BREAKING NEWS: Two Border Patrol Agents who wounded a drug smuggler given 11 and 12 years prison.

Lou Dobbs / CNN | 10-19-06 | no dems

[no dems]

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.

[onyx]

First of screwball, I am not a dude.
Secondly, yes, Dobb's is a Marxist democrat.

[Rockpile]

Well, well, well, well. So several other agents and TWO SUPERVISORS were ON THE SCENE were they? And they all knew what had happened. Hmmm.

I believe that if these two guys didn't take the stand in their own defense then they---and their lawyers--- made a serious mistake.

[rmlew]

They were given improper instructions on the need for unanimity in voting for conviction.
They were also misquoted the relevant law.

[Ladycalif]

There were many agents at the scene.

[Ladycalif]

The system always works. And OJ is innocent.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

I am think drugs should be legal and I think innocent people should not go to prison.

Iam think droogs is bad, hmmmmm. Me am ulso thunk unnosent peeopples shud nut hab tu go tu prizn, cuz dey mite beeze not giltee ob da tiinng dat Booshitler an al o dee debils kunbicted dem ob. Proper spelling and grammatical structure carry bonus points. Good evening.

[MikefromOhio]

They should not have been convicted. They were guilty of A procedural error. At most.

LOL!! Have you actually READ the story yet? Do you know they were convicted of a couple other things as well???? Do I need to spell it out for you????

Apparently a jury of their peers disagreed.

[Ladycalif]

[Ladycalif]

I know they were convicted. Just someone is convicted does not mean they are guilty. Just because OJ was acquitted does not mean he was innocent.

[Ladycalif]

???

[demkicker]

Geeze, I thought everyone on FR knew Dobbs was a Marxist Dem. You must be the one drinking Lou's koolaide if you don't acknowledge the obvious. Start paying attention for crying' out loud!!!

[muawiyah]

Mike baby, this was a kangaroo court organized by Gonzales and some of his little friends to show that he's tough on Mexican-Americans too.

Don'[t know why thinks he needs that, but it's something ~ maybe we ought to review some of our other Gonzales threads to see what precipitated this problem of his.

[Rockpile]

Posts that contain an inkling of intelligent thought should also count for something in contrast to your slavering drivel. Good evening.

[ARealMothersSonForever]

Immediately across the line there is no American law.

May the Lord shed his Grace upon you. Right and Wrong are universal. No matter the "line" in ones mind. There are some fine conservative Americans that are trying very hard to help you, and everyone else on this thread comprehend and appreciate these things.

[Ladycalif]

[jveritas]

Lou Dobbs hates President Bush and the Republican Party as much a any raging liberal.

[jveritas]

LOL... good one :)

[MikefromOhio]

what does OJ have to do with it? The answer is nothing.

And you didn't know they had been convicted until I pointed it out too you.

[Ladycalif]

Of course I did. I was on the phone with Texas off and on all afternoon.

[MikefromOhio]

listen to yourself.

These 2 guys screwed the pooch SERIOUSLY, committed a felony, but all you guys can do is blame Gonzales?

Are you friggin kidding?

I guess the term Obstruction of Justice is up for debate here. You are taking a very LIBERAL view of the statues involved.