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Lawmakers Want Investigation, Pardon for Border Agents
NS News ^ | 8 Sept. 2006 | Monisha Bansal

Posted on 09/08/2006 10:27:53 AM PDT by radar101

Members of Congress petitioning the president to pardon two U.S. Border Patrol agents convicted of assaulting an illegal alien who was trying to smuggle drugs into the U.S. are now calling for an investigation of the U.S. attorney who prosecuted the agents.

"These were good agents doing their job," said Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.). "There is something that stinks to high heaven."

On Feb. 17, 2005, U.S. Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean were on duty when they encountered Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila in a van carrying 743 pounds of marijuana. When the agents tried to stop Aldrete-Davila, he fled. Unable to shake the pursuing agents, he abandoned his van and continued running toward Mexico.

The agents' version of what happened next contradicts Aldrete-Davila's testimony. The one thing all agree on is that, while fleeing on foot, the illegal alien and drug smuggler was shot. Aldrete-Davila was treated at a hospital in El Paso and then returned to Mexico.

After learning of the shooting, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton sought out Aldrete-Davila in Mexico and offered him immunity from prosecution if he would return to the United States to testify against Ramos and Compean.

The initial immunity offer covered Aldrete-Davila's illegal entry into the U.S., the drug smuggling and his unlawful flight from the agents to avoid arrest. Sutton expanded the immunity to include a subsequent drug offense, when Aldrete-Davila tried to smuggle another 1,000 pounds of marijuana into the United States.

"The Justice Department says they don't have the resources to secure our borders, but somehow they found the resources to send agents to Mexico to find Aldrete-Davila and prosecute these agents," Tancredo said.

Rep. Red Poe (R-Texas) said the Justice Department is "on the wrong side" of this case.

"It appears as though they are working for the government of Mexico instead of the government of the United States," Poe said. "Instead of prosecuting [the agents], they should be giving them a medal."

Sentencing hearings for the agents have been postponed twice and are now scheduled for Oct. 18. They each face from five to 20 years in prison.

"It will absolutely be a sin, it will be a crime if these agents go to jail," said Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.).

Jones has discussed the case with Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez and the White House. He told Cybercast News Service that "Something is not right. Washington, D.C. needs to look into that office's activities."

"We need to start asking questions and go down to Texas and find out if there is a problem," he added, noting that there is a history of Sutton pursuing cases against law enforcement officials. "If the American people rally behind these two agents, then we can certainly look into the actions of the federal office down in Texas."

Sutton's office did not return phone calls requesting comment for this article.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; Mexico; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: aliens; borderpatrol; illegalimmigration; immigrantlist; prosecution; smuggling; wod
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To: Bill Carlson
I thought this was a conservative website?

Now I have to clean the coffee off of my monitor. It must've been another site you were thinking of ;-)
121 posted on 09/08/2006 3:05:28 PM PDT by CottonBall
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To: monday
I view this as similar to the O.J. Simpson trial in many ways.

Marcia Clark and Chris Darden were no match for Simpson's million dollar "dream team." In this case, the Department of Justice spent millions while the Border Patrol agents had to sell everything they had to mount a minimal defense. They had to postpone parts of the trial because one of the defense attorneys had another court appearance.

It was impossible to find a jury in LA that would convict O.J. or a jury in El Paso that would acquit BP agents.
122 posted on 09/08/2006 3:05:54 PM PDT by BW2221
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To: CottonBall
I didn't know that. So police officers that are after a suspect cannot use deadly force if he/she starts to run away?

In general, yes. There are specific exceptions that apply in certain cases, but cops do not have the right to start blasting away merely because someone's running from them.

Seems the odds are stacked in the criminal's favor if all our BP and police have to tackle every criminal just to apprehend them. There's nothing to stop every one from trying to flee then, either.

I'm about to shock you. Better sit down.

You have exactly as much right--no more, no less--to employ deadly force as a cop on duty does. Being a cop doesn't grant you extraordinary power of life and death merely because they're given a badge. Unless the officer has a specific and reasonable belief that the suspect poses an imminent danger to someone's life and limb, deadly force is not allowed.

The problem here is that (a) these guys got stupid, and (b) they lied about it, and destroyed evidence. The former is not necessarily criminal. The latter is, and demonstrates consciousness of guilt.

123 posted on 09/08/2006 3:05:58 PM PDT by BeHoldAPaleHorse ( ~()):~)>)
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To: BeHoldAPaleHorse
"If he's running back into Mexico, that's a win. Why do you want to catch him? You want to pay for his room and board?"

lol... no I would have just let him go.. Marijuana smuggling isn't that big a deal, but then I am not a Border Patrol agent who I mistakenly thought was supposed to be catching drug smugglers and illegals. So I was wrong.
124 posted on 09/08/2006 3:06:48 PM PDT by monday
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To: CottonBall
It must've been another site you were thinking of ;-)

Said one newbie to the other.

125 posted on 09/08/2006 3:06:48 PM PDT by PRND21
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To: PRND21

Ok, that must mean you're in the OBL crowd or you would've answered. It is relevants because it explains why you're willing to have our BP agents just watching the illegals saunter back and forth over the border. Armed with nothing other than nerfbats.


126 posted on 09/08/2006 3:07:38 PM PDT by CottonBall
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To: monday

You willing to shoot someone solely because they a dime bag of pot?


127 posted on 09/08/2006 3:07:55 PM PDT by BeHoldAPaleHorse ( ~()):~)>)
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To: monday

2nd try (don't sneeze while previewing a post)

You willing to shoot someone solely because they have a dime bag of pot?


128 posted on 09/08/2006 3:09:07 PM PDT by BeHoldAPaleHorse ( ~()):~)>)
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To: PRND21
Said one newbie to the other.

Do you think you're insulting us or something? That's about as effective as sticking you fingers in your ears and waving them. Middle school tactics.
129 posted on 09/08/2006 3:09:15 PM PDT by CottonBall
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To: CottonBall
It is relevants because it explains why you're willing to have our BP agents just watching the illegals saunter back and forth over the border.

Complete falsehood. I stated no such thing.

130 posted on 09/08/2006 3:09:19 PM PDT by PRND21
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To: PRND21
"hypocrite"

This is about the 20th time you've used this or a variation of it on this thread.

New word on your spelling list?
131 posted on 09/08/2006 3:09:59 PM PDT by BW2221
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To: BW2221

Working for the government is dangerous unless you are senior enough to have the connections to cover your ass! It's always the peons who get screwed.


132 posted on 09/08/2006 3:10:26 PM PDT by monday
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To: BW2221
This thread is all about hypocracy and illegal activity.
If you don't like the word, quit excusing illegal behavior.
133 posted on 09/08/2006 3:11:19 PM PDT by PRND21
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To: monday
It's always the peons who get screwed.

Workers of the World Unite!!! Sheesh.

134 posted on 09/08/2006 3:12:16 PM PDT by PRND21
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To: colors

Bump!
"...the scummmm drug runner needs to be shot (along with every other drug smuggler) in the a$$ by every citizen that lost a loved one because of the drugs, gangs,cartels and illegal alien lawlessness in our country."

Unbelievable support on here for illegal drug runners. Just amazing!


135 posted on 09/08/2006 3:12:18 PM PDT by antceecee (Western countries really aren't up to winning this war on terror... it might offend the terrorists.)
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To: BeHoldAPaleHorse
"You willing to shoot someone solely because they a dime bag of pot?"

I said I would have let them go. What the F is your problem?
136 posted on 09/08/2006 3:15:39 PM PDT by monday
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To: antceecee
Unbelievable support on here for illegal drug runners. Just amazing!

Where did anyone support the drug runner?

137 posted on 09/08/2006 3:16:05 PM PDT by PRND21
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To: PRND21

You.. in just about every vile post you have on here.
Almost thought maybe part of that 700 plus pound pot shipment was supposed to go to you... sour grapes.


138 posted on 09/08/2006 3:17:46 PM PDT by antceecee (Western countries really aren't up to winning this war on terror... it might offend the terrorists.)
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To: antceecee
False. Show me the link.
I said the Border Agents broke the law and should be punished.
139 posted on 09/08/2006 3:20:33 PM PDT by PRND21
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To: PRND21

"Where did anyone support the drug runner?"

During the trial you can't argue that there was anything less than absolute and total support from Johnny Sutton and his crew. I wouldn't be surprised if Johnny personally threw in a complementary BJ for the lucky drug runner!


140 posted on 09/08/2006 3:20:44 PM PDT by monday
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