It's never been okay to shoot anyone with buckshot. Rock salt, maybe, but not buckshot.
More importantly, these guys weren't some farmer trying to keep a chicken thief out of the coop. They were Federal law enforcement officers and should be held to the highest standards.
That's right--they were border patrol agents trying (despite lack of support from our government) to keep our borders secure, and, in this case, stop an invading drug-smuggler.
So should their bosses in Washington DC and not many are calling for their prosecution or resignations for deliberately failing to uphold the border laws of the United States. But hey these were just two BP's. Laws was written for us, for them, but not for the so called ruling class who created the conditions those men worked under. It applies to us, to the BP agents but hardly ever the illegals for one reason or another it seems.
The US Attorney in this case should resign as well for giving immunity to a major career multi-offense felon. His wrongs, the BP agents wrongs, do not make the illegal deeds right which is just what the US attorney has accomplished. If he had the evidence he said he did he could have gotten the BP's on enough issues to make certain they never worked so much as even a county deputy again anywhere and could have done so without supporting the illegals career and trying to pass him off to us as an innocent man. That right there is inexcusable conduct on his part.
I did quite a bit of looking {searches} last night where cops have shot persons under questionable circumstances. This was pretty severe. I found quite a few resulting in death that didn't get this harsh a sentence and no the BP's did not intend to kill this man.
I don't dispute their need of punishment to a lesser degree {probation} but rather their severe sentence vs the obvious pandering to the one who testified against them for $5M and will not despite his multiple offense see a day in a U.S. jail for any of them.