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.
This is such BS. I hope that it can be appealed or overturned somehow.
They should be jailed for hitting him once out of 15 times.
Maybe you are not acquainted with how the demos will handle things if "the GOP gets their butts handed to them". You think we got problems now?? LOL
Good grief. Like Governor Perry can do anything about a federal court!
I'll wager other Texas FReepers do not share you emotional view.
This is from a August 28 post:
Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila, a Mexican national, was shot as he ran from the agents along the Rio Grande after they said he pointed what appeared to be a gun at them. He fled to an awaiting van in Mexico. Mr. Aldrete-Davila was given immunity to testify in the case after being tracked down in Mexico by an investigator from the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General. He is now suing the U.S. government for $5 million for violating his civil rights.
Prosecuting these guys does not seem to be the appropriate corrective action for such behavior.
Since the bad guy got shot and went back to Mexico while the two border guys got to hang out with the drugs, it does look bad.
People have no way of knowing if there weren't three times as much drugs to begin with when the border guys weren't honest enough to report the shooting.
They were their own worst enemy here, and then they get a bad judge I hear and it spread like cancer.
I think there are grounds for appeal based on what jurors are saying now, right?
Couldn't agree more. These patriots should not have to be pardoned. They shouldn't have been charged in the first place! The message this miscarriage of justice sends to the true defenders of American sovereignty is that this administration will not tolerate border agents who dare to enforce American immigration law; a powerful but pitifully disgraceful anti-American message!
The story I read stated they made their report, and in the report failed to state that they had picked up their shell casings. Nevertheless, they made a report. That the IG didn't agree with it, and brought charges, IMO, is an injustice.
I'll probably vote for Strayhorn or maybe even Kinky Friedman.
This story just didn't sound right. A Texas jury and judge convict these guys? There had to be some clear evidence.
I think the sentence sounds tough, but my understanding is that a mandatory sentence of 10 years was required because a gun was involved.
You forgot the "destroying evidence" part--their actions pretty much made it impossible to determine what the hell actually happened. It's also one thing to not report a busted headlight on your vehicle--but another thing entirely to cap off an entire magazine at someone and not report it, even if you allegedly "thought" you'd missed. And police should be held to a higher standard of conduct than civilians; they are entrusted with the authority to use deadly force, after all.
So, go on and vote Democrat again -- You'll get MORE, not less, Liberal Activist Democrat court decisions. The President has nothing to do with this issue or "decision" -- Address your concerns to the AG.
You're just blowing wind.
The big difference between some liberal arts degrees like English, government, or history and the sciences is, of course, reading 70 books once, or 1 book 70 times. When it comes to contrasting the two with something like an engineering degree granted at an Agricultural and Military school (for example) the "book part" doesn't apply eh!?
Next time you're getting your proctological exam just tell the nurse-practitioner that her degree (granted in Arts and Scineces) isn't as good as your engineering degree.
Double dare ya'
GOOD point, Mike. You're right.
Breaking News? Try Breaking Hearts. WHY didn't the President pardon these guys??? They were doing their JOB. They each have 3 young kids. They will not be there to raise them. This is INSANE. All for an illegal drug runner. The world is upside down.
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