“Go kneepad for Johnny Sutton to someone else.”
Hehehe...the stock response from so called “R&C supporters” when confronted with facts.
But they don’t want the facts out there, they want it all fuzzy and unclear so they can continue to stoke peoples emotions, garner support for their fringe immigration positions and raise dough.
To all the THINKING conservatives out there...don’t be mislead by their sleight of hand. They think you are ignorant and depend on you not asking simple questions on the inconsistencies not to mention the criminality of Ramos and Compean.
Ramos and Compean may have been good Border Patrol agents but they are not heroes in this incident. They screwed up bad then tried to cover it up. They put the careers and freedom of their fellow agents in jeopardy. Don’t you think it is weird that not one other agent from the Fabens station supported R&C nor their version of events during the trial? Their contradictions and indifference was so thick you could cut it with a knife. While reading the transcripts, that told me a lot.
There are plenty of men and woman of the Border patrol out there who deserve our full support and admiration. Spending that capital on this case is sad and unproductive.
I have, like you, read the trial transcript and surrounding articles, however, unlike you much has slipped from my memory. However, I thought I recall that the government leaned on some of the other Border Agents to roll on Ramos and Compean. I don't recall if the carrot of amnesty was held out or the stick of prosecution, but there was talk of pressure.
Again, the issue was not so much whether or not the Agents shot Alete-Davila but of the cover-up that ensued. Johnny Sutton restated that again after the Appeals finding. The point that needs attention is the willingness of the prosecutors to bend the truth and to favor an illegal drug smuggler over US Border Agents.
Need I remind you of how quickly Sutton overlooked the mistakes made by US Agents and their operative in the “House of Death” affair. People were not just wounded in that operation, people died!
Sutton's supporters lied to a Congressional committee about Ramos and Comnpean, trying to paint them as rogue agents. Why are they not in jail?
It is easy to sit at a desk with 20-20 hindsight and point out all of the errors made by a couple of hardworking USBP Agents in hot pursuit. The adrenaline was surely pumping. And anyone reading the news knows of the increase in border deaths from well armed drug smugglers. My question is why are we not defending the US borders better? With more agents and more weapons and more technology. But, that is a post for another day.
While you all argue the fine points of this trial, you miss the overwhelming injustice of the way Johnny Sutton prosecuted these two agents and used his power and influence to put them in prison for an unreasonable amount of time. [And one might argue that 23 hours a day in solitary is cruel and unusual, as well.] Sutton has the President's ear and that allows him to continue to besmirch the agents. It is much like our DA Mike Nifong in NC, except Nifong did not have friends in high places and thus was removed for doing stuff very similar to Sutton.
I am at this point disheartened and think that only through massive calls and letters, continuing over time is there even a chance of a commutation. Bush is stubborn and this case is made worse by the fact that Sutton is his pal.
I am further saddened by the prospect of having to choose between two candidates that look to me like more of the same. Both McCain and Obama are stubborn and both think they know better than the American people. The Senate is a very poor breeding ground for presidents! But, that, too, is off Thread.
And I am off to bed.