Here's mine:
Posted on 10/19/2006 3:37:27 PM PDT by no dems
Edited on 10/19/2006 4:07:46 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Ex-border agents sentenced for shooting smuggler
AP
EL PASO, Texas -- Two former U.S. Border Patrol agents were each sentenced Thursday to more than a decade in federal prison for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler and then trying to cover it up.
Ignacio Ramos was sentenced to 11 years and one day, and Jose Alonso Compean was sentenced to 12 years. Both were fired after their convictions on several charges including assault with a deadly weapon, obstruction of justice, and a civil rights violation.
The men, neither of whom spoke in court, will be allowed to turn themselves in Jan. 17.
The agents have proclaimed their innocence in the Feb. 17, 2005, shooting of admitted drug smuggler Osvlado Aldrete Davila.
Aldrete was shot in the buttocks as he fled across the Rio Grande into Mexico after a confrontation with Ramos and Compean. The agents said they shot in self defense, but prosecutors charged that they had no reason to shoot at the fleeing man, who later claimed he was unarmed.
Since their convictions, support for the agents has swelled. Several prominent law makers, including U.S. Rep. James Sensenbrenner, the Wisconsin Republican who chairs the House judiciary committee, have even called for a Congressional investigation into the agents' prosecutions.
The union representing most rank and file Border Patrol agents established a legal defense fund. And civilian border watch groups have asked the U.S. Attorney General's office to review the case and throw out the jury's guilty verdicts.
Here's mine:
The law is the law. I'm sure if the jurors were coerced, it will come out on appeal.
A JURY believed the Mexican and the other BP agents that testified. Like I said, I hate it was BP officers this happened too and I also think the sentence was far too harsh anyway, but the judges hands were tied by mandatory sentences. But, any cop shooting at a fleeing man and then covering it up would be subject to the same.
The only difference here is that it was a Mexican on the border. As far as believing a Mexican over a American, HE WAS SHOT AT 15 TIMES AND HIT IN THE ASS! That certainly lends credibility to his story.
Troll has nothing to do with my stand. I'm sick of people so blinded by their hatred of Mexicans that they can't tell right from wrong. So far people like you have blamed the foreman, prosecutor, the judge, Alberto Gonzales, and George Bush instead of blaming the two idiots that did this. That is purely agenda driven, and it borders (pun intended) on ridiculous.
By the way, illegals are being apprehended and sent back on a daily basis, GWB has sent 6000 NG to help on the border, the number of BP has doubled, catch and release has been ended, and 700 more miles of fence are on the way.
GWB never ran on a tough on illegals platform to start with, but he has responded. You border bots need to get a life.
If you get a straight answer to that I'll be shocked.
I know I wouldn't. I'm just kind of curious which robotic mantra I was going to get. 1) The union and I use disgusting tactics, 2) I'm floating stories or 3) the agents obstucted justice. LOL
Your first non-lie on the thread.
Your completely dishonest tactics are annoying.
Thanks for reminding me about your fourth mantra.
Do you think the prosecution of this case was professional and ehtical?
Of course, I know you're not going to answer the question. I'm just amused at your repeated avoidance of such simple and direct questions.
I wasn't there...were you?
The jury voted 12-0 to convict.
I showed you links that proved you wrong earlier...better find more straws to grab.
"By the way, illegals are being apprehended and sent back on a daily basis, GWB has sent 6000 NG to help on the border, the number of BP has doubled, catch and release has been ended, and 700 more miles of fence are on the way. "
We'll see if any of the above is true. How many time did we hear "catch and release is ended"? Several over the years. That turned out to not be particularly true. The President has to be dragged kicking and screaming to enforce the laws on our border. It's sad you think our demand that those laws be enforced (the law is the law, isn't that what you said?) is part of some "agenda".
Catch and release hasn't ended. The Border Patrol hasn't doubled and as far as I know there still isn't any funding for the fence. However, there are some good changes that I have seen in rough draft come out of DHS.
"Catch and release hasn't ended. The Border Patrol hasn't doubled and as far as I know there still isn't any funding for the fence. However, there are some good changes that I have seen in rough draft come out of DHS."
That was my impression on the first 3. It's good to hear about that last.
Matter of priorities. I believe the President was preoccupied with apprehending al-queda cells. I have yet to see a Mexican suicide bomber.
Come on man, 9/11 was 8 months into his term. His people were hardly even in place.
Sure there have been rapists and murderers come over the border, but there have been no plots for mass murder by Latinos.
I've argued these same points for two years. Things are getting better. But this has nothing to do with two BP agents losing it.
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