Posted on 10/19/2006 7:04:50 AM PDT by The Spirit Of Allegiance
Three jurors on the panel that convicted Border Agents Ramos Compean say they were misled, according to court documents--some are cited in an article in the El Paso Times (cannot be posted here but can be found online via search engines).
According to that article and independently heard reported on the John and Ken Show Thursday (KFI 640 AM, Los Angeles) the defense attorney for one of the agents, Mary Stillinger, intends to file a motion for a new trial.
The three jurors, identified in court documents as Robert Gourley, Claudia Torres and Edine Woods said they were still holding out on a guilty vote by the second day of deliberation.
Stillinger said she saw some jurors crying after the guilty verdict and later got in touch with them. The jurors stated that they had been incorrectly instructed as to the fact that the jury's decision did not have to be unanimous. Peer pressure from those jurors voting to convict was a factor in the several jurors' relenting and changing their vote.
One juror said he thought that 10 years in prison for the agents was not appropriate punishment. "Had we had the option of a hung jury, I truly believe the outcome may have been different," the juror said.
Juror Flores said of the jury foreman, "...I felt like he knew something about the judge that we did not know. ... I did not think that Mr. Ramos or Mr. Compean was guilty of the assaults and civil rights violations."
CALL Judge Kathleen Cardone who will be hearing the case TODAY - Thursday, October 19, 2006
PLEASE CALL Judge Kathleen Cardone's OFFICE and speak out for Agents Ramos and Compean!!!
Judge Kathleen Cardone (915) 534-6740 http://www.txwd.uscourts.gov/gen_info/judges/cardone.asp
http://www.txwd.uscourts.gov/
Call the CHIEF JUDGE WALTER SMITH for Judge Kathleen Cardone's district Chief Judge Walter Smith (254) 750-1519 http://www.txwd.uscourts.gov/gen_info/judges/cardone.asp
http://www.txwd.uscourts.gov/
CALL YOUR CONGRESS MEMBER - tell them to hold a press conference TODAY - tell them to fly to El Paso, TX tomorrow!
CONTACT YOUR CONGRESS MEMBER! http://www.house.gov/
Call Congressman Silvestre Reyes - Congressman for Ignacio Ramos Phone: (915) 534-4400 http://wwwc.house.gov/reyes/
CALL PRESIDENT BUSH 202.456.1111 president@whitehouse.gov
A good indicator of why jurors need to know their rights.
Support Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Juan Compean of the Fabens, Texas Border Patrol Station. They were recently convicted of crimes in federal court as a result of simply doing their job. If you're not familiar with their story, read the articles below and you will be astonished at what these two hard working agents have gone through, and the anguish caused to their families.
A relief fund has been set up by the National Border Patrol Council. Please support these two fine young men and their families while undergoing hardships most of us will never understand. Any questions regarding the fund can be emailed to Ramos and Compean Relief Fund at ramos_compean@nbpc.net
Oh so typical anymore. And oh so pathetic!
We'll show them dern police officers who have the nerve to enforce the laws against illegals. We'll put 'em behind bars. But what will the charge be? Oh, I don't know. Make one up and it will work just fine!
Thanks for the ping S of A. I was just thinking about these guys the other day.
All--Ramos/Compean ping.
Johnny Sutton, US Attorney responsible for this.
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/us_attorney/index.html
[snip] Mr. Sutton also serves as the chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) which plays a significant role in determining policies and programs of the Department and in carrying out the national goals set by the President and the Attorney General.
The AGAC consists of 17 members appointed by the Attorney General and represents different judicial circuits, various-sized offices, and expertise. Mr. Sutton also serves on the Border and Immigration Law Enforcement Subcommittee of the AGAC.
US Attorney Johnny SuttonPrior to becoming United States Attorney, Mr. Sutton served as an Associate Deputy Attorney General at the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., and as a Policy Coordinator for the Bush-Cheney Transition Team assigned to the Department of Justice.
Mr. Sutton served as the Criminal Justice Policy Director for then-Governor George W. Bush from 1995-2000, advising the Governor on all criminal justice issues, with specific oversight in the areas of criminal law, prison capacity and management, parole operations and legislative initiatives.
Prior to his service in the Governor’s office, Mr. Sutton worked as a criminal trial prosecutor in the Harris County District Attorney’s Office (Houston, Texas) for eight years. As a prosecutor, he was lead trial counsel in over sixty felony cases, including numerous capital murder, aggravated robbery, and sexual assault cases. He is fluent in Spanish, having appeared as a television commentator for the Spanish language network Univision during the Selena homicide trial.
"Johnny Sutton, US Attorney responsible for this."
A pathetic excuse for a human being. Bought and paid for by?
Enjoy your disgusting rampage, you little weasel. Won't be seeing ya in heaven...
This case is on appeal; the quickest way to end it is to call President Bush and ask him to pardon the two agents.
CALL PRESIDENT BUSH 202.456.1111
or
president@whitehouse.gov
ping
Border Patrol BUMP
It seems that in Washington the ones who DON'T do their jobs are the ones rewarded. Sickening!
fyi
Depending on who did the instructing this is either really dumb citizens' being manipulated by less dumb citizens or judicial malfeasance: it's pretty basic that criminal trials need unanimity, civil trials do not.
Either way a new trial seems necessary - maybe with the same judge or maybe his replacement.
The only way to rectify this fiasco is with a new trial. The entire episode stinks to high heaven. Very instructive, however, for anyone confused over what the true position of the federal government happens to be on border enforcement. Incredibly, they are too stupid to even be embarrassed over this fed-engineered debacle.
bttt
It doesn't matter. The border agents tried to enforce the law. That might interfere with teh supply of cheap labor and Democrat votes. They must go to jail. We must make examples of them.
BUMP for more eyes...and justice
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.