Posted on 02/21/2007 2:55:38 AM PST by Bob J
I have been following the story of Border Patrol agents Ramos and Campeon from the beginning of their story. It has ignited passions from both those who see law enforcement officers as trigger happy and those who believe they can do no wrong.
Generally I can be placed in the second category and my first reaction was indignation at how these officers were being treated. However, several things nagged at my subconscience. Primary was they fact they were convicted on all counts except one (intent to commit murder) by what we have to assume was a sober, competent jury of twelve. As with most trials, observers are treated only to the selected facts of a usually biased media. What won't were being told? True, a couple jurors have since come out and stated they didn't believe they should have been judged guilty on all counts. I agree, some of the counts overlapped and we're confusing. One even said they would change their vote to not guilty, but I don't lend much credence to that because we don't know what pressures jury members have been subjected to...the situation is rather heated and I would not be surprised if threats of violence have been made against them or their families.
Second was that several long term, decorated Border Patrol agents who had access to privileged information refused to support Ramos and Campeon. One went so far as to say the public was "picking the wrong guys to make heroes". What did they know that we didn't?
I decided the only way to know for sure was to see what the jury heard and read the trial transcripts when they came available. I have spent the last two and a half days doing just that.
My conclusion is that there is little doubt the shooting was bad and Ramos and Campeon (and just about everyone else in that unit, including supervisors) did what they could to cover it up or at least engage in CYA. I'm not going to comment on what I believe to be bad management and operational practices, and possibly illegal activities, on the part of anyone other than Ramos and Campeon...the Justice Department and Border Patrol will have to deal with that, and I believe they are.
What I would like to do, in consideration of the time I spent poring over the transcripts, is to give you my opinion on what really happened that February day in 2005. It is difficult. Testimony from most of those involved is contradictory in some aspect...each seems to be shaded to cover their own behinds. But there is enough continuity to get a pretty good idea of what went down. NOTE - This will be a rather consolidated summary. If anyone would like to argue/debate aspects of the court case, I'll check back in every now and then and try to counter.
Responding to activity sensors in their area, Campeon staked out a location he believed would give him a good advantage in spotting potential drug activity. Although the basic purpose of the BP is illegal immigration, many agents consider drug seizures to be the cherry on the cake and the best avenue if not to advancement, at least to admiration from their peers.
Campeon spotted a van leaving the area he was watching and believed drugs had just been transferred across the border to the van for transport by a mule into the US. He called the activity in on the repeater radio, which is recorded, asking for assistance from other agents in the area. After a few short responses, the agents switched to their local radios which is not recorded. It is my opinion they did this for several reasons. One as CYA if something happens or is said that could be inculpatory, and second to hide certain activities from supervisors. Apparently, BP policy and supervisors have a tendency to be party poopers when it comes to activities agent consider exciting.
Another agent spotted the van and took up pursuit with lights and siren. At one point, Ramos butted his way in front of this agent so he could assume what is called "the eye". This is the primary pursuit position and this agent has priority on calling the shots. Ramos signals to the other agent to turn off his lights and siren. He did this because lights and sirens signify a "hot pursuit" which must be called in and approved by a supervisor...which they never approve. Ramos didn't want the brass getting between him and his prize. As several agents continue to chase the van, Campeon drives to the south side of a drainage/sewage ditch where he believes the van will eventually turn up. The other agents eventually end up, with the can, on the north side. This all occurs about 100 yards or less from the Rio Grande, the border.
The mule ends up at the ditch...a dead end. He is crapping bricks. He jumps out of the van and crosses the ditch which is about 11 feet deep and has a 4-foot wide 24-inch deep "river" running through it. He sees Campeon who has exited his vehicle on the south side with his shotgun drawn.
As the mule crosses the river to try to get to the Rio Grande, Campeon tells him to halt. The mule starts to climb the opposite side of the ditch, near Campeon and raises his hands.
At this point a couple other agents show up, including Ramos and Juarez. Someone yells for Campeon to hit the mule. From the evidence this has to be Ramos. As the mule gets near the top of the ditch, Campeon takes a swing at his head with the butt of his shotgun. The mule dodges and Campeon falls into the ditch, dropping his shotgun in the mud. Ramos, who is on the north side of the ditch, begins to cross it.
The mule takes off, Campeon, mad at being dodged by the mule, getting his uniform dirty and dropping his shotgun in the mud, scrambles up to the top of ditch and climbs to the top of a levee road that is just south of the ditch. He starts emptying his pistol at the fleeing mule. He gets off 11 rounds, changes magazines and shoots again. Amazingly, he misses on every round which I find hard to believe. It is possible Campeon is missing on purpose and is only trying to scare the mule. He's mad, but not stupid. He knows a shooting in this situation would be wholly unjustified.
Ramos hears the shots but doesn't see Campeon shoot because he is climbing out of the ditch. When he does get out, he runs over to Campeons side, possibly believing there was an exchange of gunfire. He raises his pistol, takes careful aim and takes one shot, dropping the mule as he is about to enter the Rio Grande and make his way to Mexico. (It is important o note here that Ramos is an excellent shooter...just the day before he scored a 96 on his weapons qualification.)
One shot. He hits the mule on his left butt cheek, smashing parts of his pelvis and severing his urethra. This guy is never going to piss again without a catheter tube. They see him limp down the bank of the Rio Grande and but wait until he exits the other side to make sure they didn't leave a body out there. That would be bad.
Campeon is in shock. I don't think he ever intended to take the guy down, how could he miss 15 shots from a distance of 75 yards? The two then get their stories straight on the way back to the ditch. Campeon chased after the guy, tackled him, they struggled with the mule kicking dirt in his eyes, the mule gets loose and on his way back to good 'ol Mexico he pulls a gun and points it at Campeon giving Campeon cause to unload his .40 Beretta on him.
But these guys can't even get their own stories straight on the stand because they both have to CYA for themselves. Campeon testifies that after the mule gets loose (he didn't feel a gun in his waistband or it didn't fall out with all this wrestling?), he gets to his knees, sees what he believed to be a gun in the mules left hand (he's right handed) shoots, then stands up to change magazines. He has to say this, he couldn't tell the jury he was flat on the ground with dirt in his eyes blazing aimlessly into the Mexican sunset?
Ramos testifies as he climbs of the ditch he sees Campeon motionless on the ground, runs by him and fires his one shot because he believed Campeon to be a downed agent. He has to say this because other wise he has no justification for the shooting... and it was Ramos' bullet that downed the mule.
So what is it boys?
On the way back to the ditch, Campeon stops to pickup his shell casings and then throws them in the river. Standard procedure. The problem is he only gets nine, so on the way out he asks another agent to pick up the rest, five more for 14 in all. Of course this agent testifies Ramos counted the casings in front of him to be sure...but this was after Campeon testified he threw them in the ditch. Campeon also testified he only emptied one magazine...it would look really bad if they knew he emptied, reloaded and continued shooting.
What was is it boys?
After that is was CYA for everyone at the station. Bad memories, contradictory testimony, everyone had an ass to protect and it wasn't Ramos' or Campeons.
The bottom line is this was bad all around and didn't have to happen. The mule has a 5 mil lawsuit and will be peeing sideways for the rest of his life. Campeon and Ramos are in prison and probably another half dozen agents are going to lose their careers for not reporting, covering up or just being a lazy idiot.
IMHO, Campeon is to blame. If he just kept his anger and ego in check for those few short seconds it took to unload his Beretta, none of this would have happened.
BTW - I believe the sentences to be a travesty. Unfortunately, there was a mandatory sentence of at least ten years. Considering they were judged guilty on like 9 counts, the 11 and 12 look like the judge tried to minimize it. What a waste of two lives.
And for all you goofs out there with your conspiracy theories about Homeland Security and Bush, knock it off...you look like Eric Van Daniken.
It was a bad shoot that they tried to cover up and the Justice Dept. could not just turn their heads. Horrible all around for everyone, but crapping on the law and the Constitution wouldn't make it any better.
This one might get nasty so ping all your Ramos/Campeon friends.
Ironically, it is judicial actions such as this that separates the U.S. Justice System for the system they have in Mexico.
Everyone, in the US must abide by the rule of law but in Mexico the police are immune from that rule.
Agreed. However, I think a fair amount of bad stuff slides by. These guys were amatuers at covering their tracts...mostly because everything was so lax at this station no one felt the need to do so.
FWIW, this guy wasn't a drug dealer per se. He was some poor uneducated slob they got to drive the van so the real drug dealers don't get caught.
I'm not excusing him but we could put the mules behind bars until the cows come home and it would have no effect.
Sometimes the knee jerk reaction to defend police is to a fault.
"And for all you goofs out there with your conspiracy theories about Homeland Security and Bush, knock it off...you look like Eric Van Daniken."
In the end, the truth usually presents itself. I think you'll find the majority to believe your efforts to defend your version of the truth in vain, as your agenda is apparent.
"I hate to see a drug dealer go free, but these two were wrong."
Why is he going free? Police should be held to a higher standard and if they break the law they should pay. Being aggressive in chasing illegals is not something they should pay for.
Assuming it went down as reported it points out huge systemic problems with the Border patrol.
Thank you for this post.
Bump for later.
And what would my agenda be sweetie?
What is his agenda?
"Why is he going free?"
Because they had no way to get him. They didn't know who he, no ID and was and he was in Mexico...consequently no case. If Ramos and Compean had chased him down and captured him the guy would be in San Quentin right now.
Even if he had only slammed the shotgun into his head, like he tried to do, he deserved to be fired and charged with assault, minimum.
However it deeply desturbs me to read about the tactics used by the Justice Department and the prosecutor. JMO
I'm not sure how much you can trust what's in that transcript.
It's about time cooler heads prevailed. I'm tired of hearing idiot politicians bloviate about impeaching Bush over this (and some Freepers haven't been much better).
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