Bloods Gang Injunction Dropped Against 5 Men

El Paso County Attorney JoAnne Bernal has dropped a gang injunction lawsuit against five people accused of being in the Bloods street gang.

The suit would have restricted them from contacting each other and congregating in known gang areas of Northeast El Paso.

"We decided for various reasons relating to each individual it was in the best interest -- both the resources of the county and as well as strategic reason -- to dismiss essentially the five remaining people on the lawsuit," Bernal said.

The lawsuit was dropped against Omar Arreola, Phillip Bobby Berryman, Brian Christopher Hairston, Eric Antwan Stokes, and Daniel Odom.

Thirteen people accused of being Bloods members remain bound by the injunction after either agreeing to it or receiving a default judgment because they did not show up to court.

"The feedback that we're getting from both the community as well as the Police Department that there is a general feeling that it was a good idea, that it was a successful plan," Bernal said.

However, not all agree with the idea of limiting individual’s abilities without convicting them of a crime.

"If they are engaging in criminal activity then go and investigate them arrest them charge them and prosecute them,” said Theresa Caballero, a local attorney representing Eric Antwan Stokes. "Taxpayers of El Paso need to know this was brought it bad faith and has ultimately cost them a lot of money and sought to restrict the civil liberties of people in this community who have done nothing wrong."

Of the five men the suit was dropped against, one is in jail, another is thought to be in Mexico, and another man is awaiting trial on a murder charge, Bernal said.