No, I'm simply stating when criminals have more rights than law enforcement officials who may have overreacted and then get sentenced to longer sentences than any the smuggler may have faced, it smells.
Maybe it's just me. The border zone is a war zone, some folks just don't like to admit it. The numbers of deaths on both sides of the border show that in and of itself.
You feel the reports of the jurors that commented after the trial are without basis, I presume.
No problem, The WOD will continue to claim more victims on both sides in the future, it is not a war many would chose to fight even if they are sworn to do so.
If the illegal had shot 15 times at a border agent, and hit them once, the illegal would be in jail for as long as these guys.
On the other hand, it is rational to punish police who break the law more harshly than average citizens, because the harm to society of the law enforcers being law breakers is much greater than criminals being lawbreakers.
As to the Jurors, it's hard to say. They get correct directions from the judge, and who knows how they are manipulated in the back room. I do tend to discount it, especially since I think the sentence is too severe, and I bet they agree.
I dislike federal sentencing guidelines. Jurors probably didn't think they'd go to jail that long for simply shooting a criminal in the butt.
Still, they did vote 12-0 for 14 of the 15 charges (one they aquitted, so it does appear they knew HOW to vote against a charge).
Even if now a couple are not so happy, that's still 10 who, having seen all the facts, are comfortable sending these guys to jail.