Marine jailed in Mexico on weapons charges is subject of Fox News show

With his court hearing just days away, Fox News plans an hour-long special Friday night on a Marine reservist jailed in Mexico on weapons charges.

The special, hosted by Greta Van Susteren and titled “Wrong Turn: Marine Held in Mexico,” will feature interviews with the jailed Marine, his mother, Marines outraged at his plight, and several U.S. politicians, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

While other news agencies have also covered the story of Andrew Tahmooressi, none has been as extensive or aggressive as Fox News. Much of the coverage has had an unabashed tone of advocacy in calling for his release.

Tahmooressi, 25, who served in Afghanistan and was promoted to sergeant, has been in jail since April 1 after crossing the border at San Ysidro with three weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in his pickup truck. He had recently moved to San Diego to receive treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder.

Tahmooressi has consistently said he crossed the border by mistake, missing the turnoff to remain in the U.S. That story was challenged by Mexican officials when Tahmooressi’s explanation that he had never before visited Mexico proved to be untrue.

A resident of Florida, Tahmooressi is set for a hearing Wednesday, when he can explain to the judge his version of events that led to his arrest. His attorney has cautioned him and his mother, Jill, that the process could take months as multiple hearings are held.

Jill Tahmooressi told The Times that she was not pleased when a spokesman for Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters that Kerry had mentioned “the issue” with Mexican authorities during a visit to Mexico City.

“Andrew is a Marine, he’s more than an ‘issue,’” she said.

Two dozen members of the U.S. Congress have called on the Obama administration to work with Mexican authorities to gain Tahmooressi’s release. Several are set to be interviewed on the special, including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine), who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine officer.

During an interview arranged as part of her book tour, Clinton told Van Susteren that, if she were still secretary of State, she would be “burning up the telephone wires, sending, you know, envoys not just our ambassador but others coming in, talking to the highest level Mexican officials, making it clear that this is really important to us.”

Mexican officials, however, have stressed that while the Mexican judicial system is different from the U.S. system, it shares one key characteristic: Cases are not decided by political pressure.