TUCSON, Ariz. - Authorities determined Thursday that three volunteers involved in a civilian project to watch the border and report illegal crossers had an illegal immigrant pose for a flippant photograph but did not hold him against his will.
The Mexican man had told sheriff?s deputies he was detained and forced to pose for a picture holding a T-shirt with a mocking slogan. A review of a 15-minute videotape provided by Bryan Barton, one of the three volunteers, showed the T-shirt the man was holding read: ?Bryan Barton caught an illegal alien and all I got was this lousy T-shirt.? Barton was wearing an identical shirt.
?The county attorney?s office reviewed all available evidence, that indicates that there was no forcible detention, therefore the case is not substantiated, and no charges are pending,? said Carol Capas, a spokeswoman for the Cochise County Sheriff?s Department.