Posted on 08/07/2008 6:06:16 AM PDT by Califreak
An admitted drug smuggler whom two U.S. Border Patrol agents shot in the buttocks as he fled back to Mexico was sentenced Wednesday to 9 1/2 years in federal prison on drug-related charges.
Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, who pleaded guilty in April on charges of drug smuggling and conspiracy, was at the center of a firestorm of criticism in 2005 after Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean were sentenced to 11 and 12 years in prison, respectively, for the shooting incident.
The sentencing came a little more than a week after a federal appeals court upheld the agents' lengthy sentences.
Rep. Duncan Hunter, California Republican and a longtime advocate of a pardon for the agents, described the sentencing as a "perfect opportunity" for President Bush to pardon the agents or commute their sentences.
"The sentencing of Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila offers the president yet another opportunity to do what is right and either pardon or commute the sentences of Agents Ramos and Compean," he said. "These agents have spent almost two years in federal custody because of Davila´s testimony.
"The fact that Davila continued to run drugs into the United States after receiving immunity from federal prosecutors, in exchange for taking the stand against the agents, calls into question his testimony. His sentencing discredits it altogether," he said. "Agents Ramos and Compean should be released immediately and returned to their families. They shouldn´t have to serve one more day in custody."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
This case is truly a bell weather for the USA. The USA run by open border traitors. The USA going to history’s dustbin. The USA that won’t even defend its borders from armed Mexican soldiers, who are protecting drug shipments.
There won’t be 50 United States in 25 years, thanks to our open border traitors.
After reading his testimony in the transcripts, I have a hard time understanding how the jury could have believed much of what he said anyway, but removing what little credibility could have made a difference in their trial.
Ramos and Compean's actions in not reporting the incident damaged their own credibility, and their claims of self defense came down to their words against Aldrete-Davila's that he was armed.
I have a hard time seeing how they would have been convicted of the crimes they were beyond a reasonable doubt without Aldrete-Davila's testimony that he was not normally a drug smuggler, that this was a one time things that he had gotten caught up in, and that he was unarmed having some credibility.
NOW does anybody think Agents Ramos and Compean will be freed? Their sentences, for “discharge of weapons”, is at best, totally excessive, and at worst, is an example of the kind of thinking that results from complete control mentality. For agents Ramos and Compean, they are subject to the whim and caprice of a state indistinguishable from the worst of despotic tyrannies, in which punishment without mercy is the normal state of affairs.
Johnny Sutton shall never be called to account for this dreadful malfeasance of office. Which is a pity, because this legacy will live far too long.
from the Washington Times..a border patrol agent held at gunpoint by members of the Mexican military who had crossed the border into Arizona.
They only retreated when other border agents came to his rescue.
Sadly this is not new news& I'm sure-(especially from reading the whole article, it happens all too regularly)....but a line caught me in the piece.
"Unfortunately, this sort of behavior by Mexican mlitary personnel has been going on for years, union Local 2544 of the National Border Patrol Council ....
.."they are never held accountable, and the United States government will undoubtedly brush this off as another case of "Oh well, they didn't know they were in the United States"
THIS is what we're up against as a nation!....what the people who live and work close to the borders know on a daily basis....
..and what fly over country is also getting to know first hand with all the illegals, whether Hispanic or terrorists....or Hispanic terrorists !
I just don’t find it believable at this stage that you are ignorant of Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
sign the petition at grassfire.org
border guards deserve full pardon
Free Ramos and Compean!
It’s well past time for this travesty of justice to be corrected.
Mr. President?
I have....HOPE YOU ALL WILL!
U.S. District Court judges should not be placed in that position, and you should be embarrassed as a conservative to suggest they should be.
But Federal Sentencing Guidelines are the real world, no matter how much of a temper tantrum you throw.
Time to bring Sutton to court as an accomplice, and just keep on working our way to the top until all the people involved in this sad case are in prison.
Show the Mexicans we have the cojones to do something about corruption in government.
And I’m sure that Federal Sentencing Guidelines are ALWAYS adhered to, never any exceptions to those rules, no, none at all.
The fact is, judicial activism is an unfortunate reality in our society and the leftists and liberals have exploited it in masterful fashion.
What many conservatives fail to understand is that once a particular political weapon has been brandished and deployed (like the courts), one can either refuse to recognize the nature of the street fight in progress, and like a boxer trying to behave in the ring, continue to adhere to the Marquis of Queensbury’s rules (and get your ass handed to you), or wade into the street fight and do what you have to do to survive.
The left intends to win, and they don’t have any intention of following any ‘rules’, and if conservatives can’t recognize that, they will be destined to lose, perhaps rightly so.
They knew.
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