Thread: IMPRISONING EX-AGENTS SENDS BAD SIGNALS

IMPRISONING EX-AGENTS SENDS BAD SIGNALS

By: PHIL STRICKLAND - For The Californian
NORTH COUNTY TIMES
January 6, 2007



Eleven days from today, former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean will be heading to the federal slammer unless President Bush does the right thing.

Given the president's record on matters relating to illegal immigration, it doesn't look good for them. The president already has seen fit to ignore the wishes of lawmakers and citizens alike in not granting the agents forgiveness when he issued his clemency list last month.

Ramos and Compean, you probably know, are the agents convicted in the shooting of admitted drug smuggler Osbaldo Aldrete-Davila, who was plying his trade east of El Paso while being on this side of the border illegally.


Then-Border Patrol agent Ramos said he heard gunshots during the course of the pursuit toward the border and acknowledged firing at the smuggler, whom he believed was pointing a gun at him, after he found fellow agent Jose Compean lying bloodied on the ground.

Uncovered in Aldrete-Davila's van was 800 pounds of marijuana.

The smuggler's version of events came to light two weeks later when his mother called the mother-in-law of a Border Patrol agent in Arizona.

From there, it didn't take long for Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Kanof to come to the legal rescue of poor Mr. Aldrete-Davila and prosecute the agents to the fullest extend possible.

Among the unconscionable actions by the agents: Pursuing the suspect, allegedly destroying the crime scene (there were five other agents and two supervisors present), and violating the smuggler's human rights by shooting him while he was fleeing when it wasn't certain the silver thing he was pointing at the agent was a gun.

Kanof really needs to find other outlets for her passions. Now that she has seen to it that justice has been miscarried, she can sleep comfortably with the knowledge that Ramos and Compean will begin serving their 11- and 12-year respective sentences Jan. 17 and won't be threatening any drug dealers.

As for Aldrete-Davila, in addition to immunity for his crimes, the feds paid for the hospital treatment to mend his wounded butt.

What makes the blatant injustice of this whole matter even more ludicrous is who managed to get on the presidential pardon list. Five of the 16 pardons and the single commutation involved drug offenses, including intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine.

It would be disingenuous to suggest the message the president wants to send is that it's OK to conspire to distribute drugs but not to shoot at fleeing smugglers who may be pointing a gun at you.

In fact, President Bush has handed out comparatively few clemencies, and surely those he does are intended to promote the admirable quality of forgiveness. You would think that Border Patrol agents doing their job would find a place amid the criminals on that list.

So what gives?

The White House says the pardon list is recommended by the Department of Justice. So? We all know that all it takes for this to happen is for the president to order it.

Why should all this matter to residents of Southwest County? Aside from the necessity of supporting those who protect us and to eliminate the flood of illegal immigrants sucking up our tax dollars?

How about the impact such a prosecution is likely to have on our local Border Patrol agents?

Don't chase those illegal immigrants. And, by all means, offer up your life so as to be certain you are in danger before firing your gun ---ñ shoot second and suffer the consequences, by Kanof's standard.

If Ramos and Compean must wear stripes, we in Southwest County better get accustomed to Border Patrol agents leery of doing their job ---ñ and illegal immigrants who know it.

Phil Strickland is a regular columnist for The Californian. E-mail: philipestrickland@yahoo.com.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/01 ... 1_5_07.txt

Add Your Comments or Letter to the Editor

The White House says the pardon list is recommended by the Department of Justice.

The prez probably does not even know about the two agents right? He doesn't pay any attention to opinion poles either. Right.

President is fully aware of the situation. He ordered the prosecution to assure the drug cartel from Mexico full speed and good times ahead.

Why doesn't someone look up who approved the "immunity" for the illegal alien to testify in this trial?

Yep ... it will be Michael Chertoff from Homeland Security Department ... that's his turf not the US Justice Department ... and Chertoff doesn't take a piss in the morning if it's got Mexico in it without checking with the Wackident first.

I know many of you are tired of hearing this hoping there is some other way ... but the stark reality is you can't do anything really big about illegal immigraton unless and until you have a President committed to enforcing US Immigration Laws.

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as i have said before, that JACKA$$ who calls 1600 pennsylvania avenue home has cmpletely lost it when it comes to the people of the USA.
there is no way in hell he will do the right thing even though he DID pardon 6 in prison for selling drugs and attempt to distribute drugs.
i see why this country is hated, and its all because of him.

IMPEACH BUSH
FREE THE BORDER PATROL

I certainly think it sends a bad message but Bush has his own agenda. Bush does not want the border secured.