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I did not state that the President should pardon them. However, there is enough evidence of jury intimidation, misrepresentation on the part of the prosecution, absence of evidence tying the officer's weapon with the wound inflicted, and underrepresentation by legal counsel to cast doubt on the fairness of the trial. It is my hope that the decision will be overturned on appeal. In any case, the Justice Department consigning the two men to the general population is tantamount to a death sentence. Former LEOs are not popular in prison, and in a prison where over 25% of the inmates are illegal, it would be easy to "McDougal" them. At a minimum, both men should be separated from the general population.

As for conservatism, one element of that philosophy is states' rights. Do you then oppose the prosecution by the Feds of Deputy Sheriff Hernandez, not a Federal, but a local officer, on charges similar to those on which Compean and Ramos were tried? Another element is the avoidance of double jeopardy. Did you support the conviction of Stacy Koon in Los Angeles by the Feds in the Rodney King mater even though a state jury acquitted them? A third element is preservation of the rights and privileges of American citizens, and not those of people in our country illegally. Do you believe aliens in this country illegally have the same civil rights as native born or naturalized citizens?

Yes, I am a real conservative, and proud of it. A person who defends injustice, opposes states rights, does not agree with the Constitutional guarantee against double jeopardy, and wants to place illegals (and drug smugglers to boot) on a legal par with citizens may be a lot of things, but one thing he is not is a conservative.

It is my hope that the decision will be overturned on appeal.

If everything that is alleged to have been done wrong in this case is even partially true, then I hope their convictions will be overturned on appeal as well. However, I suspect the difference between us is that if the convictions are not overturned, I will not automatically leap to the conclusion that the appeals court is in on the conspiracy to get these two men (for reasons that have yet to be explained to me).

Do you then oppose the prosecution by the Feds of Deputy Sheriff Hernandez, not a Federal, but a local officer, on charges similar to those on which Compean and Ramos were tried?

Never heard of the case. As is common here, though, you'll probably expect me to have an opinion anyway.

Another element is the avoidance of double jeopardy. Did you support the conviction of Stacy Koon in Los Angeles by the Feds in the Rodney King mater even though a state jury acquitted them?

I am absolutely opposed to the circumvention of the principle of double jeopardy by having the Feds retry a state case, the outcome of which was not liked by pressure groups. I think what happened to those officers in the Rodney King case was a genuine travesty of justice.

A third element is preservation of the rights and privileges of American citizens, and not those of people in our country illegally. Do you believe aliens in this country illegally have the same civil rights as native born or naturalized citizens?

Absolutely not.

What I have discovered about "real" conservatives -- at least those who inhabit these boards -- is that they tolerate not the slightest deviation from opinions they hold. Heck, they are knee-jerk intolerant even if there isn't any real deviation, but someone just comes at an issue from a perspective they don't understand. And, just as you have done to me, they arrogate to themselves the right to interrogate people who do dare to express a different opinion on a particular issue.