[Iwo Jima]

Here is a ballistics timeline which I put together.

2/17/05 Date of Incident

3/03/05 Rene Sanchez’s MIL in El Paso calls him in Arizona to report s call from OAD’s mother that OAD has been shot. R Sanchez sends MIL to Mexico with her cell phone so R Sanchez can talk to OAD. R Sanchez talks to OAD. R Sanchez searches BP computers. R Sanchez files report with supervisor. Report is sent to Chris Sanchez with DHS OIG in DC.

3/04/05 Investigation started.

3/16/05 Bullet removed from OAD by Dr. Warme in El Paso with C Sanchez present.

3/17/05 C Sanchez takes bullet to Brian Carter at DHS. [Exhibit 29 to OIG report, copy not attached to public version]

3/18/05 Ramos’s weapon seized and submitted to Texas DPS crime lab. [Exhibit 32 to OIG report, copy not attached to public version]

3/18/05 Carter gives bullet to J. J. Correa at Texas DPS crime lab in Austin. Correa writes letter to Carter stating that the bullet was “fired from a barrel with 6 lands and groves inclined to the right” and that this could include 40 caliber weapons such as Browning, Beretta, H & K & Ruger pistols. No mention of bullet having come from Ramos’s or any particular weapon. [Exhibit 43 to OIG report, copy not attached to public version]

3/18/05 Criminal complaint filed. Affidavit of unknown person [name redacted in OIG report] swears that ballistics testing confirms that bullet came from Ramos’s weapon.

4/13/05 Ballistics report. [Exhibit 44 to OIG report, copy not attached to public version]

10/06/05 DPS Forensics Report [Exhibit 45 to OIG report, copy not attached to public version]

11/20/06 Report of investigation.

Anyone other than me have questions?

[Sue Bob]

Yeah. Why haven't they made them public?

Also, why did they file the criminal complaint on the basis of the March 18 report?

What are your questions? I'm sure I'm missing a lot.

[erton1]

Do you think Ramos told his lawyers that he fired a shot at OAD and either he thought he hit OAD or that he did hit OAD?

[FOXFANVOX]

Good stuff, IJ. My reading of Renee Sanchez's testimony came up with the first call in Feb. [28+/-] from the MIL. Second call is the one you noted.

It is incredible that Exhibit 44 and 45 are not included in this transcript as they are critical to the case.

Many questions!

[calcowgirl]

Anyone other than me have questions?

Yep, lots of them. It still looks like an incredible sequence of events.

Good catch on Exhibits 44 and 45! I had a hard time believing they could have performed all of the tests, concluding the bullet came from Ramos' gun, on the same day they retrieved the weapon from Ramos and filed the complaint (all March 18), especially since they couldn't begin the tests on the gun until they had concluded the ballistics tests on the bullet to determine the gun manufacturer (per agent's note on p. 15 of ROI).

Question: DPS Crime lab is in Austin? That puts a few more questions in my mind. What is that, about 600 miles away?

Question: Since the Affidavit stating the bullet was matched to Ramos' gun appears to have been false, and the bullet was the only physical evidence noted in the Affidavit upon which Judge Mesa concluded that there was probable cause to arrest Ramos, are the arrest warrants even valid?

[CharlesWayneCT]

Your timeline doesn't agree with calcowgirl's at this post

Her timeline has the 2nd complete ballistics test done on march 18th.

[calcowgirl]

I'm reading through some of the testimony a second time (or, for parts I missed). Should we call this an 'inaccuracy' or a blatant lie? They didn't retrieve the bullet until March 16 and the DPS report wasn't done until March 17. And it didn't tie the bullet to a Beretta--it said it could have come from a number of gun manufacturers, of which Beretta was just one. I count this as blatant perjury, myself.

C. Sanchez - Direct by Ms. Kanof
Volume 12, 9

14 A. On March 16, we knew the bullet had come from a .40 caliber
15    Beretta, which is a weapon that the Border Patrol uses.
16 Q. Did you know whose Beretta yet?
17 A. No, ma'am.