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Border Patrol agent acquitted of abusing migrant

A federal court jury on Friday acquitted a U.S. Border Patrol agent of an allegation that he kneed and choked a migrant who was in custody.

The jury returned the verdict one day after closing arguments in the case, which included video of the confrontation.

Border Patrol Agent Luis Fonseca was charged with one count of using unreasonable force against the migrant, Adolfo Cesar Escobar, who had been arrested in July 2011 on suspicion of entering the country illegally.

Fonseca declined to comment to reporters outside court.

Defense attorney Stuart Adams said the government exaggerated the content of the video. He said that the migrant was disobeying and Fonseca acted according to his Border Patrol training.

The trial occurred amid mounting scrutiny of use of force by the Border Patrol.

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ELLIOT SPAGAT / Associated Press