Whew! I feel better now..../s/
Posted on 02/07/2007 8:18:59 PM PST by NormsRevenge
EL PASO, Texas - A federal report released Wednesday on the shooting of a suspected drug smuggler by Border Patrol agents concurs with prosecutors that the men failed to report the shooting, destroyed evidence and lied to investigators.
Some members of Congress have criticized the case against Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, who were fired after their obstruction of justice convictions and have each been sentenced to more than a decade in federal prison.
Congressional critics, who say the men were doing their jobs when they injured Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila in 2005 near El Paso, had sought the release of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security report.
The report "has just emboldened our position because there is nothing in there that indicates these agents were not justified in shooting this individual," said Tara Setmayer, a spokeswoman for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (news, bio, voting record), R-Calif. "This finally sheds some light on what these agents were thinking."
She pointed to a written statement by Compean in which she said reflects that he "clearly believed the drug smuggler had a weapon and feared for his life."
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (news, bio, voting record), D-Vt., agreed Wednesday to allow Sen. Dianne Feinstein (news, bio, voting record), D-Calif., to hold a hearing on the case, as she requested.
"I strongly believe that the sentences in this case are too extreme, given the criminal nature of the defendant and his possession of large quantities of drugs," Feinstein said in a statement. "These men were given sentences that some individuals who are convicted of murder wouldn't receive."
The heavily redacted, 77-page report, drafted last year, offers few new details. It primarily outlines what Aldrete said happened on Feb. 17, 2005, as he tried to run from Border Patrol agents after trying to elude them in a van loaded with marijuana.
According to the report, Aldrete, who was given immunity and has filed a multimillion-dollar claim against the federal government, told investigators he was unarmed and was shot as he ran from Compean and other agents. He said he tried to surrender and ran again after Compean slipped while trying to hit him with the butt of a shotgun.
The report also notes that other agents on the scene that day could not confirm whether Aldrete was armed and initially lied about whether they were aware of the shooting. They later cooperated with authorities. Those agents, whose names were removed from the report, were not prosecuted.
In a statement issued Wednesday afternoon, Rep. John Culberson (news, bio, voting record), a Texas Democrat, said Ramos and Compean "may not have followed proper procedure following the shooting, which at most should have resulted in their suspension from the force, but not criminal procedure."
A spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, whose office prosecuted the case and who has been widely criticized for pursing the agents and not the drug dealer shot, declined to comment.
Lawyers for Ramos and Compean did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.
The former agents were sentenced in October and reported to prison in January. Federal prison officials confirmed Tuesday that Ramos was attacked in a Mississippi prison after the airing of an episode of "America's Most Wanted" that highlighted his case.
Rohrabacher and other supporters of the agents have criticized President Bush for not pardoning them.
___
Associated Press writer Suzanne Gamboa reported from Washington, D.C.
This story was written just for the morons who read the headline.
"EL PASO, Texas - A federal report released Wednesday on the shooting of a suspected drug smuggler by Border Patrol agents concurs with prosecutors that the men failed to report the shooting, destroyed evidence and lied to investigators."
That all it really says despite that big "AGENTS LIED!" headline. The Associated Press is a disgrace.
They have managed to turn this story upside-down.
When I saw that headline I thought that AP was about to admit that Homeland Security lied to congress. No, they're still playing the same old propaganda. Disgusting.
bump
Convicted people don't get pardoned before there's even an appeal of the conviction. Once the jury has decided, it normally goes through the whole appeal process before any convicted felon ever gets pardoned--Marc Rich being a notable exception. And there are certainly no appeals until there's an official court transcript. They don't even have that much yet, sounds like.
BZZZZZT, Sorry wrong answer, Nixon wasn't even charged when Ford pardoned him.
Marc Rich was a fugitive when the toon pardoned him wasn't he?
Ummmm .... Richard Nixon??????
Dick Nixon was never indicted, let alone convicted, and he was more likely to just be impeached, rather than be convicted of anything. As for Marc Rich, good example. Presidents are not supposed to just act like kings when it comes to pardoning felons, even though they technically can.
As I recall, he was in another country, and had been for quite some time.
And in an even bigger exception, blanket pardon has been granted in advance of any proceedings. President Nixon ring a bell?
There is no legal limit on an executive pardon, though there are non-binding protocols.
If these guys get a pardon, i figure it will be in El Presidente Jorge's final hours, or not at all...but he'll be able to say with a straight face that "he considered it".
Marc Rich fled to Switzerland and was on the FBI's "most wanted" list for years, when Clintoon pardoned him.
Denise Rich (Marc's ex) remains a close friend and benefactor of the Clintoon's and the Democratic party.
A federal report released Wednesday on the shooting of a suspected drug smuggler by Border Patrol agents concurs with prosecutors that the men failed to report the shooting, destroyed evidence and lied to investigators.
You gotta love the fact that the author of this report was Elizabeth Redman, the same one that the DHS-OIG just admitted lied to Congressmen Poe, McCaul, Culberson, et al. Amazing.
Oh, nooooo... and how many people, right here, who have no clue about her history will read and believe it?
What a pompus ass that man is~
Marc Rich, Caspar Weinberger, Elliott Abrams, Robert McFarlane, Duane Clarridge, Alan Fiers, Clair George....
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