Posted on 02/08/2007 7:04:32 AM PST by jmc813
The Department of Homeland Security on Wednesday apologetically retracted staff members' comments that two Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a Mexican drug smuggler had told investigators they intended "to shoot Mexicans."
The department's inspector general issued the retraction at a congressional hearing as the department released a previously sealed report into the conduct of the two agents, Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.
Congressional pressure to remove the two agents from prison - either through presidential pardons or by releasing them on bail pending appeal - intensified Wednesday after reports that fellow inmates assaulted Ramos over the weekend.
The case has become a cause celebre among conservative groups, which contend that Ramos and Compean were railroaded by overzealous federal prosecutors who gave the drug smuggler immunity to testify against the two agents.
U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton of San Antonio has defended his handling of the case, saying the agents seriously overstepped their authority by attempting to cover up the shooting of the smuggler, Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, and destroying evidence. They began serving their sentences last month. Compean faces 12 years in prison, Ramos 11.
The Homeland Security Department, which includes the Border Patrol, released its inspector general's report after four Texas lawmakers demanded the document to compare it with information from a briefing that department staff members gave them in September.
The aides told the lawmakers that the two agents had admitted to investigators that they intended to "shoot Mexicans." But Inspector General Richard L. Skinner said under questioning by Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, that the statements were erroneous, and he apologized.
The report also contradicted statements made in the briefing that the two men knew that Aldrete-Davila was unarmed and didn't pose a threat. The report contained a transcript of Compean's account to investigators, in which he said that he and Ramos were trying "to kill the alien" because they thought he had a gun.
McCaul described the errors as serious misrepresentations that painted a distorted picture of the case.
"My complaint here is that they weren't forthcoming with all the evidence," McCaul said.
Skinner told McCaul that his aides apparently misquoted a statement that the two agents were attempting "to shoot the alien" after they received a telephone briefing on the case from Texas. But he said that exchange had no bearing on the outcome of the criminal case and occurred after the trial in El Paso.
"It's innocent, unintentional," Skinner said, adding that he saw no need to punish his staff.
Several Republican lawmakers demanded that the two agents be separated from other inmates or be transferred to a low-security prison. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., also called for the dismissal of Federal Bureau of Prisons Director Harley Lappin if the inmates aren't protected.
Ramos is serving his sentence at a medium-security prison in Yazoo City, Miss., and Compean is imprisoned in Ohio. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., said Ramos' family told him that the agent's injuries are more severe than originally reported and include bleeding from an ear and possible signs of paralysis in his left arm. He said a nurse examined Ramos, but that he hasn't seen a doctor.
Reps. Walter Jones, R-N.C., and Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., blasted President Bush for not intervening in the case, with Rohrabacher hinting that he would consider pressing for impeachment if either of the two agents was killed in prison.
"The president has lost my respect because he will not step forward and do what's right," Jones said.
The Ambassador from Mexico, excuse me, President Bush continues to think Americans are guilty for protecting the U.S. and Mex illegals are a protected class to be given immunity from prosecution for illegal entry, drug smuggling and other assorted crimes against Americans.
I want those two PROSECUTED!!!
How about: Anchor baby runs DOJ, and allows, and encourages,
terrorists worldwide to enter through porous borders,
as brave border agents are incarcerated on false charges
leading to their beatings (and future deaths) in prison.
We may need to play connect-the-dots with this and see what kind of image emerges.
So far, the bits and pieces sure raise cause for concern.
If DHS is lying about that, what else are they lying about in this case?
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Excellent point. What else is Washington, in general, lying about ?? Clearly they have no problem with lying to further political agendas.
'twas discussed on Rush's show yesterday.
"It's innocent, unintentional," Skinner said, adding that he saw no need to punish his staff.
Thanks!
And how does he know this? Get that "staff" in front of a committee and under oath and grill them like a cheese sandwich. Who told them to say what they said and why?
An illegal alien drug dealer gets a bullet in his butt and is going to sue OUR gov't for 5 million dollars?
So what do we do about Ramos? What if he is disabled and can't work the rest of his life because of being attacked in prison, when the guards should have been protecting him...
He needs a very good pro bono lawyer.
sw
Innocent? Hah!
[If DHS is lying about that, what else are they lying about in this case?]
Not just this case, what else are they lying about, period.
These are the same government employee bow wows that Hillary would like to have run our health care.
Oh yeah, that would work really well./s
If that happened, every doctor in this country would have to perform abortion on demand.
..
Are We powerless to stop 'The Razing La Raza-ing of America' ?
Is the old Texas band name, 'Asleep at the wheel', now also the motto of our own gubamint?
"Posts in other threads have indicated a close relationship between Prosecutor Sutton and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales."
"Mr. Sutton also serves as the chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee (AGAC) which plays a significant role in determining policies and programs of the Department and in carrying out the national goals set by the President and the Attorney General."
I guess we know what those goals are now, don't we!
http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw/us_attorney/index.html
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