Jan Brewer's 'Beheaded' Bodies Claim Disputed By Local Law Enforcement Agencies

Arizona Republican Gov. Jan Brewer suggested earlier this week that law enforcement agencies in her home state have discovered "bodies in the desert" either "buried or beheaded" in addressing crime related to illegal immigration; however, local agencies say they have never come across the cases she described.

Brewer made the claim in during an interview with local NBC affiliate 12 News. "Our law enforcement agencies have found bodies in the desert either buried or just lying out there that have been beheaded," she said.

But a report released Thursday from the Arizona Guardian appears to dispute the validity of Brewer's statement:

... officials with six county medical examiners offices in the state, including four from counties that border Mexico, say they have never heard of such attacks.

The Arizona Guardian contacted the coroners' offices in Yuma, Pima, Pinal, Maricopa, Santa Cruz and Cochise counties. All of them said they'd never investigated an immigration-related crime in which someone's head had been cut off.

Brewer spokesman Paul Senseman didn't waste any time in firing back at the factual challenge to the Arizona Governor's remarks. "Even a cursory check of news stories on the internet suggests otherwise," he said. Brewer's camp reportedly acknowledged she may have made "missteps" in not citing statistics to back up her claim, but ultimately stopped short of saying she misspoke on the immigration matter.

Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard -- who is running as the Democratic nominee to unseat the Republican governor in November -- didn't hold back in seizing upon the apparent "beheaded" bodies misstatement.

"When she is asked for evidence of her untrue claims, she has nothing," Goddard said in a statement this week. "The list of untruths and misstatements grows every time Jan Brewer speaks."

Comments

[SyphonFilter]

12:59 AM on 07/22/2010

Leather face Jan Brewer is using the old Richard Nixon Playbook of scaring the whites into thinking that the Latinos are beheading White people, thus using the old reverse child psychology on the gullible and misinformed.

[Joe Bigg]

09:31 AM on 07/26/2010

Okay, here is a question, when was the last time you saw Larry King and Jan Brewer in the same room?

No I do not mean a split screen, I mean sitting right next to each other.

I think ole Jan Brewer and Larry King are in fact the same person!

[electra10]

10:27 AM on 07/16/2010

huff screeners - WHYYYYY are my comments being blocked?

i am sharing useful info and you won't let me post - WHY????

[electra10]

10:50 AM on 07/16/2010

thank you for letting it finally get through huff sensors! :)

[Joe Bigg]

09:32 AM on 07/26/2010

You are not liked, like the rest of us......

[electra10]

10:26 AM on 07/16/2010

WHY are my comments being blocked?

[electra10]

10:52 AM on 07/16/2010

thank you for letting it finally get through huff sensors! :)

[electra10]

10:24 AM on 07/16/2010

where's the PROOF janice K.K.K. brewer? (7-1-2010)
http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20100701/OPINION/100639942/1042?Title=PITTS-Abundance-of-accusations-absence-of-proof

Arizona's BIG FAT LIES (7-13-2010)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/fernando-espuelas/arizonas-big-fat-lies_b_644250.html

AZ 'BE HEADING' in the WRONG direction under Brewer (7-14-2010)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/luis-heredia/arizona-be-heading-in-wro_b_646925.html

head-less bodies, PHANTOM crime rates & the SARAH PALIN of the desert (7-8-2010)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mario-solismarich/headless-corpses-phantom_b_639417.html

Jan Brewer’s ‘Beheaded’ Bodies Claim Disputed by Local Law Enforcement Agencies (7-2-2010)
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/02/jan-brewers-beheaded-bodi_n_632185.html

Janice K.K.K. Brewer is a LIAR, LIAR, PANTS on FIRE!
so what's the truth about illegals sucking up all of our tax-payer money?

illegal immigrants pay billions in taxes (faux 'news' LIES again)
http://news.jornal.us/article-4671.Illegal-Immigrants-Pay-Billion-in-Taxes--Immigration-Reform-could-be-the-reason---Video.html

Immigrants in Arizona: Fiscal and Economic Impacts
http://udallcenter.arizona.edu/immigration/publications/impactofimmigrants08.pdf

many illegal immigrants pay up at tax time
http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/taxes/2008-04-10-immigrantstaxes_N.htm

and finally, the kicker -

former tea-bagger 'LEADER' Dick Army supports amnesty
http://conservativetimes.org/?p=4718

^ haha! the baggers got the rug pulled out from under them

[SteveDenver]

11:32 AM on 07/14/2010

Governor Brewer is quoted as saying, "Lies lying, lie liar lie lie lie lies, lying liar lying, God bless you."

[Oscar1226]

02:37 PM on 07/12/2010

She thinks or was dreaming that she's the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland so said "Off with their heads!!"

[epforrester]

02:01 AM on 07/07/2010

She fabricated the information. Lies being termed "missteps"...nice.

[Gabriel Escoto]

12:57 AM on 07/07/2010

Just look at Gov. Jan Brewer - look in her eyes. You can see it - those are the eyes of a crotchety, old, white, well-off, b*&%h who can be cantankerous and doesn't take too kindly to certain types of people. The eyes never lie, I swear.

[ComaDivine]

04:22 PM on 07/07/2010

You are 100% correct - fanned

[sb-dallas]

08:50 PM on 07/06/2010

Caught in a lie, it's a Republican trophy.

[azwildcat78]

08:22 PM on 07/06/2010

Ah, another disciple of Sarah "Only stupid people should be President" Palin. Another opportunistic politician capitalizing on xenophobia.

[renren32168]

07:34 PM on 07/06/2010

Liar, Liar. Depends on fire.

[twain307]

05:37 PM on 07/06/2010

Jan Brewer says heads have been lopped,
And bad guys have got to be stopped.
While the facts are not there,
She does not seem to care
Without this her lead might have dropped.

[barefoot2626]

01:58 AM on 07/07/2010

you couldn't work in a "plop"?

[VirginiaJeff]

05:37 PM on 07/06/2010

Another conservative who just makes stuff up.

[RobH413]

04:58 PM on 07/06/2010

Dear Governor Brewer:

We understand your claims of beheadings and burials in the Arizona desert are being challenged by people armed with facts. Do not be dismayed; the solution for this is simple. As you know, facts are of minimal importance in the modern news era. It doesn't matter what IS true; it only matters what people want to BELIEVE is true. Consequently, I recommend you do several friendly interviews in which you simply cite to "numerous reports" in repeating your claim about the beheadings and burials. While it may be that all of the numerous reports have originated from your mouth, that can remain our little secret. Before you know it, OTHER people who WANT to BELIEVE that the reports are true will be citing to your friendly interviews as proof of these vicious crimes. Then, in future interviews, you will be able to cite to THOSE reports to back your claims. Ultimately, the story will become true, at least for the people who want it to be true, which is good enough for re-election.

It works for us.

Sincerely,

Stephen Colbert
Sean Hannity
Rush Limbaugh
George Bush
Bill Clinton (Okay it didn't work so well for me)
Karl Rove
Glenn Beck
Dick Morris

[Ann Shahan]

05:11 PM on 07/06/2010

Bill Clinton does not belong on that list.

[RobH413]

06:39 PM on 07/06/2010

Surely you jest. He's been disbarred for lying under oath.

Good thing I didnt put Keith Olbermann on the list. He belongs there too.

[arizonanativerealtor]

04:54 AM on 07/10/2010

This may not be in Arizona, but for ANYONE to comment from afar regarding the conditions at the border and extending into Arizona is absurd and cowardly. Caution...this is very graphic http://borderreporter.com/2009/06/gods-gonna-cut-you-down/

Border violence to a serious degree is quickly making its way into our country.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/apr/01/violent-mexican-drug-gangs-pose-rising-risk-to-ame/

FACT: if you can stop huffing long enough to digest it...Eloy immigration center in Arizona is at maximum capacity with 4000 people, PEOPLE...not brown, white or yellow, just plain ole homo sapiens. With 100 released each day, 100 more take their place. There are hundreds of middle eastern detainees, Honduran nationals, East Indian Indios and...

Please people, this is about protecting and being fair to those who work hard and pay into the system no matter what color or origin they are. People from Mexico in Arizona who have become USA Citizens or at the very lease hold valid immigration papers, want the law passed because they see the sense in making sure EVERYONE, regardless of accent or skin color should have to play by the same rules and laws. Why does something so simple get so distorted?

[msjimmied]

04:54 PM on 07/06/2010

Let's not get so PC. Misspoke=Lies.

[Ann Shahan]

05:12 PM on 07/06/2010

When I worked as a paralegal, that was one of the lawyers favorite words.