Posted on 05/16/2008 9:51:33 AM PDT by kingattax
If President Bush would simply pardon the unjustly imprisoned former Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, we could all rest much easier knowing that in the United States, a foreign drug smuggler's word does not prevail over the word of federal agents in the line of duty.
This week, the Kentucky-based group, Christians Reviving America's Values, filed an ethics complaint with the Texas Bar Association to investigate U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, whom the group argues willfully misled a jury to convict the agents. Here is a refresher on the case for those who need it: Messrs. Ramos and Compean are serving 11- and 12-year federal prison sentences, respectively, for shooting in the buttocks an admitted drug smuggler who abandoned 743 pounds of marijuana. As the men tell it, they shot Mexican national Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila southeast of El Paso three years ago after the suspect refused the agents' orders to stop. Wounded, Mr. Aldrete-Davila fled to Mexico, leaving behind the van containing the massive drug load.
Here's the awful turn: Federal authorities subsequently located Mr. Aldrete-Davila in Mexico to offer immunity in exchange for his testimony against the border agents. He then filed a $5 million suit against the federal government for violating his civil rights.
On this man's testimony, the border agents were convicted by a federal jury on charges that included: assault with a dangerous weapon, lying about the incident and violating the alleged smuggler's Fourth Amendment right to be protected against illegal search and seizure.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
This is pure madness that has gone on for way too long. Bush got paid off and or is getting something out of this to not have these men out of prison.
Now why did you have to go and post this and ruin a good morning. Thanks, k.
:-)
Sometimes ... I feel like I’m living in Cuba or something. This is soooo unjust.
Pardoned, yes, but I won’t be happy until Sutton is impeached and disbarred. He’s a disgrace.
:)
Ramos and Compean are guilty as sin. Trying to free them wastes resources that could be otherwise used to lobby for a better border enforcement and deportation of illegals. Don't waste your political capital on crap like this.
As if either John McCain or Barack Obama will truly pardon them if Bush doesn’t. Political correctness on all issues keeps getting worse everyday all over the world, and the continued failure to release these two border agents who were just doing their jobs is proof of this.
Read Mark Brewer's brief to the Fifth Circuit before you shoot off your mouth :
CONCLUSION Although it may be within the discretion of this Court to determine that plain error had been committed below, and yet to allow the convictions to stand, these amici respectfully submit that it must not do so. If Defendants’ convictions for violation of Counts Four and Five are not overturned, Defendants will have been convicted of a crime that this Court and the Supreme Court have ruled does not exist. That fact alone is sufficient to support a finding that the integrity and public reputation of the judicial proceedings in the trial below have been put in jeopardy, and cannot be allowed to stand.
That doesn't mean that the agents aren't also guilty. It's not an either/or.
Did the agents lie about the shooting? Everything I've read says yes, they did. And if so, then they aren't the good guys - this situation wouldn't have any.
No free nation can abide crooked cops. Ever. Under any circumstances.
PING!
RAMOS/COMPEAN Ping
Please freepmail me if you want on or off this list.
Debra Kanof too!
Other agents wound up being terminated from their jobs for changing their testimony to the DHS.
Then you would be wrong. True, they did not give an oral report to their supervisor, believing they were fully aware of the events since they were at the scene. They did not lie about anything.
But that hardly warrants being charged with MURDER and having prosecutors conspire with a drug smuggler to imply the officers were "out to shoot Mexicans."
No free nation can abide crooked cops.
No free nation can abide by dishonest prosecutors, either. I suggest you are looking in the wrong place to criticize.
Convicted on the testimony of a drug dealer and two agents granted "immunity" who changed their statements numerous times and either resigned or were fired from the Border Patrol for lying. Compean had a written statement he provided at 1:30 AM in the morning and then testified essentially what he had written. Ramos testified and his testimony is the most consonant to all other testimony given.
Good point.
Overwhelming evidence points to their innocence. They were nifonged.
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