Posted on 01/29/2007 12:30:34 PM PST by SwinneySwitch
David Sipe is a once convicted criminal who can honestly say he "didn't do it."
"Relief. Relief. After 7 years, it's gone. It's over."
The ex-border patrol agent gets a 2001 guilty verdict overturned in his retrial for civil rights violations against a smuggler. The incident dates back to April of 2000 in Penitas.
"He was striking me in the side... he was very close to my weapon... and I had to do what I could to control the situation as fast as I could."
Fearing for his life, David subdues the smuggler by hitting him with his flashlight. It results in staples to the smugglers head. A border patrol investigation is launched and deems his actions inappropriate-- even illegal.
"I don't know how they're able to do that... but I don't think that's fair."
Neither did a jury who overturns his conviction from the first trial against him.
David says the government, who he faithfully worked under for nearly 4 years, turns its back on him while rolling out the red carpet, as he puts it, for the illegals turned witnesses.
"They got to stay here and work in our country."
The smuggler even gets a government settlement.
"80 thousand dollars... he now has his own ranch in Mexico.'
As for David-- he doesn't collect a thing. In fact, his life and family gets ripped apart.
"My house foreclosed on after having to file bankruptcy, my children having to live through this... of course my wife divorcing me."
Through it all, he says, justice is served. And while most about David is forever changed one thing returns and it's most important thing to him of all.
"I have my freedom back. I'm a man of honor again."
What lead to this morning's "not guilty" verdict reversal against the former border patrol agent? Turns out his attorney says the prosecution in the first trial supressed evidence and lied about benefits given to "Alien" witnesses.
Attorney Jack Wolfe explains.
"They with-held evidence about their witnesses who had prior convictions...they didn't tell us... they were supposed to tell us. In fact, they told us that they had no witnesses with convictions."
A new trial was granted and David Sipe's conviction was thrown out. As a result, Sipe is a free man and fighting to get his job back.
Criminal!
That's disgusting.
I haven't read the details, but there is the incident of the National Guard backing off confronting armed border crossers/smugglers, and people asking why. My guess is our government seems to be setting plenty of precedent to discourage any kind of real action against border criminals. It's shameful.
ping
well at least with his own ranch in mexico he might not try to get back into the US.
Penitas Ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
"David says the government, who he faithfully worked under for nearly 4 years, turns its back on him while rolling out the red carpet, as he puts it, for the illegals turned witnesses."
Sound kind of familiar, eh Johnny Sutton?
What IS it about the Justice Department that does this to their agents?
After all he went through, I'm surprised he still wants to work for the border patrol.
The prosecuter should be in jail. What scum!
Why in Heaven's name would anyone want that job back? Do your job again and back to court you go!
This is truly perverted. Shows how far our government has been infiltrated.
These Prosecutors granting Amnesty to Drug Smgglers in order to Convict our Defenders HAS GOT TO STOP!
What the Hell kind of Leaders are we tolerating in Washington DC?
And yet I keep seeing News reports of how the Republicans have learned from the last election that they have to move toward more Socialism in order to get the Votes. Can these Guys really be that Stupid?
RamS
Yup. He "Nifonged" him.
No. It's worse than that; FAR worse.
It's a despicable sellout of America by short-sighted, small-minded political demagogues at the highest levels of our government, and all levels in between.
It's a capital affront to The Constitution and everything upon which it stands.
It's a calculatingly crass knee to the groin of upstanding Americans from coast to coast.
It's a stiff-middle-fingered "F--K OFF!" to every legal resident of these United States; living or dead.
It's ALL of that, and more, and -- in a stroke of political schizophrenia worthy of a Michael Crighton novel -- it's coming to you from no less a revered locale than the White House Oval Office.
I voted for President Bush twice, because the alternatives were unthinkable, but I've NEVER before seen a President with such power to evoke simultaneous pride and nausea, and I pray that I never will, again.
How many other have or will be prosecuted. If I were a BP agent, I couldn't afford to leave any witnesses.
That's the problem, we don't have any leadership in Washington, none.
Until we actually start electing leaders instead of liars we will continue down the slow road to destruction.
And yes, they are that stupid.
.
You've got 16 tons
what do you get,
Another day older and
deeper in debt,
St Peter don't you call me
'cause I can't go!
I owe my soul to the company store.
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