Hunter will go to hearing ["Fight" for full pardon for border patrol agents (Duncan Hunter)]

(Washington, D.C.)...United States Congressman Duncan Hunter continues his pursuit of justice in the case of two border patrol agents that have been imprisoned. Hunter will attend and will testify for former agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean at a hearing to be held in Washington D.C.

The agents allegedly shot a fleeing drug smuggler in the buttocks. They were subsequently given sentences of 11 and 12 years in prison, while federal prosecutors granted the drug smuggler immunity to return to the United States and testify against the law enforcement officers. Hunter exclaimed:

"The circumstances of this case have outraged many Americans concerned with the problems of illegal immigration and drug-running from Mexico. I have and will continue to call for a full pardon from the President in this case."

In February 2005, the agents tried to stop a van driven by alleged drug smuggler Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila near the Mexico border. After a scuffle with Compean, Aldrete-Davila fled on foot. Ramos says he believes that he saw a gun, which the smuggler denies. Both agents fired at Aldrete-Davila who fell, then continued his escape across the border. After he got away Ramos and Compean filed a report on the 743-pounds of marijuana they found in the van, but not on the gunfire. As it turns out, Ramos had shot Aldrete-Davila in the buttocks. A Homeland Security agent heard about the episode went to Mexico and offered Aldrete-Davila immunity, if he would testify against Ramos and Compean.

In March, a jury found them guilty of assault with a dangerous weapon discharge of a firearm during a violent crime, obstructing justice lying about the incident, and willfully violating Aldrete-Davila's Fourth Amendment right to be free from illegal seizure.

Because there was gunfire, the mandatory-minimum prison sentence the agents will serve is 10 years. The U.S. Probation Office in El Paso, Texas had recommended 20 years for each of the two agents.

Aldrete-Davila, who faces no charges, is believed to be considering a civil suit against the agents and the United States Government. It is believed that he will seek $5M for the violation of his civil rights.

Hunter's congressional district is in southern California near the border with Mexico. He has led the Congressional campaign for border security joined by dozens of his fellow members, and several activist groups, in calling for a full pardon for the duo.

White House spokesperson Tony Snow recently said he wanted "cooler heads" to prevail and "facts" to be presented in the flaring dispute over the sentences imposed on the two former agents.

Following a failed request, lead by Hunter, to keep Compean and Ramos free on bail pending their appeal, the former agents surrendered to federal custody on January 17, 2007. Hunter noted "The very day they surrendered to federal custody, I recommended that agents Compean and Ramos be segregated and was assured they would be removed from the general population and close attention was being paid to their personal safety. The attack against agent Ramos indicates concerns for his personal safety and protection were ignored."

Hunter sent a letter to the President asking for an investigation into the attack against agent Ramos. The letter also requested the discharge that Bureau of Prisons Director Harley Lappin if facts show him to be derelict in his administration of his duties.

Hunter, the only Republican Presidential Candidate expected to attend the upcoming hearing, has been in the forefront on the immigration issue.

He has led the way for tight border security and for extraditing the immigrants who are in this country illegally.

Hunter on Lou Dobbs last night:

Tomorrow, one of Ramos and Compean’s biggest supporters, Congressman Duncan Hunter, will be testifying before that Senate Judiciary hearing. And so far, 95 Republicans have signed onto or are co-sponsoring Congressman Hunter’s legislation calling for a Congressional pardon for Agents Ramos and Compean. Congressman Hunter joins us tonight from Capitol Hill.

Congressman, tomorrow — let’s start straightforwardly.

Is this going to be a hearing that gets to the issues and to the facts of the case, do you think?

REP. DUNCAN HUNTER (R), CALIFORNIA: Yes, Lou, I think it will get to the facts of the case. And I think it will get to the basic injustice of this case.

The interesting thing about this case is even if you take the drug dealer’s testimony that at as he was — after he had run this load of drugs across the country and he’d — he’d had a — he’d had a little wrestling match with Compean, or Compean was on the ground, Ramos was running past him, the drug dealer claims he was running away unarmed. Although he was never frisked, so nobody really knows if he was unarmed. That couldn’t be established by Johnny Sutton.

But the facts are these guys were given — for wounding a drug dealer who went right back into business smuggling drugs — they were given, basically, murder sentences by the United States of America. They were given 11 and 12 years in the federal penitentiary.

DOBBS: Right.

HUNTER: The average murder in America does eight-and-a-half years in custody.

DOBBS: Yes.

HUNTER: So this is — I’ve seen a ton of cases under the UCMJ, Lou. You know, I’ve been on the Armed Services Committee for 26 years. I’ve never seen an Army or a Marine —

DOBBS: Code of Military Justice, for those who have not — who are not familiar with your work on the Senate Armed Services Committee or haven’t been in the military.

HUNTER: (INAUDIBLE).

I’ve never seen — I’ve never seen a uniformed officer in the services treated as unjustly as Compean and Ramos.

DOBBS: Congressman, let me turn this back to — to one other thing, too.

The — one of the issues here is obviously Johnny Sutton’s prosecution; the question of Mexican involvement; the question of sealed evidence; a number of the issues.

And as you have said on the House Armed Services Committee, you also represent the district in San Diego.

You’re — there are all sorts of allegations here that the reasons that evidence has been sealed is to protect the prosecutors from charges of undue influence on the part of the government of Mexico.

What is your reaction to all of that?

HUNTER: Well, I think it’s clear that the government of Mexico has put pressure on the United States to push back on the Border Patrol when they get tough on these people that are crossing illegally, especially the drug smugglers. I’ve seen the communications that say we want to have prosecutions when — when people come in across illegally are treated in the least way in an untoward manner by agents.

So I think there’s been pressure on the administration.

But, you know, Lou, this thing cries out for basic fairness. You don’t have to find a conspiracy theory to say that this — this jury and this judge together have delivered this incredibly hard sentence, a murder sentence on two guys for wounding a drug dealer who went right back to moving drugs.

DOBBS: And, you know, you were talking about the average sentence. In point of fact, a couple of interesting elements — as we have the wrap up here, Congressman.

But the fact is Ramos and Compean were both offered plea bargains with significant reductions in their — the potential jail term they faced. They’re — they believe themselves innocent and resisted those offers. A lot of questions to be answered. Hopefully those answers will begin tomorrow.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0707/16/ldt.01.html

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