Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, former Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a drug smuggler and trying to cover it up, were denied a request for a new hearing in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans. The same court upheld the men’s convictions in July.
The two former agents are serving sentences of more than 10 years for shooting Osvaldo Aldrete Davila in the buttocks while he was fleeing from an abandoned marijuana load in early 2005. Aldrete Davila was later sentenced to 9 1/2 years in prison for two separate smuggling efforts later that same year.
The National Border Patrol Council supports Agents Ramos and Compean, and is raising money to fund their appeals to the U.S. Supreme Court. "Shooting a drug smuggler who points a weapon at law enforcement officers who are attempting to arrest him is not a crime. Despite what U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton might think, it is illegal for prosecutors to deliberately mislead the judge and jury about the ongoing criminal activities of their star witness," said the Border agents union, which is raising money for a Ramos-Compean appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
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16 comments:
oh, for sure...punish the 'good guys' !! This is as absurd as the incident with Dog 'the bounty hunter' Chapman and his sons. When the illegals and drug dealers get what's coming to them, why do our "leaders" defend them and make sure they have their 'rights' (?!!)protected, while good citizens are railroaded? Give these boys an award for doing their jobs!! FREE THEM, too!
You know, it's amazing. Illegal immigrant comes in, fakes ID, runs stop light, hits school bus and kills four kids, lies to authorities in her report, and she gets 12.5 years.
Men do their job (perhaps clumsily) and protect us from a drug dealing illegal, and they get 12 years. Go figure!
The officers were prosecuted because they admitted shooting when they WERE NOT SURE the skell had a gun. A 1974 Supreme Court decision removed the discretion for officers to fire at fleeing suspects if they were not sure they had a gun.
A very big BUT:
The decision was shutting down widespread policies (NY state only changed its shoot to kill all fleeing suspects -- after a warning shot -- in 1968) of firing at what amounted to at will at fleeing suspects. BUT the discretion should not (cannot) be taken from the officer if the totality of circumstances spells lethal danger to the officer.
If a Mexican (not an Irishman, seriously -- even coyotes never do that) assaults a border guard and runs, leaving behind a van, you can be almost sure that he is (1) desperate to escape a 20 year drug smuggling sentence and (2) is gun armed. This kind of circumstance was not covered in the original case (a boy escaping over a fence) -- this misbegotten case should if all were right with the world produce a new precedent ("good luck").
The officer did say the skell pointed something at him -- which should add to his legitimate fears (if the prosecutor didn't take the skell's word otherwise -- ???).
Dennis,"...mustn't sacrifice the 'rights' of the illegals for the safety of our law enforcers!">> That seems to be the crux of every facet of our country now. If all this freedom, progressive thinking, 'rights', (sexual and otherwise) is so wonderful....I wonder--why is the USA in such a degraded, demoralized, ghastly condition?
just wondering why a comment posted at 7:48PM shows posting time as 4:00+PM ?
I think it's ridiculous these men are in jail. We definitely live in scary times.
Our elected officials are putting globalism before Americanism, . . . from the President down through the Congress, our elected officals are all in breach of their oath to preserve, protect, and defend the consitution, which says: the federal government has the duty to protects us from invasion. If the influx of illegals over the Mexican border is not an invasion, what is it? I for one like Mexican people--my position has nothing to do with nationality--it has everything to do with law and order. It would not matter the nationality of any illegal immigrants: The border should be secured.
too bad everything comes down to the 'bottom line'=$$$$ either to get it, or to NOT spend it unless it serves their own pockets. The govt is no different than the big business moguls who DO NOT earn what they are paid, nor do they deserve even a fraction of the 'perks' and the bonuses and the retirement and the free-for-life incentives they fleece from hardworking citizens!! I say let the other countries' citizens stand up and make their own country livable instead of crowding us and turning the USA into a stew-pot of illegals.
The family of Agents Romas and Compean is in my prayers. They should not be spending one second behind bars. They stand watch over the frontlines for our country and the danger they face is grave. They do not deserve this and damn the government for pursuing the charges to begin with. I hope that President Bush will sign pardons for the two agents before he leaves office, as I believe he will. God bless.
Please let us know where to send donations to fund the appeal process. Myself and MANY others would like to help.
It's disgusting that a man who claims to be the commander-in-chief of the military would let two of his soldiers be sold out so it looks like he gives a crap about anything.
Bush's numbers are in the toilet for a reason and this is just one of them.
I feel for the agents and their families as I do for all who suffer from criminal activities, but these agents are not going to get pardoned. They were convicted for shooting a man in the back, not reporting it, and attempting to sweep it under the rug. If everything was done properly why hide shell casings and why not produce the suspect and why not give a proper report of the incident. These guys left out the part where they shot a fleeing suspect, that's why they're in jail.
Among those recently pardoned by President Bush was a COYOTE, or ILLEGAL alien SMUGGLER! Yet Bush REFUSES to free UNJUSTLY imprisoned Border Patrol agents Ramos and Compean, who are being PUNISHED for STOPPING illegals, especially the SCUMBAG criminals like drug runner Aldrete-Davila!
I don't understand why presidents are allowed to pardon anybody they wish. The pardons should meet some sort of criteria like to wrong an injustice, but I don't think that is what happens. It seems to me that in the end it is the powerful protecting each other or repaying debts. I admit I don't know much about the process or even if there is one.
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