Friends, family remember California lawyer who died in Mexico

(NewsNation) — It was a weekend of tears and bittersweet recollections for relatives, close friends and colleagues of Orange County Deputy General public Defender Elliot Blair, who died throughout a vacation to Mexico.

On Saturday, in accordance to the L.A. Moments, Blair’s beloved ones collected at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove to celebrate his life. They remembered that he beloved to support people, and usually stayed late at get the job done to talk with his shoppers, the newspaper described.

Before leaving for Mexico, Blair experienced discovered a aid team for his mother, who was still grieving the recent unexpected loss of life of her partner.

“I’m however going to the grief course, and it’s since of him,” she said.

Blair died last thirty day period though celebrating his initial marriage ceremony anniversary with his wife at a resort in Rosarito.
Mexican authorities claim the demise was accidental — that the 33-calendar year-previous was intoxicated and fell from a resort balcony.

On the other hand, his relatives insists Blair was murdered.

His widow promises they have been extorted by community law enforcement on the night he died.

“The law enforcement corruption in Mexico is a authentic trouble, but in the broad, vast, broad the vast majority of instances, it is not heading to be any even worse than shedding out on some money,” Greg Morrison, a author with ThePresentPerspective.com, said.

Morrison understands this from experience — he and his wife were being pulled over by the law enforcement 2 times for alleged site visitors violations whilst driving in Mexico City. Just one officer demanded a “spot high-quality,” which is supposedly illegal.

“He walked me to an ATM with his hand on his hip,” Morrison reported. “He did not pull a gun on me, but his hand was on his gun, intimidatingly.”

The Morrisons eventually handed in excess of practically $300 to the police officer, only to be stopped all over again just 5 minutes later on and pressured to hand more than an additional $20.

It is not regarded if Blair’s death is connected to any other incidents, but a household lawyer has observed many inconsistencies in the police account and the community defender’s injuries.

With spring break proper all over the corner, the Condition Department put out a warning about killings, kidnappings and violent crimes in Mexico.

Six Mexican states are at the department’s optimum warning — a “do not travel” designation. Rosarito, where Blair died, is outlined as an location to rethink.