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Steinle parents file claims against feds and sheriff

September 2, 2015
Kathryn Steinle

Kathryn Steinle

The parents of slain Cal Poly grad Kathryn Steinle have filed claims against the San Francisco sheriff, as well as the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), alleging each contributed to the death of their daughter. [CBS Sacramento]

On July 1, Steinle, 32, was walking with her father along Pier 14 in San Francisco when she was shot in the back and killed. The gun used in the shooting was a service weapon that belonged to a BLM ranger, the federal agency has confirmed.

Juan Francisco Lopez-Sanchez, a seven-time felon who has been deported to Mexico five times, is accused of murdering Steinle. Lopez-Sanchez has admitted to firing the shot that killed Steinle, though he claims he did so by accident.

In March, Lopez-Sanchez was transported from ICE custody to the San Francisco jail on 20-year-old drug charges. Prosecutors then dropped the charges, and the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department released Lopez-Sanchez, despite receiving a detainer request from ICE.

San Francisco is a sanctuary city with a policy of not turning over inmates to ICE. Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi said his department released Lopez-Sanchez in accordance with city law.

The Steinle family alleges Mirkarimi violated federal laws in March when he issued a memo barring jail staff from communicating with immigration officials about detainer requests. The claim names both Mirkarimi and the sheriff’s department.

The family filed separate claims against the two federal agencies.

The claim against BLM alleges the ranger left his loaded gun in a backpack in plain view in his car. The gun was stolen days before the shooting.

In its claim against ICE, Steinle’s family faults immigration officials for not obtaining judicial notice or a warrant for Lopez-Sanchez’s arrest, as required by the city of San Francisco.

Steinle’s death has ignited a national debate over the concept of sanctuary cities and federal restrictions that bar local law enforcement from handing off illegal immigrants to ICE. Jim Steinle, Kathryn’s father, testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, urging lawmakers to abolish local policies of ignoring ICE detainers.


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Well if a common person were to get a gun permit and needed to leave it in a car we

are to have a locked container securely fastened in the car to store the weapon, not in a backpack in plain sight,seems like law enforcement needs to be educated on weapons storage.


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A classic case of a hyperliberal wake up call undermining the republic.


I hate federalism as much as a Texan, but the big picture is we have to protect from this kind of terrorism.


If you’re in the republic and benefit from its enormous success you do not have the moral or legal authority to circumvent or even undermine its domestic duty.


All would be lovely in old San Francisco is we could have our cows and milk it too.


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This may be the best way to change our laws, go broke by allowing bad ones. This is another example of unintended consequences and why people need to wake up before our tax dollars have no social benefit. We should never willfully levee danger on our public and yes, it is our fault.


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They should have also sued the State of California and the Feds.


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They will probably prevail in their law suit.


And the taxpayers will foot the bill and the government employees responsible will keep their jobs and pensions.


If there is no PERSONAL accountability then this incompetent behavior by government employees will never end!


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Here’s a hint: it never has ended, and only has become more visible, even with an incompetent, albeit complacent media. Oh sure, occasionally we’ll get a bone thrown our way, but in the end, what is one little raid here and there compared to what happens on a daily basis at basically every public agency?


Stop believing the lies, politics is NOT a sport and there are no “sides” or “your guy” vs. “their guy” – we are all dupes. I forget the comedian’s name, but our two-party system is akin to a bowl of shit in front of a mirror.


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r0y


You are spot on with your conjecture. And thanks for pointing out my naivete.

Also I love your ‘mirror’ analogy!


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Government employees, especially in law enforcement must enforce the law! They do not have the right to pick and choose which laws they obey and which they ignore. This criminal should have been in jail and therefore incapable of hurting anyone! I hope the Steinle family wins big time and the responsible people are fired from their jobs and prosecuted.


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Ever hear of liberal judges?


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I’m willing to bet that the governmental employees at the street level would be more than glad to enforce the law. It’s their bosses and higher ups that tie their hands.


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We all knew this was coming. The bad thing is the Sheriff or his department will never take responsibility, This was his fault he should be held personaly responsible, the city yes but the sheriff could have said no to the city.


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He was following the law in his jurisdiction. He’s the arm of the chief law enforcement office (DA) not the scape goat in this story.


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I hope they receive tens of millions.


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My prayers are with this family. I can’t imagine their sorrow. This was a senseless loss and something has to change with these rogue sanctuary cities where felons are allowed to prey on society.


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Cindy, your sounding conservative all of a sudden. Whats happening?


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