Posted on 01/17/2007 4:24:55 PM PST by Mr. Mojo
(CNSNews.com) - As two U.S. Border Patrol agents surrendered to federal marshals Wednesday afternoon to begin serving more than a decade in jail for shooting an illegal drug smuggler, a federal lawmaker and conservative advocacy group expressed outrage at President Bush for not pardoning the men.
"This is the worst betrayal of American defenders I have ever seen," Rep. Dana Rohrabacher said of the president.
"It's shameful this was done by someone who is in the Republican Party," the California Republican added in comments coinciding with the jailing of agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean.
Rohrabacher said Bush "obviously thinks more about his agreements with Mexico than the lives of American people and backing up his defenders."
Ramos and Compean reportedly handed themselves over to the U.S. Marshal's office in El Paso, Texas, early Wednesday afternoon, facing the prospect of 11- and 12-year prison terms, respectively, for a string of offenses including the use of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence.
Steve Elliott, president of the conservative group Grassfire.org, also lashed out at Bush on Wednesday.
The American people "have a vivid picture of where the Bush administration really stands on border security," Elliott charged in a news release.
He described the crimes committed by Ramos and Compean as "so-called civil rights violations against an illegal alien drug smuggler who has been smuggling drugs into this country for years and was smuggling 743 pounds of marijuana at the time of the confrontation."
Elliott also argued that the U.S. attorney's office did not have to pursue the case, prosecute the men, "take the word of an illegal alien drug smuggler over that of our border agents" or give the illegal alien immunity.
"President Bush could have spoken out publicly in support of these agents and how their incarceration could further cripple our border security efforts," he added.
Instead, Elliot said, "when it came time to stand and be counted on the side of our border agents, the president's administration chose to side with a career illegal alien drug smuggler."
As Cybercast News Service previously reported, Ramos and Compean encountered Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila while on duty on Feb. 17, 2005. When they tried to stop him, he fled and was shot and wounded. 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.
Sutton later defended the decision, arguing that the agents did not have knowledge of any criminal activity involving Aldrete-Davila at the time they shot him.
Ramos and Compean were charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with serious bodily injury, discharge of a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence, willfully violating Aldrete-Davila's Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable seizure and obstruction of justice for intentionally defacing the crime scene, lying about the incident, and failing to report the truth.
During a press briefing last Friday, White House spokesman Tony Snow addressed the case and criticism at some length.
"According to the facts presented in court, you had an incident in which there was an attempt to pull somebody over. He finally got pulled over; somebody holds out a gun. Sort of scuffling ensues," Snow said.
"And what happens is you've got a fellow running away, and a couple of agents eventually in pursuit, firing 14 shots at him - I think 15, actually. Fourteen by one agent missed, one did strike him in the fleshy hindquarters," he added.
"Now, at the time this happened, they did not know if he was an illegal," Snow continued.
"They did not know that there were 700 pounds of marijuana [in Aldrete-Davila's van]. They didn't know any of those things. But instead you had this. They also had received arms training the day before that said if you have an incident like this, you must preserve the evidence and you must report it promptly," he said.
"Instead, according to court documents, they went around and picked up the shell casings. Furthermore, they asked one of their colleagues also to help pick up shell casings. They disposed of them," Snow added.
Snow noted that a jury convicted the agents on 11 out of 12 counts and defended the government's stance.
"This is not the case of the United States saying, we are not going to support people who go after drug dealers. Of course we are ... we also believe that the people who are working to secure that border themselves obey the law," he said.
Why should we follow the rules, if President Bush is hell bent on opening the borders anyway.
Amazing how the Border Patrol agents have to follow the law, but the immigrant (who is here illegally) to smuggle pot (which is against the law) doesn't. In fact, he's actually being given immunity to testify and is suing the country. For getting shot while smuggling drugs in a country in which he is here illegally.
I don't care how a media spins it, this is BS.
Excellent and exactly right, thank you, I am furious about this.
I think it's pretty hypocritical for this administration to expect BP to obey the law when this administration so blatantly ignores the immigration laws we have.
I understand your stupidity.
The minimum sentencing laws have nothing to do with Alberto Gonzales, but with Congress. And what did Congress do about Burger other than issue reports?
Most of you think tit-for-tat equals law enforcement, which of course, is ridiculous.
Well, so much for Conservatism, huh? Gee, I didn't know it was conditional on the behavior of others. Never mind, then! Rule of law? F*ck it, then!
I don't care if they shot the guy in the butt or not. To give immunity to someone who brings drugs into our country to poison our kids and weaken us should never be given immunity even for spitting on a sidewalk, let alone to tedtify against vrave men who put their lives on the line every day.
I'm just sorry it wasn't a head shot.
You are pukin flippin idiot! You just proved it. Since 20+ million illegal aliens are purposely given a free pass here then two BP agents who shot a drug smuggler in the ass should get a free pass too. Actually they should get a medal for their efforts. I'd like to see what you would have done that day. You would have FUBARed it.Any Mexican who brings drugs here is a major criminal. Getting a butt shot is part of the risk he took. It's not like he was killed or crippled which is what (usually drunk) illegal alien drivers do every day to Americans
Now you get it Pukin! If our Feds let in 20+ million illegals then I could care less if a Mexican drug smuggler is shot in the ass. That balances the scales of justice, If the two agents say he was pointing a gun then I believe them. It was the testimony of the two Border Patrol agents against a low life foreign scumbag bringing drugs here. Guess who the Feds brought to trial? The Americans. Not the drug pusher scumbag. If said scumbag was kneecapped (like in 24) that would have been fine by me.
No gun was found, so be it. I support our Border Patrol while you support Mexican drug smugglers>
Remember one thing about George Bush and our immigration laws --->>
George Bush only enforces the laws he likes!
Frankly, there needs to be a lot more shooting at the border.
One situation does not exist in isolation from the other.
These two fine Border Patrol agents were trying to stop the Mexican invasion and rampant drug smuggling. Every Mexican drug smuggler is overjoyed to see idiot Americans prosecuting these BP agents. You don't know rule of law. You know how to encourage Mexican disrespect for our border
Nope idiot. It's about bringing some justice to the entire situation where the Feds allow and encourage an invasion of illegal aliens. Feds make a mockery of our immigration laws. Then no way on earth do I agree with two BP agents being prosecuted.
Today's Washington Times reported, I believe, that one of them had been nominated for Agent of the Year (can't recall the year). I think these guys used incredibly bad judgment and it seems, from what I've read, they did attempt a coverup. I think they should have been fired, lost their pensions, and been subject to the fullest administrative penalties. I don't think they should go to jail. They used bad judgment (to the point of malfeasance) but in performance of their duties. It wasn't as if they were going around randomly shooting at people, nor was it a police brutality case in the sense of them beating on a confined suspect or otherwise abusing their power. These agents messed up badly, but in the heat of the moment. I do not believe jail time is warranted.
Land mines too. Shooting and land mines are the only things their 3rd world minds can absorb. When BP agents are prosecuted it sends a very bad message to all Mexican drug smugglers and people smugglers. These desperado Mexicans are responsible for so many American death at the border as they jam the wrong down highways. As they jam through border crossings at 90MPH
Bump for later.
I "feel" they did cover up. They realized they should not have shot at the Mexican drug smuggler. They did this in the heat of the moment so I excuse it. Don't forget they shot a foreign criminal, not an American. But I view this as a very minor infraction when I see the Feds allow millions of illegal aliens to inundate this nation. If those laws are ignored then I believe in ignoring the shooting of a Mexican drug smuggler. He was busted a second time bringing drugs here and was given immunity due to this case. How's that for Federal justice!!!
Rube!? You're the unsophisticated idiot who believes in Federal prosecution of American Border Patrol agents while at the same time these stinkin pukin Feds refuse to enforce our immigration laws, SS fraud laws, identity theft laws. You are the naive fool who can't see the you are being played!
Just wait until a drunk illegal alien smashes into your automobile then runs like a rabbit; and you pay for everything and your insurance goes through the roof. How about if he smashes your legs in the collision? I'd like to see your cries for justice then.
You are wrong. Every shot fired by any LEO in an incident is by regulation thoroughly investigated and each projectile and casing accounted for. These officers would have been exhonorated had they not intentionally covered up the evidence and lied about the incident. NO LEO is above the expectation that they adhere to procedure - truthfully.
Initially, I was fully supportive of those agents until I learned of their lying and concealing evidence. In good conscience, that's no longer an option...nothing any worse threatening to public stability than a lying LEO.
W disappoints ... again.
Initially, I was fully supportive of those agents until I learned of their lying and concealing evidence. In good conscience, that's no longer an option...nothing any worse threatening to public stability than a lying LEO.
How do you know the two BP agents lied? It's their word against one Mexican drug smuggler. They didn't lie. They did not make an oral report which brings at most a five day suspension. No written report is required
LEOs slide all the time in shooting incidents. You know darn well this case did not have to be prosecuted. Sending these two fine men to prison is making every Mexican drug smuggler laugh at the stupid gringos. You have no idea that the border is an anarchy. The Feds made it that way on purpose so millions of Mexicans could slide in here to make big business happy and ethnic lobby groups happy. Who cares if some POS Mexican drug pusher is shot in the butt in this lawless border zone? Mexicans violate our border laws all the time there so I sure won't lose any sleep over a foreign drug pusher getting a bullet in the gluteus maximus.
Sutton later defended the decision, arguing that the agents did not have knowledge of any criminal activity involving Aldrete-Davila at the time they shot him
As Paul Harvey would say...."NOW, you know the REST of the story".
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