Thread: AMERICA'S MOST WANTED : SATURDAY NIGHT FEBRUARY 3, 2007

Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos- Miscarriage Of Justice At The Border




This lonely dirt road is where it all began.

View LargerFor Border Patrol Agents Joe Compean and Ignacio "Nacho" Ramos, February 7, 2005 was just another day of endless watching and waiting for illegal immigrants to cross the Rio Grande into the U.S. But catching illegals was a piece of cake compared to their battle against the drug cartels who are better-armed and whose foot soldiers outnumber them.

Over the last ten years or so, agents have been involved in a growing number of gun battles with drug runners on this side of the border. To say the least, the bad guys are getting more brazen and trigger-happy. So far, at least four smugglers have been killed. Our guardians of the Border have suffered no casualties. But the thought is always there: "Is this gonna be my day? Will I make it home tonight?"

Compean and Ramos may have been wondering that very thing as the events of February 7 began to unfold. The following is what occurred, according to TJ Bonner, President of the National Border Patrol Council:

Checking on a tripped sensor near the river, Agent Compean discovers footprints and drag marks -- a tip off that a load of drugs has just been smuggled across the river. Spotting a vehicle leaving the scene, Compean radios its description to agents covering the road ahead. Realizing he's been spotted, the smuggler turns around and heads back toward Compean.

According to Bonner, when the smuggler bails out of his van to make a run for the river, he fails to obey Compean's numerous commands to stop. After a brief physical struggle, the smuggler begins running toward the river again.

When he turns and points something shiny at Compean, the agent, believing his life is in danger, opens fire. Agent Ramos, hearing gunshots, comes to Compean's aide. He too shouts for the smuggler to stop, but this man once again turns around and points at Ramos. Ramos fires one shot. He appears to miss as his target turns and dissapears into the bank of the Rio Grande.

Border Patrol agents return to the suspicious van and look wide-eyed at almost 800 pounds of marijuana, worth about a million bucks on the street. Agents seize the payload and it seems like they've done their jobs. But a bizarre turn of events and an apparent miscarriage of justice would soon find Ramos and Compean on the wrong side of the courtroom.


Two Border Patrol Agents seize a van full of marijuana as the smuggler flees across the border. So how did that seemingly common scenario result in the agents facing long prison terms?
A Different Story



At the center of this baffling miscarriage of justice is this man, illegal alien Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila. For some reason, the US Attorney's Office believed his story over two experienced Border Patrol Agents.
View LargerAccording to the U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, Ramos and Compean are not heroes. In fact, charges filed against the two suggest they are in fact criminals. Thanks to an odd partnership and a series of curious decisions, Compean and Ramos face long prison sentences.

The man behind the wheel of the marijuana-packed van was Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, an illegal alien and according to The New American, an admitted felon and drug smuggler. After this encounter, according to court testimony, Aldrete-Davila's family contacted a friend of the family, Rene Sanchez, a naturalized U.S. citizen and Border Patrol Agent, for advice. Sanchez now had to choose between his brothers-in-arms and a boyhood friend.

According to court testimony, Sanchez tutored Aldrete-Davila on getting back at Ramos and Compean, helping him get counsel and working out the best immunity deal he could.

It now fell to the U.S. Attorney, who was forced to decide which story he believed. He opted to believe Aldrete-Davila's account of that day, not the stories of Ramos and Compean. According to his version of events, Aldrete-Davila did not have a gun and was shot while trying to escape two Border Patrol Agents whom he feared.

But according to TJ Bonner, the Army doctor who treated Aldrete-Davila (on the taxpayer's dime), that story doesn't hold water. According to Bonner, Aldrete-Davila's entrance wound was on the left side of his left buttock and the bullet was found in his right side.

That entry wound is not consistent with someone fleeing. Rather, it looks like someone taking the "bladed stance," i.e., pointing a gun at someone. The stance would come from somenone firing a gun in his left hand. Bonner says Aldrete-Davila is, in fact, left-handed.

Still, the prosecutor, described by Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas), as overzealous, continued to believe Aldrete-Davila's scenario.

On March 8, 2006, a Federal Jury convicted the two agents of assault with serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, discharge of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence and civil rights violations. But that verdict is in question as well.

According to the National Border Patrol Council, "three of the twelve jurors later submitted sworn affidavits alleging that they had been misled into believing that there could be no dissent in the decision of the jury, and that the minority would have to accede to the will of the majority. Despite this cloud over the propriety of the process, the judge refused to overturn the verdict."

On January 17, 2007, both former agents walked into the U.S. Marshals Service office in El Paso, Texas to begin serving their time. Aldrete-Davila, on the other hand, is now suing the U.S. government for $5 million.


Questions Still Remain



US Attorney Johnny Sutton requested to tell his side of the story to America's Most Wanted producers. Despite the interview, questions still remain.

View LargerThis is an obvious case of he said/they said. On the one hand, there is an illegal alien, on American soil, driving a van full of about $1 million in drugs. On the other side are two experienced law enforcement officers.

The U.S. Attorney's Office contacted an AMW producer, offering to give their side of this story. While the U.S. Attorney reiterated his stance on the issue, he never answered the question of why he sided with Aldrete-Davila instead of Compean and Ramos.

The interview also contained conflicting information. At one point, when asked why Aldrete-Davila wasn't charged with any crime, Sutton says that because of Ramos' and Compean's actions, there was no evidence to charge the alleged drug smuggler. Yet, moments earlier, Sutton admitted that Aldrete-Davila's van was found with a large quantity of marijuana.

Did Ramos and Compean make mistakes? Yes, no one can disagree on that. Should they have been punished and reprimanded for their transgressions? Again, everyone agrees that they should. But the 11 and 12 year sentences are forcing Border Patrol agents and law enforcement in general to question everything they do, at the detriment of our safety.

http://www.amw.com/features/feature_sto ... fm?id=1369

Episode Detail: Teen Domestic Violence Special Edition
- America's Most Wanted

Dating violence involving teenagers is explored. Included is the case of a 15-year-old Texas girl who was stabbed to death by her 16-year-old former boyfriend in 2003. Congress passed a resolution marking Feb. 5-9, 2007, as National Teen Dating Violence Awareness Week.

Also: Host John Walsh discusses the case of two U.S.Border Patrol agents sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for the shooting of a suspected drug smuggler in February 2005.

Teen Domestic Violence Special Edition
Sat, Feb 3
9:00 PM PT/ET FOX 8:00 CT /
7574

Watch America's Most Wanted Saturday on Fox TV

Watch America's Most Wanted Saturday 2/3/07 for a story on the Ramos & Compean case on FOX TV.

DOJ has twice requested that the show not be run.

Check local listings on TVGuide.com.

http://tvguide.com/

Originally Posted by Skip

Watch America's Most Wanted Saturday on Fox TV

Watch America's Most Wanted Saturday 2/3/07 for a story on the Ramos & Compean case on FOX TV.

DOJ has twice requested that the show not be run.

Check local listings on TVGuide.com.

http://tvguide.com/

Makes one wonder what the DOJ is afraid of?
umm could it be the truth coming out

The DOJ is learning that the truth hurts. I hope the show is aired. Some of my police friends in a near by city personally know John Walsh and I will find out when they will see him next as I want to ask him to do a show on illegals wanted for crimes againsts Americans here. If I can't see him and talk to him I will have someone in the command staff do it for me. It is way over due.

It was a great show and John Walsh was ticked off about the way the two border patrol agents were treated.

jp_48504 wrote;

It was a great show and John Walsh was ticked off about the way the two border patrol agents were treated.

I loved it.....the truth told in full view of the American public on a very popular television show!

GANG travel over to www.amw.com and look at the forums.
one post is over 160 long and another is over 70 long

everyone is pissed except for two people that say these two should be in jail, of course he also thinks that the doper was not armed

If this isn't the sleaziest guy I ever saw, all I could think of was SNAKE!

Makes you wonder about the DOJ, doesn't it?

America's Most Wanted -- Fox Network - February 3
John Walsh: I think these Border Patrol Agents made an honest mistake. They picked up those shell casings and didn't think they shot this alleged drug dealer.
Well, you know what, they are paying the ultimate price - eleven years in jail.
Now this guy - this is what really bothers me - this alleged drug dealer, who was caught with a million dollars worth of pot, is suing the United States government - the United States taxpayer - you and I - for five million dollars.
Something is very wrong here and something needs to be done about it.


WATCH SHOW VIDEO

http://americanpatrol.com/WMV/070204-AMW.wmv

STORY

http://www.amw.com/features/feature_sto ... fm?id=1369