Thread: Judge says prosecutors overreacted in Border Patrol case

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5347556.html

NEW ORLEANS — Federal prosecutors may have overreacted in their case against two Border Patrol agents who were sentenced to lengthy prison terms after they were convicting of shooting a fleeing drug suspect and hiding evidence of the incident, an appeals court judge said Monday.

"It does seem to me that the government overreacted here," said Judge E. Grady Jolly, one of three judges of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hearing the case of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean.

A federal jury in Texas convicted the agents of assault, obstruction of justice and civil rights violations in the wounding of Osvaldo Aldrete Davila on the Texas border near El Paso in 2005. A federal judge sentenced Compan to 12 years in prison and Ramos to 11 years.

There was no indication when the judges would rule in the appeal, but Compean's lawyer, Bob Baskett, said he was encouraged by Jolly's comments.

"They certainly were aware of the signficant issues in the case," Baskett said after Monday's hearing.

Ramos' attorney, David Botsford, said he didn't read anything into the judges' remarks.

"The court is going to follow the law," he said outside the New Orleans courthouse.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Stelmach declined to comment after the hearing.

Jolly, during questioning of Stelmach, said that if the agents had reported the shooting as required, "this prosecution never would have occurred, in all likelihood."

"For some reason, this one got out of hand, it seems to me," Jolly added.

The convictions of Ramos and Compean caused a national firestorm among conservative lawmakers and others. Critics have repeatedly called the prosecution unjustified and the sentences extreme.

Aldrete survived the shooting. He was arrested in November following an October indictment on various drug charges.

For some reason, this one got out of hand, it seems to me," Jolly added.



We could say that - or we could say it got IN the wrong hands - the hands of a corrupt federal prosecutor - under orders, I believe, from the WH.

There are probably more things involved in this case than we will ever know.

It would be interesting to read the transcript of this trial. It is beyond me how any jury could make such a decision - unless there was some evidence, or lies we don't know about - or some coercion of jurists we don't know about.

All right, judge, get on with it and get these men out and back to their families. Act NOW and quit with your pontificating! Then call for an investigation into Johnny Sutton, and the U.S. Government prosecutorial malfeasance.

This is good news. Let's all pray for a reversal and for Ramos and Compean to walk out of the prison gates!

W

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

This is good news. Let's all pray for a reversal and for Ramos and Compean to walk out of the prison gates!

W

Last night on TV, they said the SAME judge was going to make a ruling on the retrial of Ramos and Compean? I say the judge should get their walking papers, along with Johnny jerkhead Sutton!

What happens to these two un-Americans, should we give them a one-way ticket to Mexico? The land they LOVE so much!!! Hopefully the hatemail will drive them underground where all good little rodent live........

Disbar Johnny Sutton... we want TRUE Justice putting this corrupt political Individual behind bars

Johnny Sutton needs to be made an example of during very public trials

GWB - We want you in Prison for corruption

I don't think they should be granted another trial. I THINK THE CASE SHOULD BE DISMISSED AND THEIR RECORDS WIPED CLEAN. It's so obvious what's going on here. They need to take a hard look at Sutton and his good friend Bush. While they're at it, they might want to talk to Vincente Fox and Calderon.

"It does seem to me that the government overreacted here,"
"For some reason, this one got out of hand, it seems to me,"

Gee Judge, ya think?

Judge, please tell us something that WE DONT already know

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go to the above Chronicle link. as i type this, there have been 145 replies about the story on the chronicle websight

Both Sutton, who prosecuted the case, and the judge that ruled to bar information on the smuggling that occurred using Sutton's pass, should be removed from their positions.

Listening to the podcast on Pat Gray and Edd Hendee.
Hendee is in New Orleans today and has said hes coming back with Monica ramos and her dad, Joe Loya and will be live in studio during the 8-9 AM Central time on Tuesday
the show goes from 6-9AM Central time and Im Guessing the entire three hours could be all about this.
maybe some talk of the houston area man who shot two burglars


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