A small step toward justice in Brad Will case: court forces release of activist Moreno

A federal court in Mexico ordered the release Thursday of Juan Manuel Martínez Moreno, a left wing activist accused by authorities of killing American Brad Will in Oaxaca in 2006 (see NYT, Reporters Without Borders, Amnesty International).

The case against Moreno had been a disgrace from the beginning: abundant physical evidence and eyewitness testimony pointed not to him but to state agents -- seen in Will's video recording -- wielding guns.

From AI:

"Juan Manuel has been used as a scapegoat by the Mexican authorities to claim there has been progress in the investigation around Brad Will’s death."

The news this week is an embarrassment for Mexican prosecutors. But unfortunately it doesn't mean they're necessarily going to alter course and suddenly pursue the killer.

The Obama Administration has not publicly shown signs that it is going to do anything about the matter. Obviously it's a bit of a diplomatic problem if agents of an American ally -- and now major aid recipient -- in fact murdered an American citizen. It's convenient to just avoid the issue.

Previously: Three years later, no justice in Brad Will murder (10/09), In Brad Will case, Mexican government moves ahead with its farce (7/09) and Grim but expected development in Brad Will case (10/08).