CROWD SEEKS JUSTICE RALLY PROTESTS MEXICO'S EXTRADITION POLICY.

Byline: Amy Raisin Darvish Staff Writer

VALENCIA - For the family of slain sheriff's deputy David March and other families who mourn slain loved ones, grief has given way to frustration and incredulity as the suspected killers enjoy freedom in Mexico.

It was that pain that brought some to tears Saturday during the Dave's March for Justice Rally at College of the Canyons, where hundreds of people joined politicians and dozens of members of law enforcement to encourage the Mexican government to reverse its extradition policies.

March, a Saugus resident, was gunned down in April 2002 in Irwindale during a traffic stop. The primary suspect, Armando Garcia, fled to his native Mexico where laws prohibit the extradition of citizens - or those with Mexican relatives - who face the death penalty.

In 2001, the Mexican Supreme Court ruled it would also refuse extradition in cases where the suspect could be sentenced to life in prison, calling such a fate cruel and unusual punishment.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca, at times yelling into the microphone, vowed to ``stay on (Mexico's) case'' until March's killer is returned to the United States.

``I'm outraged. The Mexican Supreme Court thinks the life of a cop killer is more important than the death of a sheriff,'' Baca said. ``The Mexican people do not want a cop killer running around in their country.''

March's mother invited five people to speak to the crowd about the nightmare of knowing that the person who killed their loved one is a free and protected citizen in Mexico.

Kenneth Caldera struggled through tears as he recalled the day his son, Kenny, a high school football star and prom king, was shot and killed by a gang member in 1991.

``I'm an American. My family is from Mexico. I served in Vietnam,'' Caldera said. ``I call you, Mexico, my brothers. But I ask you, Mexico, am I your brother? I'm ashamed to say it, but I'm ashamed to be a Mexican because you are harboring my son's murderer.''

Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich said it falls to U.S. lawmakers to convince Mexico that it can no longer harbor violent criminals.

``We need to slam shut that open-door policy that Mexico has. We need to get tough,'' Antonovich said. ``We are an economic power that provides the oil to the Mexican economy. We need to impose sanctions so they aren't the haven, the sanctuaries for convicted felons.''

Amy Raisin Darvish, [phone]

amy.raisin(at)dailynews.com

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2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color -- ran in SAC edition only) L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca, center, leads demonstrators Saturday at College of the Canyons in memory of slain sheriff's deputy David March.

(2 -- ran in SAC edition only) About 1,000 people attend Saturday's rally to protest Mexico's refusal to extradite the suspected killer of a sheriff's deputy.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer