FLASH! Political Prisoners Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean have had their sentences commuted! One of the most disgraceful events in this nations struggle to control its borders has ended!
These were the two border patrol agents railroaded in one of our governments more shameful acts of political correctness. The State Department “lied” about these two agents, who deserve medals of merit, and said in court that they had evidence that the agents “plotted and conspired that day to go out and shoot” Mexicans.
In fact, this drug smuggler was moving over 750 pounds of marijuana across the US/Mexico border when he was stopped. The two officers were among several officers on the scene, but only Ramos and Compean went over to the smuggling van to arrent the man. The drug smuggler struggled with Compean during the lawful arrest, causing shots to be fired, and then proceeded to flee the scene. Ramos came down the arroyo, saw his partner on the ground and the drug smuggler running away, fired and shot the drug smuggler in the ass.
Sara Carter, who is a reporter who broke this story nationally, interviewed the drug smugglers family and they said that he’s been running drugs since he was 14 years old and he was never seen without a gun.
Now, its important to note that others were on the scene, including supervisors. These two men doing the job you and I care about, protecting our borders and keeping out drugs, were in the presence of supervisors in this incident. And were prosecuted because they didnt orally report the shooting. The supervisors submitted a written report. So this was a policy violation, not a criminal violation.
At this point a government, more interested in Mexican cries of victimhood than American justice, shifted into high gear and railroaded two men for daring to do their job too well. It seems that the drug smuggler grew up with a Border Patrol agent in Arizona, who decides to take it upon himself to open an investigation, looking for the report.
No one has questioned the nature of that relationship. The fact that this Border Patrol Agent in Arizona was best friends with the drug smuggler’s brother. He accompanied the drug smuggler’s sister on her 15th birthday. They have close ties. But never mind…
So based on a policy violation, the government sends an agent into Mexico to find the drug smuggler, offer him immunity and free border crossings, as well as health care, to come back and testify against the border agents. And while he’s testifying for the government, he smuggles more drugs. The government finds out about it and has the report sealed so the jury wont hear it.
In 2006, when members of Congress started to investigate, the State Department told these members of Congress three lies: Ramos and Compean had confessed, they knew the guy was unarmed, and they said they wanted to shoot some Mexicans that day. The Inspector General later had to go before a Congressional Committee and admit that the State Department had lied to Congress.
im sure this will come as bad news to the far left crazies on this site .
Of course he would pardon them. He’s got to have at least one positive pardon in the lot. When do we get to see the pardons for the real criminals, thieves and murderers that he’s partnered up with for the last 8 years?
That list is going to be huge.
Wrong Crowley, their sentences were commuted. There’s a difference. Per Breitbart: “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.”
Those border agents suffered enough and I am glad our president did something good for them.
Wait a minute, what happened to the guys who lied to congress and in court? Doesn’t that automatically reopen the agents case? Who cares if their sentence is cut short if they are innocent? They should have their jobs back and some money in the bank to compensate for being the victims of a criminal conspiracy.
Either that or you’re wrong about all of it. I mean it seems you were wrong about them being pardoned. If you were wrong about that maybe you’re wrong about everything.
The radio news reported it as a Pardon. But State Department news reports it as a commute of sentence. Thanks Getting it Right.
Vixen,
This is the Bush administration. Not the Clinton administratio.
#5, as the day passes I’m sure we’ll hear about these two heroes plans for the future. Seeking damages and justice is up to them. I’ll let you know.
This is the Bush administration. Not the Clinton administratio.
So, are you saying that he need not pardon ANYONE? Everyone is squeaky clean?
My guess would be a huge blanket pardon for his entire staff.
Terry. The proper word is sentence “comuted” in that they cannot receive a “pardon” for some legality but they will still be released.
*On the eve of one of America’s most historic events President George Bush did the right thing!
These guys will be paid high dollars on the lecture market for the rest of their lives. This did send a good message to existing Border Patrol agents and other law enforcement….not to use excessive force whenever possible. We are very
pleased that their sentences have been commuted!
Political prisoners?
I think you meant convicted criminals. Convicted, by the way, by a jury of their peers…in the state of Texas, no less. Not exactly a State known for being tolerant of those from south of the border.
One could make the case that their sentences were excessive. But to make the leap from that, to these two men are “heroes” is absurd.
anon #11.
As its the day before a milestone in our history I won’t take you to task other than to say if you intend to bash president Bush’s actions with the border guards it surely doesn’t come close the Bill Clinton pardons of Marc Rich and the 16 members of the FALN as he departed.
I am glad to see that your acknowledge that the punishment handed out inb their case was excessive
Oh you guys! You need to see the Wiki information about this. DIANE FEINSTEIN suggested that President Bush Commute the sentences for these two OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO!
Absolutely Pathetic! Your big HERO George Bush has sat on this thing since July of 2007. NOW you’re all celebrating what a great thing he’s done?? Please, you guys are humiliating yourselves. You really should at least GLANCE at Wiki before going on a cheerleading fest for the biggest loser president in the History of the US.
This little concession is just a smoke screen for the upcoming MASSIVE PARDONS that he needs to do to keep his criminal friends from going to JAIL.
DIANE FEINSTEIN suggested a commuted sentence 18 months ago! lmao! From the Wiki link:
A petition for the pardon of the border agents received nearly 240,000 signatures.[7] On January 18, 2007, President George W. Bush agreed to review the case, and Representative Duncan Hunter introduced a bill, titled the Ramos and Compean Act, that would pardon the two agents, though the United States Constitution does not grant Congress the authority to issue pardons.[8]
On 6 February 2007 Representative Tom Tancredo and Ramos’ relatives reported to the Associated Press that Ramos had been beaten by fellow inmates in prison. His wife Mrs. Monica Ramos told the AP that he had “let his guard down” and been stomped and kicked for several minutes.[9]
On April 23, 2007 the border patrol union released a no-confidence resolution against Chief David V. Aguilar for his failure to back up Ramos during the case. [10] The union had also made a rebuttal responding to District Attorney Sutton’s reasons why convicting the agents was justified.[11]
The Senate Judiciary Committee examined the prosecution in July 2007 after which Senator Dianne Feinstein asked President Bush to commute the sentences
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ignacio_Ramos
Larry,
Where did I bash President Bush’s actions? Please don’t put words in my mouth. Bush himself has said that he believes the verdicts were just and that the trials were fair. He has taken issue with the length of the sentencing. Fair enough. My only point was to point out that calling Ramos and Compean heroes is ridiculous.
So basically YOUR GUY….YOUR HERO…. kept these two border patrol agents in jail where they were regularly beaten up for an extra year and a half longer than necessary.
Pathetic. I just don’t see anything that Bush has not eff’ed up. Not even this….
anon. I apologizwe if I mixed you with another anonymous person on this post or another recent entry.
Many Republicans in CA are very upset with our “compassionate conservative”‘s failure to act sooner. He did not need to wait until the 11th hour to take this step. And while their enforcement of the law was appropriate, their actions were questionable. Based on what we have heard, and not witnessing the episode in person, I would agree not to label them as heros.
This action by Bush, fully demonstrates how badly the Republican Party has lost it’s way. I for one refuse to hold my nose again while voting for a ‘Republican’ that doesn’t represent my values. What have we heard about the new RNC chairman? Seems to me they should have voted by now or very soon.
These guys sound like candidates for keys to the City of Santana. Mexicans trained to shoot mexicans, beaten down in jail and finally rewarded with a suspension of justice. This is a Texican tale for the ages- we need a narco-corrido so the abuelitas can cry at the dinner table.
It is sad when people celebrate and excuse acts of savagery, worse when the acts of savagery are those of law enforcement, and even sadder when a leader uses his power to endorse such acts.
It is pathetic that after all these years there are still people who are ignorant of the facts of what these two did.
The facts are that they shot an unarmed man in the back, and then tried to cover up their act by picking up their expended shells, then lied about what happened.
Here are the facts as summarized by the NATIONAL REVIEW, that paragon of liberal thought . . .
“Here’s the dirty little secret the agents’ partisans never tell in their relentless media rounds. You want to be mad about a miscreant like Aldrete-Davila getting away with importing scads of marijuana into Estados Unidos? Then be mad at … the “heroes.”
The rogue duo had two easy opportunities to arrest Aldrete-Davila: First, when he attempted to surrender and Compean decided it would be better to smash him with the butt of a shotgun than to put cuffs on him, as it was his duty to do; and then, when the “heroes,” having felled the unarmed, fleeing suspect with a bullet fired into his buttocks, decided to leave him there so they could tend to the more important business of covering up the shooting.
Since it’s hard to decipher the facts amid the noise, it’s worth remembering that a jury of twelve impartial Texans convicted the agents of almost all the charges, beyond a reasonable doubt, after a two-and-a-half week trial. Many complain, with some force, about the aggressive charges brought by the government against Compean and Ramos, but you don’t have to like this case to understand that — barring some demonstration of irrationality (and there has been none) — the factual findings necessary to that verdict merit respect. They are certainly more reliable than hype from those with an ax to grind.
As is typical in controversial trials, when the sentences the court imposes months after the verdict turn out to be stiff, it is true that some jurors have since expressed regret about their vote to convict Compean and Ramos. But three jurors’ lame bleating that they were in the dark about the possibility of holding out for a hung jury smacks of buyer’s remorse, not confusion. When it counted, the full jury plainly resolved disputed issues and credibility calls against the agents. In addition to being entitled to deference, that lopsided resolution also happens to make the most objective sense. Indeed, it is telling that the agents’ partisans vent mainly about immigration policy and prosecutorial overreach; they don’t dare dwell on the agents’ disgraceful performance on February 17, 2005.
It was about 1:00 that afternoon when Agent Compean observed Aldrete-Davila driving suspiciously along a levee road toward tiny Fabens, Texas, in a van later found to be carrying 743 pounds of marijuana. Compean radioed for help. Agent Ramos heard the call and headed to Fabens, where he anticipated intercepting the van.
Aldrete-Davila soon realized he was being pursued by Ramos and another agent. Unable to shake them, he abandoned the van and made a dash for the Rio Grande border. Compean, however, was lying in wait across the levee.
What happened next is disputed. Compean now says there was a struggle, causing him to fire although Aldrete-Davila eluded him. Ramos contends that while in pursuit, he heard shots; saw his fellow officer, Compean, down on the ground; kept chasing Aldrete-Davila; and finally fired at him because, through thick dust, he thought he saw something shiny in the smuggler’s hand that, he surmised, must have been a gun.
This is the Official Truth according to the agents’ partisans. It is also the one rejected by the jurors who heard the whole case — including the parts about which the partisans are now tongue-tied.
GRATUITOUS BRUTALITY
The preponderance of the evidence established that Aldrete-Davila was unarmed. Besides Compean and Ramos, there were several other agents on the scene. None of them believed Aldrete-Davila posed a threat to their safety; none, other than the two defendants drew their weapons; and Compean and Ramos neither took cover nor alerted their fellow agents to do so.
More to the point, Compean admitted to investigators early on that the smuggler had raised his hands, palms open, in an attempt to surrender. This jibed not only with Aldrete-Davila’s account but with that of another Border Patrol agent. Compean opted not to take surrender, not to place the smuggler under arrest so he could be prosecuted.
On that score, for those over-heatedly analogizing the border to a battlefield, it is worth noting that even under the law of war, quarter must be given when it is sought. Compean, to the contrary, tried to strike Aldrete-Davila with the butt of his shotgun. But it turns out the agent was as hapless as he was malevolent. In the assault, he succeeded only in losing his own balance. The smuggler, naturally, took off again, whereupon Compean unleashed an incompetent fuselage — missing Aldrete-Davila with all fourteen shots.
It was only after the surrender attempt that Ramos opened fire as the unarmed smuggler neared the border. Defending his decision to bring the case, U.S. attorney Sutton later explained: “Border Patrol training allows for the use of deadly force when an agent reasonably fears imminent bodily injury or death. An agent is not permitted to shoot an unarmed suspect who is running away.” The fact that Aldrete-Davila was a drug-dealer — something the agents may have suspected but had not yet confirmed at the time they were shooting at him — did not justify the responsive use of potentially deadly force under standard law-enforcement rules of engagement.
Cops are peace officers; absent life-and-death exigencies, they are not judge, jury and executioner. Not in big cities like New York. Not in rural middle America. And not on the border. As Sutton put it when I spoke with him, a big part of what separates us from many countries in the world is that “in America, the cops are the good guys.”
Compean and Ramos are bad guys. Once Aldrete-Davila was down from Ramos’s shot to the backside, they decided, for a second time, not to grab him so he could face justice for his crimes. As they well knew, an arrest at that point — after 15 shots at a fleeing, unarmed man who had tried to surrender — would have shone a spotlight on their performance. So instead, they exacerbated the already shameful display.
Instead of arresting the wounded smuggler, they put their guns away and left him behind. But not before trying to conceal the improper discharge of their firearms. Compean picked up and hid his shell-casings rather than leaving the scene intact for investigators. Both agents filed false reports, failing to record the firing of their weapons though they were well aware of regulations requiring that they do so. Because the “heroes” put covering their tracks ahead of doing their duty, Aldrete-Davila was eventually able to limp off to a waiting car and escape into Mexico.”
Larry Gilbert, Terry Crowley, Matt Munson – you are either pathetically uninformed with no desire to be informed, or (more probably) simply racists. If this had happened to a white man crossing from riverside county to orange county, who had been shot by a white policeman, you doubtful would have had a fundamentally different view. Or, you just believe that we should expand the death penalty to marijuana dealers. And then to taggers. And then to shopping cart thieves. As long as they are undocumented mexicans, right?
What is wrong about defending and excusing these two does not require excusing or justifying the actions of the person they shot. He was a lawbreaker, and could and should have been apprehended. and punished.
The problem is when law enforcement uses excessive force, especially without ANY potential justification. And when it is celebrated, well, that leads to a police state. When it is celebrated because someone was mexican, or middle-eastern, (or jewish, or black) it is the basis for a racist police state.
There are those who will undoubtedly point out that Campeon and Ramos are Mexican, so their actions cannot be racially motivated. That is true, but they are not excused of being so – rather they were proven to a Texas jury to be inept, violent, and guilty of using deadly force without justification.
Larry Gilbert, Terry Crowley, Matt Munson – you seek to sit as judge and jury without caring a damn about the facts. You only know in your hearts of hearts that Mexicans crossing the border deserve to be shot. And that is just sick.
OCMARTINIMAN
Savagry. Are we talking about water boarding here?
Hello! What was Mr. Avila bringing across the border? His laundry?
I never stated that the border patrol agents were innocent iof the charges. My point is that I guess it’s OK for President Clinton to pardon FALN members.
“The FALN was responsible for more than 120 bomb attacks on United States targets between 1974 and 1983. The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) classifies the FALN as a terrorist organization.
My point is that, when all facts are considered, the punishment of the two border patrol agents
was excessive.
Thank you for pointing out that both agents were Hispanic as you try to paint me as a racist.
after that 5 hour write up . when you have nothing use the race card . seems like you are defending the illegal here post 19 .
“Ain’t nothin but the real thing baby!”….no matter what the facts in the case were….Ken Lay
was guilty of plying his trade at cornering the Western Market in electricity and pump up the price in order to work his shell game to the tune
of $4 trillion dollars.
So, if you think Ramos and Compean are guilty or
innocent, in the sphere of “Illegal Immigration and the sizeable Mexican Drug trade”….it is nothing but political brinksmanship and hardly worthy of castigating the entire Border Patrol of the USA for the actions of a few. The reality is that in 1980…Ramos and Compean would have been
suspended for three weeks and returned to active duty! In 1990, they may have been fired. In 2000, they would have to start a non-profit support group to put $8 million dollars into Bill
Clinton’s Library to get clemensy. In 2001, the
report would have never seen the light of day.
Terry,
I think if Ramos and Compean had been white guys that jury in Texas would have found them innocent.
Hey, what happened to the Great One? Did he have a stroke or something? The writing under this pseudonym has changed completely.
I guess that means that any border patrol or law enforcement can shoot any mexican or colored person and try to cover it up
Art said: “I think if Ramos and Compean had been white guys that jury in Texas would have found them innocent.”
It is ALWAYS only about race with you Art. Do you even know the ethnic composition of the jury?
Do you not give credit to the many white people who have advocated for Ramos & Compean?
Always about race.
right on junior . see art if the jury would have been hispanic . the illegal would have got a free pass into this country. a parade in downtown santa ana where he would have the keys to the city. . its always about race with art . post 24 no i have been here all along waiting on certain topics . waiting for my pal far left vern to pop up . this could be you . i hope your o k i heard you had some problems .
People are not found innocent. They are found guilty or not guilty.
Danielle,
And crooked white cops are found “not guilty” all the time. Look at Carona. Only one charge stuck? Are you kidding?
No doubt about it. Ramos and Compean WERE guilty, but they were found guilty, most likely, because they were Latinos. That is the way our justice system rolls…
Their sentence was far too severe, so they deserved the commutation. I am glad they were not pardoned as they did screw up but no doubt they paid the price. They deserved to go home and get on with what is left of their lives.
Art. We are in agreement that they were guilty.
Thanks for your last paragraph which expresses how I feel about closure on this story.
Dude I was not talking about these two guys in any way.
I was just saying that the terms are GUILTY and NOT GUILTY..people are not found innocent. That is all I was saying.
Relax.
Wow and people talk about me ranting. Art needs a chill pill.
Uh some of us poor white folk are disgusted about the outcome of the Corona trial but he only sees race above and beyond all things. But nice try Art.
These men should have been pardoned and a lot of white men were fighting for just that. How does race play out there?
Em,
No, they should NOT have been pardoned. They broke the law. The consensus is that they more than paid for what they did and it was just and fair to commute their sentences. Bush finally did something right.
Art said: “No doubt about it. Ramos and Compean … were found guilty, most likely, because they were Latinos.”
You have yet to provide one shred of evidence which would indicate that racism played a part in either jury decision – you just throw the race card out there. You are becoming as big a race-baiter as Jessie Jackson.
junior,
This is a blog. It is not a newspaper. We are all about opinions, and my opinion is that these guys got shafted in part because they are Latinos. Can I prove that? No. Do I have to? No. It is just an opinion.
Yeah, just your opinion.
And your opinion would be worthy of thoughtful consideration if you provided back-up information to go with it.
There are numerous examples where a individual or individuals committed a crime and where given arguably excessive punishments.
Some crimes where done with racial prejudice others not.
In this case more probably than not, no racial issues were involved. It was, associated with border security and the illegal immigration debate though.
Plain and simple this case is a political football that was tossed around for political benefit by both REPS and DEMS.
Bush taking action on this case and ignoring countless other excessive puniskment cases is plain and simple politics to appease the die hard partisan REPS and nothing else.
The association with border security is the political interest here.
Yes the Democrats do the same.
Partisan politics has nothing to do with justice.
Who was the attorney for Ramos & Compean? That incompetent fool should have been shot in the ass & served 2 years hard time.
good post mr lomeli
Yeah Lomeli, partisan politics and justice… yuk yuk. No wonder ya cant win a dogcatcher job even tho yer rather uh well funded. Arturo’s endorsement is the kiss of death. Put all libertAryans out on the back porch 2 nite a new dog is in town.
“Partisan politics has nothing to do with justice.”
I would add that partisan politics has nothing to do with true justice.
It has everything to do with how justice is meted out in our system of government.
Rintrah – (“.. a new dog is in town.”) Your “new dog” is starting off with a lot of “old tricks.”
Red Vixen said: “Of course he would pardon them. He’s got to have at least one positive pardon in the lot. When do we get to see the pardons for the real criminals, thieves and murderers that he’s partnered up with for the last 8 years?”
“That list is going to be huge.”
Red – Are you talking about Clinton who pardoned nearly twicw as many REAL crooks, thieves and murders” as Bush ???
libertAryans – now thats funny Rintrah
jr right on.. the liberal mind their mistakes dont count .