Thread: Rohrabacher to hold press conference on Ramos/Compean case

WND Exclusive INVASION USA
Records prompt call for new Ramos-Compean trial
Congressman has DEA reports confirming smuggler in 2nd drug incident
Posted: February 28, 2007
1:00 a.m. Eastern

By Jerome R. Corsi
© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com


Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, second from right, presiding over House panel
Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., plans to reveal today Drug Enforcement Agency investigative reports that confirm a previous WND story presenting evidence the drug smuggler given immunity to testify against border agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean was involved in a second smuggling incident.

The DEA documents and Department of Homeland Security investigative reports already presented by WND contradict the prosecutor, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, who repeatedly has insisted to the public that smuggler Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila was not a suspect under investigation in a second drug incident.

Sutton gave Aldrete-Davila immunity to testify as the prosecution's chief witness regarding the Feb. 17, 2005, shooting incident on the Texas border that led to prison sentences for Ramos and Compean of 11 and 12 years respectively.

In a statement released by his office, Rohrabacher said, "Upon review of these new documents, it is obvious that U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton knowingly presented a false picture of the drug smuggler in order to justify his ruthless prosecution of Border Patrol agents Ramos and Compean."

Rohrabacher plans to hold a press conference today at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time in the House TV Gallery, H-321, in Washington.

A spokeswoman with Rohrabacher's Washington office confirmed to WND the congressman now has evidence Sutton's office was notified by the DEA of Aldrete-Davila's direct involvement in a second offense.

"Sutton chose to disregard the information, despite the evidence produced by the DEA," Rohrabacher told WND. "Sutton's continuous attempts to paint a benign picture of the drug smuggler is not only disingenuous but amounts to misleading the jury and the public when questioned about the second offense."

Rohrabacher's spokeswoman, Tara Setmayer, told WND the congressman considers the recently obtained DEA reports sufficient basis to demand a new trial.

WND has confirmed with Sutton's office the information contained in the DEA reports matches the information from a Nov. 21, 2005, memo by DHS Special Agent Christopher Sanchez, which was highlighted in a WND story.

According to both reports, Aldrete-Davila brought a second load of 752 pounds of marijuana across the border in bales packed in a 1990 Chevy Astro van he drove Oct. 22, 2005.

The smuggler brought the drug load to the home of Cipriano Ortiz-Hernandez at 12101 Quetzal in Clint, Texas. Ortiz-Hernandez positively identified Aldrete-Davila to DEA investigating agents from police photographs.

WND has obtained both the Texas ID number and the Social Security number of Ortiz-Hernandez.

Texas law enforcement officers confirm both numbers are recorded for Ortiz-Hernandez in current state law enforcement databases. The officers told WND Ortiz-Hernandez has a criminal record in addition to the Oct. 22, 2005, drug investigation.

Rohrabacher spokeswoman Setmayer told WND Sutton's attempt to seal the information about Aldrete-Davila's October 2005 drug offense was an intentional effort to withhold from the jury information the prosecutor knew would discredit the smuggler as a witness, thereby destroying the prosecution's case.

"Sutton chose to hide the second drug offense so he could convict Ramos and Compean, rather than do his duty as an officer of the court in allowing the truth to come out," Setmayer said.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/ar...TICLE_ID=54473

cvangel:

Thanks for posting this - I was just over at WND and noticed this too. It looks like things are starting to get even more interesting...

http://www.elpasotimes.com/news/ci_5318854

Lawmaker: Man shot by ex- agents had other drug charges
By Louie Gilot / El Paso Times
Article Launched: 02/28/2007 12:00:00 AM MST


The drug smuggler who was shot in the buttocks by two El Paso Border Patrol agents who went to prison for it was involved in another drug smuggling attempt, U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., said.
Rohrabacher said he would talk today in a news conference in Washington, D.C., about new evidence he said proves that Osvaldo Aldrete Davila was again involved in drug smuggling after the Feb. 17, 2005, shooting.

U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton had repeatedly denied knowledge of a second arrest but Rohrabacher said Sutton's statements were misleading because Aldrete Davila was not arrested either time.

"Johnny Sutton's play on words to imply the second offense didn't occur or was not relevant to the case is dishonest. Only an unscrupulous lawyer would believe this is an acceptable tactic," Rohrabacher said in a written statement.

Rohrabacher said Sutton was briefed by the Drug Enforcement Administration about Aldrete Davila's "direct involvement" in a second offense. Officials with the U.S. Attorney's office said they can't comment on sealed matters.

Aldrete was talked into coming back to the United States and testifying against the agents with the promise that he wouldn't be arrested for the marijuana found in his abandoned van.

Rohrabacher said Sutton's alleged omission was part of his attempt to "paint a benign picture of the drug smuggler" who was given immunity to testify against former agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean. Ramos was sentenced to 11 years in prison and Compean to 12 for violating Aldrete Davila's civil rights and for tampering with evidence. Both are appealing.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/breakingnews/ci_5324380

Report: Man shot by agents smuggled pot again (6:32 p.m.)
By Louie Gilot / El Paso Times
El Paso Times
Article Launched:02/28/2007 06:15:01 PM MST

Eight months after he was shot in the buttocks by two former El Paso Border Patrol agents, a Mexican drug smuggler delivered $1 million worth of marijuana to a stash house in El Paso County, according to an investigative report by the Drug Enforcement Administration now in possession of a California congressman.
U.S. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., held a news conference in Washington, D.C., today and held a redacted copy of the document up for reporters but did not pass out copies. Rohrabacher said he had been asked by the Justice Department not to do so because the report contained sensitive information.

U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton had repeatedly denied that the smuggler, Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, had been arrested again after he was shot in the buttocks by agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean in February 2005 during a botched smuggling attempt near Fabens. Rohrabacher said it was technically correct because Davila was not arrested but said Sutton was playing with words.

"They call that lying when you're not a lawyer," he said.

Ramos and Compean were convicted last year of violating Davila's civil rights and of tampering with evidence because they did not report the shooting and because Compean picked up his shell casings.

Ramos was sentenced to 11 years in prison and Compean of 12 years in prison. They started serving their time in January and are appealing the conviction. Their cause has been picked up by conservative activists, such as Minutemen groups, and elected officials.

It is not clear what the DEA report will mean for the agents as it is not directly related to the February shooting, but Rohrabacher said he smeared the character of the smuggler as the prosecution's star witness.

Rohrabacher said that prosecutors ignored the DEA report to "promote the false image of the smuggler" during trial. Prosecutors said that Davila was smuggling drugs because he didn't have enough money to renew his commercial driver's license in Mexico.

The second smuggling incident allegedly occurred Oct. 9, 2005, during a sting operation at a stash house where occupants identified Davila as the man who had just driven a load of marijuana to the house. Davila was gone by then but "They used his name, all the way down to his colostomy bag. How many smugglers carry a colostomy bag?" Rohrabacher said.

The bullet that hit Davila in February severed his urethra.

U.S. Attorney's officials issued a written statement, saying "The U.S. Attorney's office cannot comment about matters that are under seal or ongoing investigations. This office will pursue criminal charges where there is prosecutable criminal activity and competent evidence to prove it."

Davila's lawyer, Walter Boyaki, couldnt be reached for comment today. Davila is in Mexico and hasn't been back to El Paso since his court testimony.

Asked whether the publicity around the second incident could jeopardize possible efforts to prosecute Davila for the second offense, Rohrabacher said his focus was on freeing Compean and Ramos.

Davila was offered immunity in exchange for his testimony for the first incident, but not the second.

The DEA report was sealed evidence during the trial, according to trial transcripts in which lawyers refer to the incident as "the October load," and to the witness against Davila as Cipriano Ortiz. The defense's motion to unseal it was denied by a federal judge. But the evidence will be passed, sealed, to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

During the trial, Mary Stillinger, one of Ramos' attorneys, tried to introduce the evidence to the jurors.

"My opinion is, your honor, that he's trying to portray himself as a very innocent person, and would not have any clue how marijuana is packaged. And I would like to ask, You didn't have any other experience with how marijuana was packaged?" she said according to official transcripts posted at www.usdoj.gov/usao/txw.

Her request was denied and Davila was allowed to plead the Fifth on any questions about his illegal activities before or after the shooting.

Rohrabacher spokeswoman Setmayer told WND Sutton's attempt to seal the information about Aldrete-Davila's October 2005 drug offense was an intentional effort to withhold from the jury information the prosecutor knew would discredit the smuggler as a witness, thereby destroying the prosecution's case.

"Sutton chose to hide the second drug offense so he could convict Ramos and Compean, rather than do his duty as an officer of the court in allowing the truth to come out," Setmayer said

Let the THUNDER ROLL and the truth be known!

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