Monday, January 29, 2007

Was There a Government Conspiracy to Frame Ramos & Compean

LATEST NEWS

Ballistics reports, used in the trial of Ignacio "Nacho" Ramos, one of two Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting fleeing drug dealer Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila, do not support the prosecution's claim the bullet was fired from Ramos' gun, according to documents provided by an organization called Friends of the Border Patrol


Despite the conclusion of a laboratory criminalist that he could not conclusively link the bullet removed from Aldrete-Davila with Ramos' service weapon, a Department of Homeland Security agent swore, in an affidavit of complaint filed against Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, that Aldrete-Davila was hit by a round fired by Ramos.

According to FBP, Johnny Sutton and his assistants are guilty of malicious prosecution. The prosecutors lied to the jury and he twisted evidence to make it fit his case. And when he couldn't twist the evidence, the government demanded that the court seal evidence which would have been exculpatory to the defense.

Nearly two years after the conclusion of the trial, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas has yet to release a transcript of the trial.

"Back on Sept. 26, 2006, officials from the DHS Office of Inspector General made serious allegations against both agents Ramos and Compean to four members of Congress from the Texas delegation," Ramirez said.

"The Inspector General has subsequently refused to provide their evidence to substantiate their claims to Congress.

Ramirez consinues, "So I am also accusing the DHS Office of Inspector General of making false statements to Congress in order to prevent a congressional inquiry. I am asking the U.S. Congress to subpoena all documents pertaining to this case including the full transcripts, sealed testimony, and the sealed indictment against Aldrete- Davila in order to get to the truth of this case once and for all."

World net daily reports that Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, has filed a Freedom of
Information Act request against the DHS Inspector General's office to obtain those investigative reports. Poe took this action after DHS informed the Texas Republican delegation the documents would not be turned over to them because the Democrats were now in control of Congress and Rep. McCaul was no longer chairman of the Investigations Subcommittee of the House Committee on Homeland Security.
What are the Feds Trying to Hide

Is this another case of judicial abuse similar to what
District Attorney Mike Nifong did to the Duke lacrosse players?


Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, said Homeland Security Inspector General Richard Skinner has refused to deliver documents confirming his office's outrageous claims that Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean admitted they "were out to shoot Mexicans."

McCaul and three other House members met with Skinner on Sept. 26, 2006, to discuss the agents' case. A confidential Office of Inspector General memo from an interview Compean gave to investigators on March 18, 2005 supports the agent's claim that he believed his life was in danger when he tried to apprehend the Mexican drug smuggler on Feb. 17, 2005.

Special Agent Christopher Sanchez of the Inspector General's office stated in the memo that Compean believed Aldrete-Davila was carrying a weapon when Compean fired at him. Sanchez was the main DHS investigator on the case.

Compean also stated that he saw a shiny object that might be a gun and he felt that Aldrete-Davila was going to shoot him because he kept looking back at him as he ran away ... ."

According to McCaul and the other congressmen who met with Skinner - Reps. John Culberson, Kenny Marchant and Ted Poe, all Republicans who represent Texas - the inspector general told them during their meeting last fall that Ramos and Compean
had confessed to knowingly shooting at an unarmed suspect.

"According to the inspector general, they had evidence that the agents said they were out to shoot Mexicans," Poe said. "I found that hard to believe and asked if I could see that evidence. They never gave us what was promised."

McCaul, a former federal prosecutor in Texas, said the Inspector General's office has refused to provide any evidence thus far to support its claims.

He and his colleagues are now demanding that Skinner turn over documents related to the case or face a subpoena or contempt of Congress.

"I want to weigh the facts and the evidence in this case," McCaul said. "Either it is total arrogance or gross incompetence on the part of the Inspector General's office. If what (the DHS) told us was a lie, or if they misrepresented the facts on this case to members of Congress, we are going to hold them accountable."

Full transcripts from Ramos and Compean's trial last spring still have not been made available to Congress or the public. According to McCaul, repeated requests for the transcripts since November have been answered with excuses.

The agents were convicted of several charges related to the shooting, notably assault with a deadly weapon. Ramos received an 11-year prison sentence, Compean 12 years.

The steadfast refusal of the departments of Justice and Homeland Security to provide relevant information to Congress and the public about why Border Patrol agents Compean and Ramos were prosecuted causes people to wonder what they are trying to hide.

Editor's note: How the Hell can a U.S. Attorney charge on-duty Border Patrol agents who are in hot pursuit of a drug smuggler carrying 700 pounds of narcotics of assault with a deadly weapon? Can somebody tell me?

Monday, January 15, 2007

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Joe Loya at Rally for Agent Ramos

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Congressman Royce Issues Statement on Border Agent Appeal


Washington, Jan 11 - Congressman Ed Royce (R-CA) issued the following statement calling on the Attorney General to allow Border Agents to remain free on bond pending appeal

“The government and the US Attorney have elected to support a criminal - in this country illegally - over the men and women who protect our society from drugs."

Two family members of drug smuggler, Aldrete-Davila, interviewed by the Daily Bulletin in El Paso, said Aldrete-Davila has been smuggling drugs since he was 14 and "wouldn't move drugs unless he had a gun on him."

The family member, who insisted on anonymity, added that Aldrete-Davila has "been bragging about the money he's going to get in a lawsuit every time we talk to him - but now he's nervous."

"Aldrete-Davila is suing the U.S. Border Patrol for $5 million for violating his civil rights. Meanwhile, the families of both agents are struggling under the financial and emotional strain of impending lengthy prison terms."

"The drug smuggler, who was granted immunity to testify against the two agents, has subsequently been apprehended again, with an even larger cache of drugs. I find this simply astonishing."

"Several glaring discrepancies in the government’s case and the handling of the jury, raise serious questions whether justice has been served. Permitting these men to be incarcerated in the interim will put their lives at risk."

”This is yet another example of how some in government are more concerned about the welfare and rights of illegals and drug dealers than they are about America and the brave Americans that protect this country.”

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BACKGROUND:

Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean are currently scheduled to serve 11 and 12 year prison terms, respectively, this month. The case has garnered national attention because of the harsh prosecution and seemingly unjust conviction of the agents for shooting a fleeing illegal drug smuggler during an altercation. Over 740 pounds (over $1 million street value) of marijuana was discovered in his van near the border.