Mexico frees US Marine suffering PTSD, after 214 days in jail
A Tijuana judge ordered the release of Andrew Tahmooressi, who was arrested seven months ago after crossing the US-Mexico border with three loaded firearms in his truck.
Since his March 31st arrest, Tahmooressi has maintained that he had meant to head back to San Diego, where he was living with a friend, but took a wrong turn out of a parking lot towards a Tijuana entry point and had no way of turning back.
Mexican border authorities say his car was stopped and inspected because he was missing front license plates.
Border checks have been growing tighter as Mexico struggles to keep the influx of American weapons used by drug cartels at bay. In Mexico, possession of weapons restricted for military use is a federal crime.
The US Marine Sergeant, who had served two combat tours in Afghanistan, suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Because Mexican prisons aren’t equipped to provide cognitive therapy for PTSD, Tahmooressi’s lawyers used his diagnosis as a justification for getting him out of jail on humanitarian grounds.
The attorney told AP that the marine, who was detained with a pistol, a shotgun, and an assault rifle, and over 400 rounds of ammunition, carries guns because they make him feel safer.
Tahmooressi claimed he was abused and mistreated at jail.
“I was laying on a bed. ... When I got the opportunity, I decided to stab myself in the neck with a light bulb ... I was paranoid. I had been abused,” he told CNN. “I was thinking they were going to come and abuse me more and torture me and get information about my family from me. So I said, 'I'm not going to allow them to do that.'"
Mexican prison officials deny the abuse allegations.
Tahmooressi’s supporters launched a White House petition and staged demonstrations campaigning for his freedom.
Meanwhile, both Republican and Democratic politicians rallied around Tahmooressi and held talks with Mexican authorities urging his release.
