Attention Border Patrol Agents!...Your Right To A Fair Trial Has Been Revoked!
By Dave Gibson (01/17/07)
Agent Ramos' father-in-law Joe Loya has reported that Judge Kathleen Cardone has refused to allow Border Patrol Agents Ramos and Compean free on bond pending an appeal. These two men have been ordered to report to the Federal Courthouse in El, Paso Wednesday afternoon. They will be taken into custody and sent to federal prison to begin their 11 and 12 year sentences. Judge Cardone just happens to be a Bush appointee.
Upon examination of the facts, it is obvious that these agents were targeted by the Bush administration. The senseless and unethical prosecution of Agents Ramos and Compean is to serve as an example to all Border Patrol Agents. The message is clear...Stop Mexican drug dealers and your life will be ruined!
The federal prosecutor has made much of the fact that Agents Ramos and Compean failed to report firing a weapon. While Ramos and Compean failed to report the shooting, they were not alone. There were several other agents in the vicinity who heard the shot and knew that Agent Compean had been assaulted by the smuggler. All of the agents failed to report the shooting.
However, failing to report a firearms discharge is not a crime but simply a violation of Border Patrol policy. The violation is handled on an in-house basis and usually results in a five day suspension with no loss of rank or benefits. The violation is becoming a fairly common occurrence, as the violence along the border increases.
While the U.S. Justice Department has prosecuted Agents Ramos and Compean, the FBI never investigated the incident. It is actually the Border Patrol itself which is responsible for the charges against these men.
I have spoken with Joe Loya at great length and he informed me that
though Compean's supervisor (Agent Jonathan Richards) was told in the field that Compean had been assaulted, he did not bother to check on him until sometime later. Richards eventually did talk to Compean back at the station house and asked Compean if he wanted to file assault charges against the drug smuggler. Agent Compean said that he did not know the identity of the smuggler and Supervisor Richards agreed that it would be a very complicated and lengthy process to file any charges. The FBI was never informed of the assault on a federal law enforcement official.
The van driven by the smuggler named Osbaldo Aldrete-Davilla was left behind, along with 743 pounds of marijuana. A few months later, Aldrete-Davilla was caught smuggling more drugs across the border, this time he was captured. While in custody, federal prosecutors offered the smuggler immunity in both cases in exchange for his testimony against Agents Ramos and Compean. In addition to the immunity offer, our government assisted him in traveling back and forth across the Mexican border, given medical treatment at a U.S. Army medical facility in Texas, and is now suing the Border Patrol for $5 million for violating his civil rights!
Osbaldo Aldrete-Davilla has been smuggling drugs into the United States since he was fourteen years old.
Incredibly, once charges had been filed against Agents Ramos and Compean, were not allowed to turn themselves over to authorities (a courtesy readily given to many drug dealers). No, these two veteran officers were arrested by SWAT teams!
The agents were offered a plea bargain several times by prosecutor Debra Kanoff. However, anxious to prove their innocence and still confident that this nonsense would soon end, the two always refused any offer of a deal. In addition to pleading guilty to lesser charges, the agents would have had to repay $35,000 in medical costs spent on treating the drug smuggler. Each time they refused to take a deal, Kanoff would pile on additional charges. Debra Kanoff's boss is U.S Attorney Johnny Sutton, who is yet another Bush appointee.
Immediately following the trial's conclusion, three jurors (Robert Gourley. Claudia Torres, Edine Woods) complained about several improprieties.
They said that they had chosen 'not guilty' verdicts but were unduly intimidated by other jurors into changing their decision. They also said that they had been instructed improperly and were told that any verdict must be unanimous and a 'hung jury' was not possible in this case. All three signed sworn affidavits listing the preceding complaints.
Defense attorney Mary Stillinger presented the statements to Judge Cardone and asked that the verdict be 'set aside.' Of course, the request was denied.
55 U.S. Congressmen have signed letters asking President Bush to pardon Agents Ramos and Compean. Reps. Ted Poe, R-Texas; Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif.; Walter Jones, R-N.C.; Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.; and Duncan Hunter, R-Calif. have also made several requests to Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez to allow the agents to remain free on bond while their appeals were pending. However, both Bush and Gonzalez have refused to even answer the Congressmen.
Considering the fact that Alberto Gonzalez is a second-generation anchor baby, he is probably reveling in the demise of these two Border Agents.
Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) who delivered a citizens' petition with 225,000 signatures on behalf of the agents, recently said: "Based on my experience as a former judge, I have looked at this case and our federal government was on the wrong side."
A few days ago, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher held a press conference on the matter in which he put President Bush on notice. The California Congressman Said: "We're going to find out whose side you're on...the American people or the side of our enemies. If you let these two men go to jail for defending us, then we'll know you're on the side of our enemies."
By the time you read this article, Agents Ramos and Compean may have already reported to federal prison; President Bush will more than likely be working-out in the White House gym; thousands of Mexicans will have crossed the border illegally; more drugs will have been brought into our neighborhoods; and a powerful message will have been sent to our Border Patrol Agents...Back Off!
Please take the time to contact the White House today and tell President Bush how you feel about this terrible injustice.
Please direct your comments to the following:
White House Press Sec. Tony Snow...202-456-2580
White House Comment Line...202-456-1111
White House Switchboard...202-456-1414
White House Email...comments@whitehouse.gov
(Printer friendly version) Email: Dave Gibson
