Thread: 'Bureaucratic arrogance at its worst'

Saturday, July 28, 2007 12:31 AM PDT
'Bureaucratic arrogance at its worst'
Rohrabacher says U.S. attorney who prosecuted border patrol agents lied to get a conviction.
By Alicia Robinson

After being criticized by Huntington Beach Rep. Dana Rohrabacher this week for how he prosecuted two border patrol agents, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton responded the case has been mischaracterized — and in particular by Rohrabacher.

Sutton, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Texas, led the prosecution of agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, who were convicted of shooting drug smuggler Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila in the buttocks as he tried to flee, then destroying the crime scene and filing a false report.

Rohrabacher has sought pardons for the agents and increasingly raised questions about the way the case was handled, criticizing even President George W. Bush for failing to address what he calls a "horrible miscarriage of justice."

Anti-illegal immigration activists have cheered the congressman and hailed the agents as heroes.

On Wednesday, Rohrabacher targeted Sutton, issuing a statement that demanded the attorney testify before Congress or resign.

Sutton responded, pointing out the agents were found guilty on 11 of 12 counts. "West Texas juries are not inclined to convict police officers and federal agents easily," he said.

The drug smuggler was given cards that allowed him to cross the border, Sutton said. It was necessary so he could testify in the agents' trial and receive medical treatment because of a bullet still lodged in his thigh from the shooting.

"He now has to urinate in a bag because he has no urethra," Sutton said of Davila.

Border crossing cards made out for Davila weren't given to him after he allegedly tried to bring a second load of drugs into the U.S., Sutton said, adding he's investigating that charge.

"Once there was an allegation made that he might have possibly been involved in another drug load, the investigator in the case acted to make sure he didn't have those cards anymore."

Rohrabacher rejected Sutton's explanation of the border passes, saying, "I'd be very happy to hear him say that under oath."

The congressman criticized Sutton for refusing to testify at a congressional hearing set for next week, but Sutton said the decision comes from the Justice Department, not him.

To Rohrabacher, that's of a piece with how Sutton and the Bush administration have handled the entire case.

After the shooting, the agents made a bad choice to "save themselves eight hours of minutia in helping their supervisors fill out all the paperwork," the administration decided to prosecute, and Sutton's team lied to the jury to get a conviction, Rohrabacher said.

"This is bureaucratic arrogance at its worst," Rohrabacher said. "It doesn't pass the smell test, and the stench seems to be coming from the White House."

http://www.dailypilot.com/articles/2007 ... tton28.txt

"He now has to urinate in a bag because he has no urethra," Sutton said of Davila.

Originally Posted by zeezil

"He now has to urinate in a bag because he has no urethra," Sutton said of Davila.

Would somebody please explain me if this comentary was to make we feel sorry for the CRIMINAL friend , ACCOMPLICE of Mr.Sutton and Senor Jorge