Bush Considering Pardon for Border Agents Convicted of Shooting Mexican Drug Runner

Fox News ^ | January 21, 2007

[Clintonfatigued]

President Bush promised to review a case for a possible pardon of two former U.S. Border Patrol agents serving time in prison for shooting a Mexican drug runner.

Bush said in an interview with KFOX-TV in El Paso, Texas, Thursday that he would "take a sober look at the case" as it works its way through the appeals system.

"There are standards that need to be met in law enforcement and according to a jury of their peers, these officers violated some standards," Bush said. "On this case, people need to take a tough look at the facts, the evidence a jury looked at, as well as [the] judge. And I will do the same thing."

Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean reported to prison Wednesday to begin serving their sentences for the 2005 non-fatal shooting of Osvaldo Aldrete Davila. Ramos faces 11 years and one day while Compean will serve 12 years. Davila fled to Mexico after he was shot in the buttocks and later admitted he was transporting over 700 pounds of marijuana in the U.S. illegally.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., introduced a bill to pardon the agents, joining a growing group of supporters of the men, including Reps. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., and Ted Poe, R-Texas.

[T.L.Sink]

Another thing that hasn't been discussed is that two of the jurors claim they were coerced. Aside from all the other injustices in this fiasco, if what the jurors claim is true there ought to have been a mistrial.

[mickie]

WHAT IS HE WAITING FOR???

Maybe he's going slow, trying not to get his AG Gonzalas mad at him.

[loboinok]

Because those two covered up their actions after shooting an unarmed guy running away that they did not know was a drug dealer.

Sounds like you are believing the drug smuggler. The agents said they thought he had a gun.

The only people who know for certain what happened, are the border agents and the drug smuggler.

Both agents had good work records and commendations and hadn't fired on anyone before...why would they start now without reason?

No one can say for sure, who is lying and who isn't. But given that one of them is an illegal alien, drug smuggling, border crossing, liar. I'll back our guys.

[streetpreacher]

PING

[Screamname]

Hispanicazition and Islamicazition. Here in Queens NYC where I live they just built an Islamic school for kids. 10 years ago it was an all Irish Catholic neighborhood. Now I`m a minority surrounded by ragheads and multi-colored ghosts.

Ghosts......

"Booooo!"

"Booooooooo!"

"Booooooo!"

[Sender]

I agree; even if Bush doesn't particularly want to get involved in this case, he has been served with reality; millions of Americans want them pardoned.

The President should tread lightly and admit that a "sober look" at this case reveals that polling data would skyrocket with a pardon. Case closed.

It is merely incidental that the "right thing to do" would be to promote border security.

[1066AD]

Jurors coerced ? Hadn't seen that.

[Old_Mil]

Why can't Bush just pardon these two now?

I don't get it.

Because our first Mexican president doesn't want to pardon them.

[jackibutterfly]

"...but if they indeed are guilty, shouldn't they be required to pay for their own crimes?"

Even IF they are guilty, which I believe they're not, the most they should have gotten as punishment is 5 days suspension. The "crimes" were administrative infractions - IF the FBI hadn't gotten involved, these 2 would NEVER have gone to trial, let alone jail! This is an obscenity - an atrocity!

[upsdriver]

Justice cannot be by the will of the people but by the rule of law. I would lose respect for Bush if he pardoned on those reasons.

[afnamvet]

Bush said in an interview with KFOX-TV in El Paso, Texas, Thursday that he would "take a sober look at the case" as it works its way through the appeals system.

"There are standards that need to be met in law enforcement and according to a jury of their peers, these officers violated some standards," Bush said. "On this case, people need to take a tough look at the facts, the evidence a jury looked at, as well as [the] judge. And I will do the same thing."

Politicalspeak translation = no pardon. He will back his DOJ.

[F.J. Mitchell]

I have already taken a sober look at this case and am convinced that even a brain dead and drunk, genuinely impartial jury, would have ruled in favor of the Border Patrol agents who were merely doing the job we are paying them peon wages to do, when they shot the drug running illegal alien criminal sonovabitch in the ass as he fled from justice.

The President of the United States of America, is the only one on earth with the power to right this wrong. If he fails to do his obvious duty to these brave and loyal Border Patrol Agents, he will have earned our contempt, and he shall damn well be made aware of mine!

[Old_Mil]

As the Duke lacrosse case, the OJ murder trial, and other cases in the past few decades have illustrated for those who are paying attention, the rule of law in America is no longer what it once was.

[upsdriver]

If the sentence is unfair, it can be reduced on appeal.

[misterrob]

That was the conclusion of the authorities and the jury. They made no record of having shot at the guy in the ass as he was running away, they policed up their ammo and went about their business.

Now, while I certainly don't care for trigger happy cops who lie and think that the laws don't apply to them, I think that our government bears some reponsibility for its lax border policy and refusal to do anything about stopping the invasion.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

He doesn't want to take the chance off making the Latino community angry at him.

"Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean reported to prison Wednesday..."

How's that again?

Perhaps you meant that the President didn't want to take the chance of angering the illegal alien community.

[Jaysun]

I think he'll do the right thing, this or that group or the political implications be damned. I think his record on speaks for itself in that regard.

[Feiny]

gawd damnit

I wish I could type

administrative

feh meh
blark

[Dustbunny]

Pray he does more than just consider it, Pray he does it.