Free Republic

The only hope left for U.S. Border Agents Nacho Ramos and Ignacio Compean is a Presidential pardon. Without it, they are destined to serve out their decade long sentences for attempting to prevent a drug smuggler from illegally crossing our border… Ramos and Compean are Depending on You! Grassfire is urging ALL members of our team to take immediate action—faxing President Bush, the Office of the Pardon Attorney, your two Senators, and Representative, demanding Ramos and Compean are pardoned and returned to their families. Because we want to keep a sustained effort right through George Bush’s final day in office,...

Sutton has said that the sentence may well be severe, but pointed out that Congress sets sentencing guidelines. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who initiated the hearings, has disputed that point in letters to the Justice Department asking why charges carrying such heavy sentences had to be brought. Sutton said, "It is the policy of the Department of Justice to bring the highest most readily provable charge against a defendant. We followed that policy in this case because what former agents Compean and Ramos did was a serious crime."

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...