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A federal judge on Friday cleared the way for Chicago woman Marimar Martinez to publicly release critical evidence from her case, including text messages from the Border Patrol agent who shot her, body camera footage, photos, and FBI reports.
US District Judge Georgia Alexakis said the materials reveal not only the agent’s mindset but also how the Department of Homeland Security responded after the October 4 incident.Among the texts are messages from agent Charles Exum boasting about the shooting. In one, he wrote: “I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book, boys.” DHS lawyers had argued the release could harm Exum and his family, but the judge countered that Martinez, wrongly labelled a “domestic terrorist,” deserves her reputation to be cleared.
What happened in the shooting
Martinez was shot five times after a collision between her vehicle and federal agents’ cars in Chicago. She denies ramming their vehicles and claims the agents were the aggressors. Exum’s body camera was off, but other agents’ footage and Martinez’s 911 call capture the chaos. Federal charges against Martinez were dropped with prejudice, yet government officials and social media posts continued to portray her as a threat.
The judge also approved the release of vehicle tracking images and surveillance photos, saying they could help the public and officials understand DHS’ use of deadly force. Martinez’s attorney said the evidence will expose the “counter-factual PR campaign” waged against her and allow the public to see the truth of what happened.
