Posted on 01/19/2009 9:58:40 AM PST by E.G.C.
Edited on 01/19/2009 10:46:59 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]
WASHINGTON – In his final acts of clemency, President George W. Bush on Monday commuted the prison sentences of two former U.S. Border Patrol agents whose convictions for shooting a Mexican drug dealer ignited fierce debate about illegal immigration.
Bush's decision to commute the sentences of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who tried to cover up the shooting, was welcomed by both Republican and Democratic members of Congress. They had long argued that the agents were merely doing their jobs, defending the American border against criminals. They also maintained that the more than 10-year prison sentences the pair was given were too harsh.
Rancor over their convictions, sentencing and firings has simmered ever since the shooting occurred in 2005.
Ramos and Compean became a rallying point among conservatives and on talk shows where their supporters called them heroes. Nearly the entire bipartisan congressional delegation from Texas and other lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle pleaded with Bush to grant them clemency.
Bush didn't pardon the men for their crimes, but decided instead to commute their prison sentences because he believed they were excessive and that they had already suffered the loss of their jobs, freedom and reputations, a senior administration official said.
The action by the president, who believes the border agents received fair trials and that the verdicts were just, does not diminish the seriousness of their crimes, the official said...................."
It’s just eating you up inside that these two heroes will be out in two months, isn’t it? You probably wanted Ramos and Compean to stay in jail throughout their whole decade-long sentences just because the drug dealer, who is in jail for 9.5 years now, is an illegal alien and these two agents were doing too good a job keeping the illegals (and in this case: drug smuggler) you love so much out.
Sorry, but bhy would I give a flip...if your ‘two heroes’ are released?
My posts regarding Ramos and Compean have ALL been objective...bad, rogue border cops. Thin Blue Line...and all that.
Notice Pres. Bush did NOT pardon them. They’re guilty as hell for what they did. Maybe they can get a job as Walmart greeters. Anything that doesn’t give them the authority to strap on a gun and pin on a badge.
The agents were a little excessive in what they did.
They were dealing with people who were a lot excessive.
Both of these agents should have had their sentences commuted a year ago. Their “crimes” should have been erased.
I would have preferred a full pardon, but commuting their sentences is better than nothing.
Finally. Thank you!
Becuase they're border agents. That's the only reason you care, the only reason you're here. You think they are guilty simply because they are border agents. You only care about these two because it relates to your precious illegal aliens.
My posts regarding Ramos and Compean have ALL been objective
You're not fooling anybody. Except yourself...maybe.
Notice Pres. Bush did NOT pardon them
Big deal, no body cares. Most people here are happy they are out of jail, period, end of story. Bush saved them about ten years more in jail each. They can now fight this BS conviction from their homes with their families instead of in solitary confinement.
Commutation of the sentence based upon a law that probably shouldn’t have been applied to them brings forth the need for Congress to write exceptions into the law they passed which provided for this sentence. I’ve yet to hear one single congress critter even hint at amending the law. Some of this fiasco lies at their feet as far as I’m concerned and I bet they won’t address their cupability.
“BUT they still did abuse their power by filing a false report”
I thought that obstruction of justice was the only charge that they were acquitted of. Was the filing of a false report covered under a different charge that obstruction of justice? By the way, if they really did file a false report, then I agree with you that it is a serious abuse of power, but probably not deserving of jail time.
Except that Aldrete-Davila is sitting in prison at the moment. I am constantly surprised how, when discussing this case, facts get thrown out the window.
On the verdict form of Ignacio Ramos: We, the jury, unanimously find, Count 1: As to the charge of assault with intent to commit murder and aiding and abetting, we, the jury, unanimously find Ignacio Ramos not guilty. Count 2: As to the charge of assault with a dangerous weapon and aiding and abetting, we, the jury, unanimously find Ignacio Ramos guilty. Count 3: As to the charge of assault with serious bodily injury and aiding and abetting, we, the jury, unanimously find Ignacio Ramos guilty. Count 4: As to the charge of discharge of a firearm in commission of a crime of violence, we, the jury, unanimously find Ignacio Ramos guilty. Count 8: As to the charge of aiding and abetting, assault with serious bodily injury, we, the jury, unanimously find Ignacio Ramos guilty. As to the charge -- I'm sorry. Count 9: As to the charge of tampering with an official proceeding, we, the jury, unanimously find Ignacio Ramos guilty. Count 12: As to the charge of deprivation of rights under color of law, we, the jury, unanimously find Ignacio Ramos guilty. As to the verdict form of Jose Alonso Compean. Count 1: As to the charge of assault with intent to commit murder and aiding and abetting, we, the jury, unanimously find Jose Alonso Compean not guilty. Count 2: Assault with a dangerous weapon in aiding and abetting. As to the charge of assault of a dangerous weapon and aiding and abetting, we, the jury, unanimously find Jose Alonso Compean guilty. Count 3: As to the charge of assault with serious bodily injury, aiding and abetting, we, the jury, unanimously find Jose Alonso Compean guilty. Count 5: As to the charge of discharge of a firearm relating to a crime of violence, we, the jury, unanimously find Jose Alonso Compean guilty. Count 6: As to the charge of tampering with an official proceeding, we, the jury, unanimously find Jose Alonso Compean guilty. As to -- Count 7: As to the charge of tampering with an official proceeding, we, the jury, unanimously find Jose Alonso Compean guilty. Count 8: As to the charge of tampering with an official proceeding, we, the jury, unanimously find Jose Alonso Compean guilty. Count 10: As to the charge of tampering with an official proceeding, we, the jury, unanimously find Jose Alonso Compean guilty. Count 11: Deprivation of rights under color of law. As to the charge of deprivation of rights under color of law,14 we, the jury, unanimously find Jose Alonso Compean guilty. end excerpt
I too am happy their sentences were commuted, but a pardon would have been much more acceptable justice for these two men, IMO.
Best of everything to these two agents and their families in the future.
Thanks Meekie. I just wish he had pardoned them instead of the commutations. They will have a hard time getting jobs and cannot ever own a firearm.
Yes, the media RAILS about Bush’s low approval ratings
in the 30’s.
But not a PEEP about the Democrap Congress’s ALL-TIME
low of NINE percent. Kudos to Harry Reid and Nan Pelosi.
Nope. Ya won’t hear that on CNN/PMSNBC/ABC/CBS, The
New Yawk Slimes, The LA Slimes and etc.
A day late and a dollar short.
Hey, there is a good suggestion. Although I don’t recall the original poster suggesting that he was shot in the traps or lats. Rather, I recall a rather scathing response from you parsing his comment and tossing a bit of scorn upon him. Not sure if you were attempting to call me a pig but I am impressed that you at least looked up a Latin response. Just to clarify, Pig Latin and Latin are not synonomous. I speak the former.
Of what possible use is a verdict from a jury that was denied crucial facts by the DA? This was a rail-road job pure and simple. You know this. Its common knowledge. You are just protecting your buddy Bush for protecting his buddy the rotten DA. Birds of a feather.
Of what possible use is a verdict from a jury that was denied crucial facts by the DA?
I didn’t know the DA had authority to define what was admissable into a court proceeding.... I thought that was the Judges duty.... In either case it passed appeals so under I system of justice it stands whether we like it or not.
True, thanks to C&R's poor aim. They were trying to kill him, though.
and the only evidence he was unarmed was his (Aldrete-Davilla’s) testimony...Again, the only evidence of this was Aldrete-Davilla’s testimony. That was not the testimony from anyone else.
C&R's admitted actions before, during and after the shoot are consistent with Aldrete-Davilla's testimony and not C&R's. That's why a jury convicted them.
See posts 442 and 443.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.