Posted on 06/30/2007 9:36:04 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
Even after he put him in prison for more than two years, Gary Brugman doesn't hate Johnny Sutton.
But thousands of others across the country feel differently, professing a deep abhorrence for Sutton, the top federal law enforcer in San Antonio as the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas.
Appointed to the job a month after the 9-11 attacks by longtime friend President Bush, Sutton has in recent months become the target of anti-illegal-immigration groups who say he's leading an unjust campaign against law enforcement officers, particularly Border Patrol agents, such as Brugman before he was convicted of using excessive force.
The most moderate among this hodge-podge group of dissenters would like to see Sutton out of his job. Others have sent him anonymous death threats.
On Saturday, hundreds of activists are expected to descend on Sutton's San Antonio office to call for the prosecutor's ouster and to demand pardons for officers Sutton has sent to prison.
"We cannot have American heroes jailed for no good reason," said Schuylar Crist, director of the fledgling San Antonio chapter of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, a group fighting illegal immigration, who's helping organize Saturday's protest.
More information
Protesting Sutton Anti-illegal immigration groups from Phoenix, Houston and San Antonio are organizing a rally calling for the ouster of Johnny Sutton, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas, amid accusations that the prosecutor has launched a vendetta against Border Patrol agents.
WHEN: noon Saturday
WHERE: Sutton's office, 601 N.W. Loop 410
Speakers will include Gary Brugman, a convicted former border agent now living in San Antonio.
Sutton steadfastly dismisses critics, labeling them as misinformed or misguided.
Though still bitter over his own dealings with Sutton, Brugman wanted nothing more than to put the past behind him and jump-start his life after prison.
However, he said he ditched that plan after seeing Sutton produce a steady stream of investigations, prosecutions and convictions of other Border Patrol agents.
The case that put Sutton in the national spotlight was last year's conviction of former agents José Compean and Ignacio Ramos. Each was sent to prison for more than a decade for shooting a fleeing undocumented immigrant who was suspected of being involved in drug trafficking.
Outrage over the case prompted angry responses from activist groups and leaders in Washington, who labeled the convictions an injustice.
Such attention is a far cry from the case of Brugman, who was seen as a guinea pig since his was the first of at least four prosecutions that Sutton successfully pursued against officers.
Brugman, 40, moved to San Antonio last year after his release from prison and found work at a local Harley-Davidson dealership.
He said he could have used the fanfare that cases after him received, but after trying to draw attention, he barely mustered support from the union that represents border agents.
It was on the night of Jan. 14, 2001, when Brugman, assigned to the Border Patrol station in Eagle Pass, said he and other agents chased a group of several suspected illegal crossers for more than a mile.
According to his account, Brugman initially lost sight of the group but another agent was able to catch them. By the time he arrived, said Brugman, the other agent, a rookie, appeared to not have full control of the situation and some migrants appeared ready to lunge at him from behind.
Brugman said he ran to the group and used his foot to push two migrants to the ground.
The use of force was in accordance to his training, he said, and the migrants were not injured. Yet the altercation was the basis of Sutton's case against Brugman, who was charged with using excessive and unnecessary force. He was convicted in 2002 and sentenced to 27 months in prison.
To this day, Brugman said he does not know why Sutton targeted him. He never denied his actions, but he never thought what he saw as merely doing his job would earn him the label of convicted felon.
"I told the truth, and the truth sunk me," said Brugman, who is scheduled to speak at Saturday's rally. "I was a good agent. Funny thing is, Johnny Sutton says that no one in law enforcement is above the law. I guess he's the exception."
Now a veteran of such accusations, Sutton energetically denies them and seems willing to patiently explain that he cannot simply look the other way when strong evidence points to wrongdoing by officers.
The accused agents had a chance to tell their stories in court but juries were not convinced, said Sutton, noting that "99.99 percent" of border agents are indeed heroes, with a few proving to be the exception.
Brugman stands in that category, said Sutton, for violently attacking detained migrants who had surrendered.
"We work with border agents every day — they're our co-workers, our friends," said Sutton, who said he has no plans to resign. "But occasionally they step over the line."
The issue seems to be just where that line is drawn.
One of Brugman's former colleagues, who was present that fateful January night in Eagle Pass, said he didn't think any crime was committed.
Remberto Pérez Jr. said he was too far away to see the incident but that none of the migrants was badly bruised. At most, Brugman may have deserved an administrative rebuke, not prison, Pérez said.
As a result, he noted, many agents are now worried that they, too, could unjustly land behind bars.
"Many of us are now wondering if we'll get in trouble for pulling our guns," said Pérez, who still works with the Border Patrol. "But if you're not ready to cross that bridge, you may not come home one of these nights."
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hrozemberg@express-news.net
Sutton ping!
If you want on, or off this S. Texas/Mexico ping list, please FReepMail me.
Would love to see this schmuck get his walking papers.
Sutton has probably Nifonged more people then is even known by many of us. He should be tried right along with Nifong.
bump
While he's leaving, he should take Alberto Gonzalez and George W. Bush with him...
And Chertoff....
Something needs to be done about this guy.
bumping for emphasis
Sutton ping
*placemarker to comment...later.*
Him and the man who appointed him.
I wonder if he is a relative of Willie Sutton?
And maybe all those illegal Mexicans he loves so much.
Americans are mad as heck over the Amnesty bill.
Its time for them to get even madder.
We should be mad at Congressmen who voted themselves a raise, as though their positions should be full-time jobs.
We should be so mad at the Senate and its Marie Antoinette attitude that we BOMBARD our state legislatures to enact a Constitutional Amendment chafing the term of office for Senator from 6 years to 3 years.
We should DEMAND our elected officials - EVERY ONE - provide a total asset statement to the public BEFORE entering office and BEFORE leaving office, as well as BEFORE running for office again.
We may pay their salary, but I have a feeling OTHER people are paying them retainers!!
NEXT, we should mad as heck at George Bush and Alberto Gonzales for REFUSING to enforce our immigration laws.
The Amnesty Bill may be dead (momentarily) but the flood of uncontrolled illegals will continue unless they do their jobs and enforce the laws of the land.
FINALLY, we should remember G.R.I.P.
Get Rid of Incumbent Politicians ANY Congressman of ANY party who voted for the Amnesty Bill should be “FLUSHED” out of office. Trent Lott and Dianne Feinstein in PARTICULAR should be voted out of office for their nefarious comments on the “Fairness” doctrine. Ditto John McCain for the Amnesty Bill, for McCain-Feingold and for talking about censoring forums like this one on the Internet.
Apparently some of these people never heard of Patrick Henry and Sam Adams and never read the Bill of Rights.
They think we are still a monarchy and they are the aristocrats.
G.R.I.P. - I like that, and it would make a great bumper sticker. THROW THE BUMS OUT!!!
Bttt
Just saw the FoxNews coverage on the protest. They gave some clown from the “Ceasar Chavez March for Justice” counter-protest group equal time.
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