Border Agents Under the Gun(George Putnam)

NewsMax.com ^ | Jan. 19, 2007 | George Putnam

[kellynla]

It is this reporter's opinion that in my 72 years reporting and commenting in the news, I have never witnessed anything that equals the miscarriage of justice evidenced in the case of two courageous border patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean.

They are being imprisoned for risking their lives to protect ours from a violent Mexican illegal alien drug smuggler.

Amid protests, 250 communications and statements by Republican and Democratic representatives, the two agents are to serve 11 and 12 years in prison.

A federal judge, Kathleen Cardone of El Paso, Texas, denied Ramos and Compean's motion to remain out on bond while they appeal their case.

Cardone ruled that because the defendants had been convicted by a jury for a crime of violence the motion was denied. Cardone's response to the motion read, "The court finds that no exceptional reasons exist in this case."

It is this reporter's opinion that the two border agents are suffering from the worst miscarriage of justice in the history of our legal system.

Ramos and Compean are not even allowed to remain with their families during an appeal process. They are the true victims of injustice — not the person who entered the United States illegally, transported 743 lbs. of marijuana illegally across the international border, assaulted a federal agent, and defied all of the rules outlined by our immigration statutes.

To top this indiscretion on the part of the judge and the court, Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila, the smuggler, was given immunity by the U.S. government, in exchange for testifying against the agents.

He was actually brought back from Mexico to give testimony. And, according to one report, Aldrete-Davila was also guilty of a subsequent attempt to bring drugs into the United States. He is now suing the U.S. Border Patrol for $5 million. The White House and the attorney general have not responded to this situation with a single word, pro or con.

Others across the nation have.

T.J. Bonner, president of the National Border Patrol Council representing more than 11,000 border patrol agents, says the government is sending a bad message to all law enforcement officers by putting these men in prison.

Bonner says, "In addition to tearing apart Ramos and Compean's families, it destroys the morale of law enforcement officers across the nation and undermines the public's faith in our system of justice."

Representative Ted Poe, a Texas republican, along with 75 other congressmen, calls a decade in prison for each man harsh punishment. "The government had to choose between supporting a drug dealer or supporting their own border agents," Poe said. "They chose to support a drug dealer. The federal government is thus on the wrong side of the border."

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of California puts it bluntly. He called President Bush a "disgrace." But the action by the courts in this situation will encourage defiance by illegals and they will redouble in their smuggling efforts.

Already the shooting of 22-year-old Francisco Rivera has drawn commendation from the new president of Mexico. So here we have the government of Mexico protesting the death of another illegal alien involved in another confrontation. In other words, this is just the beginning.

The shooting came during confrontation with one of our agents at the Mexican border. The dead man's mother calls for the death penalty. Still not a single word from the White House or the attorney general. The only response has come from White House spokesman Tony Snow who has said he could not comment about a possible presidential pardon and repeats the words of the judge that the court finds no exceptional reasons exist in this case: "Border guards must obey the law, too."

Snow continues to deflect questions about the president enforcing the laws the U.S. already has to secure its borders and deport illegals who break the law to enter the United States.

Now, as these two young men begin their prison terms leaving behind wives and a total of six young children, comes word that three members of the jury who ruled against them have retracted and now say that they were coerced in ruling against Ramos and Compean.

Three jurors say they were coerced into convicting the two agents.

Judge Cardone, the prosecution, and the jury got it wrong the first time and now it seems they have it wrong again!

This ruling by judge and jury is the most disgraceful act I have heard of in the history of our great nation. Judge Cardone and the prosecutors should be ashamed of themselves for distorting the facts in the case.

The two dedicated border patrolmen are now behind bars and the drug smuggler is free to go about his illicit traffic in drug pedaling and thumbing his nose at us all of us while justice weeps.

And yet still no response from the White House or attorney general.

[kellynla]

ping

[mcshot]

Looks like the powers that be want us to bend over and take a deep breath. Right is becoming wrong and wrong right.

[Hydroshock]

I heard a second hand report that many border control officers are thinking of quitting. They try to do their job and this is what they get.

[csmusaret]

They were rogue cops. Compean tried to take his head off with a shotgun, missed and fell down. The perp ran and the two agents tried 15 times to shoot him in the back. They knew that was a bad shoot and tried to hide their crime. I don't know if 11 and 12 years is excessive or not, but I am convinced they are guilty.

[Jazzman1]

I would NEVER take that job, and would discourage anyone and EVERYONE I know not to after this abomination. Another example of the LIBERALS handcuffing our security and putting us in danger!

[Hydroshock]

Yep.

[street_lawyer]

the government is sending a bad message to all law enforcement officers by putting these men in prison.

It's the jury system, stupid.  --- their minds are polluted by the liberal national media.

[Citizen Tom Paine]

As an ex-Federal Government who worked for a large and powerful organization let me state the message that their imprisonment would send to me.
1. Well boys (and girls), be very conservative in enforcing the immigration laws. This killing of immigrants has got to stop.
2. Only take action when it is impossible not to act. In your daily duties, follow the form but do not perform the function of a border patrol agent. Man your posts, but enforce only overt violations when a camera is present.
3. We encourage illegals coming into the US. You Border Patrol agents better get with my program or get out.
4. We are watching your actions and the slightest deviation from the party line (not governing legislation) will be dealt with to the fullest extent of the law. In Navy talk, expect a lot of travel, mid-watches, and assignments to the most remote duty stations in the world.
5. By all means keep your nose clean and observe only what occurs when it is impossible not to.
6. And if all goes well, we can turn the US into a third world country within this generation. Your grandchildren will thank you.

[TomGuy]

This case isn't over.

Like his pitbull lockjaw on the Dubai ports and Harriet Miers nomination, GW is going to take a severe raking for allowing this travesty to continue.

This one should have Congressional investigations: of the Administration, the Justice Department, the Federal Judge, the Federal Prosecutor.

To quote Judge Judge, "Follow the money." Transporting nearly 800 pounds of illegal drugs gets the drug dealer immunity -- and gives him the priviledge of suing (the US taxpayers) for $5 Million. So, who else is benefiting from this travesty? Who else is making money? Protecting the border and doing their job gets the two Border Agents over a decade in prison.

Is this the message the Bush Administration wants to send?

If Bush had done his job that he swore an oath to -- uphold the Constitution and that includes securing the borders -- this kind of incident probably would not have happened. But the Bush Administration Rules of Engagement on the border opens it up for illegals and drug dealers to have more legal rights than the border guards who serve and protect the sovereignty of the United States.

If this is the message the Bush Administration wants to send -- to border guards, to illegals, to drug dealers, it is, as Rep. Dana Rohrabacher called it, a disgrace.

[genefromjersey]

That's the part the "agitators" keep trying to sweep under the rug: some for reasons of solidarity; others for reasons of raw politics. (For example: the Alex Jones 9/11 Truthers have been churning up great volumes of crap on this topic.) Don't be misled ! The fact is,both men were tried in a court of law,by a jury that listened to 2 weeks of testimony. I'm sorry for their troubles, but la ley de la fuge(the shooting of fleeing suspects in the back) is not acceptable in the USA any more.

[Emmett McCarthy]

Snow's comment about how the agents "have to obey the law" offends me. His boss is not obeying the law by his failure to act on securing our borders. When the law is ignored or flagrantly disregarded at the highest levels, it is not possible to have any kind of coherently organized society. These two get thrown under the bus for whatever violation they may - or may not - have committed, while those responsible for the situation smile for photo ops. It's truly disgusting.

[Condor51]

Tony Snow who has said he could not comment about a possible presidential pardon and repeats the words of the judge that the court finds no exceptional reasons exist in this case: "Border guards must obey the law, too."

Right Tony. But in this instance what Charles Dickens wrote is kind of appropriate: "If the law supposes that, the law is an ass..."

BUT, since we're talking about 'laws', Tony. How about this 'law', right out of that Constitution thingy of ours

Article III, Section 4.
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic Violence.

What about THAT 'law'?

(((( crickets ))))

[csmusaret]

Right you are and smuggling marijuana is not a capital offense.

[Jonathan]

This is one that breaks the camels back.

Bush is a disgrace.

Everyone that I know that worked/voted/gave$ etc. for El Presidente and who knows about this is disgusted with our stupidity for supporting him.

This one single episode is going to cost the GOP the next election.

[Obie Wan]

They tried to take the ILLEGAL DRUG DEALER from MEXICO's head off with a shotgun,what a shame. Not the fact they tried to take his head off,it's a shame they missed !!!

[csmusaret]

They hadn't even found the drugs at that time.

[Obie Wan]

"The fact is,both men were tried in a court of law,by a jury"

So was OJ,what's your point !!!

[wku man]

Maybe if all smugglers, illegals and terrorists thought they would get their heads blown off at first sight, they wouldn't violate our soverign territory.

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!

[Nebr FAL owner]

Agreed , but according to testimony the fleeing perp appeared to point a shinny object at the BP agents in that situation it is not unreasonable to believe that a violent individual who is smuggling illegal drugs into this country would have a gun & was actually pointing one at you . This makes you think that your life is in danger & you respond accordingly .

Then your own govt. goes to Mexico does a search for the bad guy with the help of the Mexican govt. & then they grant the BAD GUY amnesty in exchange for "testimony" which you can bet has been well rehearsed & that there was in fact meetings on both sides of the border between the US Attorney & his Mexican counterpart, to get this guys record
"straight " ie he will apppear as pure as the driven snow regardless of the truth.