Free the Border Patrol Two

Townhall.com ^ | July 22, 2007 | Debra J. Saunders

[gpapa]

When President Bush commuted the sentence of Scooter Libby -- the former top aide to Veep Dick Cheney convicted for perjury and obstructing justice in a federal probe on the leak of the identity of a CIA operative -- he explained that he respected "the jury's verdict, but I have concluded that the prison sentence given to Mr. Libby is excessive." Bush commuted Libby's 30-month prison sentence, but allowed a $250,000 fine and two years of probation to stand. By that standard, Bush also should commute the sentences of former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.

Last year, the agents were sentenced to 11 years and 12 years, respectively, for shooting at and wounding a fleeing suspect who was smuggling 743 pounds of marijuana over the border in 2005, covering up the shooting and denying the smuggler of his rights. On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee held a fact-finding hearing on their case. On Wednesday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, sent a letter to Bush that said the agents' sentences were "excessive and they deserve the immediate exercise of your executive clemency powers."

Bush should heed their advice and commute these sentences. Ramos, 37, and Compean, 28, are not criminals. I've read the trial transcript. At worst, it shows two agents who made a bad split-second decision -- then wrongly covered it up because they realized they were wrong to fire their guns toward the fleeing Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, hitting him in the buttocks.

[Travis McGee]

And don’t forget Hernandez, also railroaded to prison by OBL traitors.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

~~~BTTT!~~~

[microgood]

Although they are not yet free, knowing that that the two words Johnny and Sutton in the same sentence is now a profanity is a step in the right direction. We just need to keep the pressure on.

[TheThinker]

I had heard that one of those border patrol agents was suffering from ruptured discs due to the beating he got in prison. That’s just sad...

[KTM rider]

.....what was that I heard about the character of the prosecution’s key witness witheld from the jury ? Isn’t that a form of jury tampering by the prosecution ?

[Bob J]

This article is fair and hit the right notes. R&C are guilty of a bad shoot and tried to cover it up, but the sentence is out of line. To apply a law designed to discourage criminals from carrying and using guns in the commission of a crime to LEO's who are required to carry one and use it if necessary to protect the public, is a severe miscarriage of justice.

But please you R&C supporters, could you refrain from this heated rhetoric about them being innocent and particularly all the tin foil conspiracy theories? You taint those who soberly and genuinely want the sentences commuted and your excessive extremeism on this issue makes it more difficult to attain justice for R&C by painting all supporters as mexican hating bigots.

[Mamzelle]

This was Bush’s man (Sutton) enforcing Bush’s policies. I don’t see how there is a prayer of commutation.

[Howie]

[stephenjohnbanker]

“This was Bush’s man (Sutton) enforcing Bush’s policies. I don’t see how there is a prayer of commutation”

Bush: “My close friend Sutton”

I agree.