | |
|---|---|
 Lon Horiuchi | |
| Born | June 9, 1954 |
| Occupation | FBI sniper |
Lon Tomohisa Horiuchi (born June 9, 1954) is a U.S. FBI sniper who became notorious after he was charged with manslaughter following the shootings during the Ruby Ridge standoff. The charge was controversially dismissed and Horiuchi was later deployed during the Waco Siege.
Raised a Roman Catholic in Hawaii, the Japanese-American graduated from West Point in 1976. Horiuchi is married and has six children, some of whom were homeschooled.[1] Prior to his notoriety, he twice appeared in Soldier of Fortune magazine. [2]
Ruby Ridge
In 1992, while working at sniper position Sierra 4 for the FBI Hostage Rescue Team at Ruby Ridge, Horiuchi shot and killed Vicki Weaver, also wounding her husband Randy Weaver and Kevin Harris.[3]
In September 1995, Horiuchi testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on the Ruby Ridge shootings. He then followed legal advice and invoked his Fifth Amendment rights, limiting the ability of Idaho's prosecutorial team of Denise Woodbury and Stephen Yagman to build a criminal case against him.
In 1997, Horiuchi was charged in Boundary County, Idaho state court with involuntary manslaughter. Horiuchi successfully petitioned to remove the case to federal court,[1] where the case was dismissed by U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge on May 14, 1998, who cited the supremacy clause of the Constitution which grants immunity to federal officers acting in the scope of their employment.
This decision was based on the fact that when Horiuchi opened fire on Kevin Harris, his sight picture showed Harris had not yet reached the door of the Weaver cabin, which Horiuchi had been forbidden by the FBI's standing Rules of Engagement to fire upon. However, since a sniper must lead his target, the rifle was at the time actually pointing at the cabin door where stood Vicki Weaver, holding her baby, Elishiba.
The bullet first struck Vicki Weaver who was standing behind the door in the face, killing her. [4] Vicki was unarmed and holding her 10-month-old baby Elishiba in her arms.[2] The round then carried on, striking Harris in the left arm/chest.[3] Harris survived his wound due to first-aid measures taken inside the cabin.
The FBI apparently did not notice the effects of Horiuchi's shot, nor did he apparently report the results, as the next morning an FBI agent called out to the cabin by megaphone and stated that the besiegers had eaten pancakes, thereafter asking what Mrs. Weaver had eaten that morning. By this time, Mrs. Weaver was dead.
The decision to dismiss charges was reversed by an en banc panel of the Ninth Circuit, which held that Horiuchi should stand trial.[5] However, shortly after the Circuit court rendered its decision, the prosecutor moved to drop the case, and the District court granted the motion on June 26, 2001.
The surviving Weaver family received $3.1M in 1995 to settle the suit brought against the BATF for wrongful death. Harris received $380,000 in 2000 for his wounding, making Horiuchi's shot perhaps the single most expensive bullet ever fired by a US official.
Horiuchi remained employed with the FBI throughout his prosecution.[4]
Waco
On September 13, 1999, Charles Riley, a fellow FBI sniper deployed during the Waco Siege claimed that he had heard Horiuchi shooting from Sierra 1, a FBI-held house in front of the compound holding eight snipers, including Horiuchi and Christopher Curran. Riley later retracted his statement, saying that he had been misquoted, and that he had only heard snipers at Sierra 1 announce that shots had been fired by Branch Davidians.[6]
Three of the 12 expended .308 Winchester shell casings that the Texas Rangers reported finding in the house, were at Horiuchi's position, but officials maintain that they could have been left behind from the earlier use of the house by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and that it would be "nearly impossible" to match them to Horiuchi's rifle, as it had probably been rebarreled since that time.[7]
For this court date, he was represented by attorney Adam Hoffinger.
References
- ^ "F.B.I. Agent to Be Tried In Federal Court". The New York Times. 1998-01-13. Retrieved 2007-06-26.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help) - ^ Bill Hewitt, "A time to heal", People Weekly, September 25, 1995
- ^ Witkin, Gordon (1995-09-11). "The nightmare of Idaho's Ruby Ridge". US News & World Report.
{{cite news}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help) - ^ Nieves, Evelyn (2001-06-06). "F.B.I. Agent Can Be Charged In Idaho Siege, Court Rules". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-06-26.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|work=(help)