Christian Castro’s extradition to Minnesota now depends on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty has asked Abbott to approve the transfer of the ICE officer from a Texas jail so he can face state charges over a January shooting in Minneapolis, according to The Washington Post.
Moriarty told Abbott in a letter that his signature is the final step needed to bring Castro to Minnesota, where prosecutors have charged him with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime. The request is procedural, but it is also the current roadblock: FOX 9 reported that the Minnesota case is on hold while Castro contests extradition.
Abbott’s office declined to comment on the potential transfer, telling FOX 9 it does not comment on pending extradition matters.
What charges does Christian Castro face in Minnesota?
Minnesota prosecutors allege Castro fired into a residence while pursuing another man and struck Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg. Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan immigrant, was wounded during the January incident in Minneapolis, The Washington Post reported.
The charges are accusations, not findings of guilt. The supplied reports do not state whether Castro has entered a plea or identify a Minnesota defense lawyer for him.
The shooting occurred Jan. 14 during stepped-up federal immigration enforcement operations, according to FOX 9. Federal officials initially said Castro acted in self-defense after an attack involving a shovel. FOX 9 reported that surveillance footage gave a different account; Techdirt, citing reporting by The New York Times, said video did not show the sustained shovel attack described by federal officials.
The sources reviewed do not describe a court finding resolving the competing accounts. For now, the state case rests on the prosecutors’ allegations and the charges they filed.
How did the case reach Texas?
Minnesota authorities issued an arrest warrant for Castro in May. Texas authorities arrested him on May 29, and he has remained in a Cameron County jail, according to The Washington Post. FOX 9 similarly reported that he was taken into custody in Texas at the end of May and has fought the requested transfer.
- Jan. 14: The Minneapolis shooting occurred, according to FOX 9.
- May: Minnesota issued a warrant for Castro’s arrest, The Washington Post reported.
- May 29: Texas authorities arrested Castro, according to The Washington Post.
- August: Moriarty asked Abbott to sign paperwork authorizing Castro’s transfer to Minnesota.
The next reported decision belongs to Abbott. His approval is what Moriarty says Minnesota needs before prosecutors can move its case beyond the current standstill.
This story draws on original reporting from Techdirt.
