SerpApi.Org
Remember the March 2024 murder case that President Donald Trump repeatedly referenced during his campaign? The convicted killer, who is currently serving his prison sentence, has now filed a lawsuit against the POTUS, alleging his case was used to publicly humiliate him. He is seeking $75 million in damages, a public apology, and U.S. citizenship.
According to a Fox News report, Brandon Ortiz-Vite, 27, is serving a prison sentence of 39 to 102 years for killing his romantic partner, Ruby Garcia, after a heated argument. The victim reportedly had multiple gunshot wounds, and her body was found dumped along a road in Grand Rapids.
The case garnered significant national attention when President Trump visited Grand Rapids. At the time, he referred to the case as combating illegal immigration was a key part of his campaign. The Midwesterner reported that Trump labeled the 27-year-old as “America’s problem.” He went on to use the complainant’s mugshots in commercials to use as an example of the “murderers, r*****, and drug traffickers” who resided in the United States illegally.
Ortiz-Vite filed a handwritten complaint in federal court and cited Trump and White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Steven Cheung as defendants. He claimed that prison staff and other inmates mocked him after the POTUS’ actions.
In a long letter, he reportedly expressed, “I was put into a category. Who I was as a person no longer mattered! What only mattered was my race. My case and immigration status! Once again, it belittled me, shattered my dignity and what I was as a person.”
Ortiz-Vite further suggested that the embarrassment extended to his family name. He took full accountability for his actions while noting that use of his name for political gain was unfair. He mentioned, “The shame it brought to my family name is a reality I have to live with now. I took full responsibility for my actions, but for them to use my case for political gain on TV was unjust. Humiliating.”
“When I thought it couldn’t get worse, it did. I was center stage in front of a nation, public scrutiny at its finest!” he further added. The 27-year-old emphasized that intensive media coverage on his case resulted in him living in a “nightmare.”
“It all became clear to me when I first met with my court-appointed attorneys. They explained how my case had now gotten blown out of proportion and was now a high-profile case!” the complainant said.
Meanwhile, criminal defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Matthew Borgula suggested that the case is unlikely to move further. He cited multiple factors as the reason, including presidential immunity.
