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Elian Gonzalez relatives sue Attorney General Reno, city of Miami

Lazaro Gonzalez, right, his wife, Angela, center, and Marisleysis, left, listen to their attorney during a news conference, Thursday in Miami, Florida

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- The Miami relatives of Elian Gonzalez are suing Attorney General Janet Reno, the city of Miami and several other parties over the seizure of the young boy from their home.

Their lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court, also named Immigration and Naturalization Service Commissioner Doris Meissner, Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder, INS Agent Betty Mills -- who carried Elian from the home -- and all of the other INS, Border Patrol and U.S. Marshals agents who participated in the operation to remove the boy from his uncle's house in the Little Havana neighborhood.

Attorney Ron Guralnick is representing Lazaro Gonzalez, his wife, and his daughter, Marisleysis, in the case. He told CNN he would ask for a "very large figure" for damages.

COURT RULING Miami relative's petition to the Supreme Court   FULL TEXT 11th Circuit decision denying petition for rehearing - June 23 (from FindLaw) COURT RULING 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling denying Elian's political asylum hearing (June 1) Scanned version PDF version (FindLaw) (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)   RESOURCES Who's who in the Elian Gonzalez case   CASE FILE Boy in the Middle   MESSAGE BOARD US/Cuba relations

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"This was absolutely outrageous," he said of the April 22 operation, in which federal agents burst into the Gonzalez home in the early morning hours and rushed a crying Elian into a van. The boy then was flown to Washington and reunited with his father, Juan Miguel Gonzalez.

Guralnick said each of the defendants was being sued for conspiracy to deny the family its constitutional rights, unlawful search and seizure and punitive and compensatory damages.

He said he may eventually include President Clinton as a defendant in the case, because, he said, Clinton promised Sen. Bob Graham, D-Florida, that such a raid would not take place.

Elian was the subject of an international custody battle after he was found floating on an innertube in the waters off the Florida coast last November. His mother and 10 others drowned when their boat capsized in an attempt to reach the United States. His father's relatives in Miami wanted the U.S. government to give the boy an asylum hearing, but his father wanted him to return to Cuba.

Elian left the United States with his father June 28 after an appeals court injunction keeping him in the country expired and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from his Miami relatives.

Armed, uniformed agents stormed the house on April 22, breaking down the door and gassing protesters who had vowed to bar their entry. They grabbed Elian, raced back out, and within hours the boy was reunited with his father in Washington while angry Cuban Americans set fires in the streets of Miami.

Elian left the United States with his father June 28 after an appeals court injunction keeping him in the country expired and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal from his Miami relatives.

Elian's Miami relatives ask Supreme Court to hear their case
June 26, 2000
Massive Cuban demonstration implores: 'Yankees, free Elian!'
June 24, 2000
Appeals court to rule on rehearing petition in Elian case
June 23, 2000
Justice argument would, in theory, open path that could allow Elian to leave for Cuba
June 20, 2000
Court gives government and father deadline to respond in Elian Gonzalez case
June 15, 2000
Justice asks court to dismiss Lazaro's suit to keep Elian in U.S.
June 7, 2000
Elian's father 'very happy' with court decision; Miami family will fight on
June 1, 2000
Appeals court decision in Elian case expected today
June 1, 2000
Decision expected Thursday in Elian case, sources say
May 31, 2000
Family friend says Elian anxious to return to Cuba; family to relocate to Washington 'soon'
May 24, 2000
Elian 'fisherman' files $100 million civil rights suit against Reno, Meissner
May 22, 2000
Miami relatives continue to pursue contact with Elian
May 18, 2000

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LibertyForElian.org - Foundation to Help Save Elian
Granma Internacional Digital, Cuba
  • Kidnap in Miami
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Cuban American National Foundation

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