Thread: San Antonio Rally against Sutton

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/ ... 4ec89.html

Protesters call for agents' freedom

Web Posted: 07/01/2007 12:13 AM CDT

Karisa King
Express-News

Waving American flags and chanting "U.S.A., U.S.A.," protestors angry about the imprisonment of two U.S. Border Patrol agents rallied Saturday, demanding the release of the men and calling for the dismissal of the prosecutor who handled the case.

The demonstration drew about 200 activists to the office lawn of U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, the top prosecutor for the Western District of Texas who won the convictions last year and has become a main target of groups fighting for tighter immigration controls.

"We're here because we have Border Patrol patriots who have been caught up in a political process and they're not being treated fairly," said Pat Byrne, deputy director for the Texas chapter of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, one of the event organizers.

The agents, Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos, are both serving more than 10 years in prison for shooting at a suspected drug smuggler as he ran away from them. Although a jury rejected the agents' claim that the suspect had a gun, supporters contend that Compean and Ramos were convicted for simply doing their jobs.

Turnout for the rally, at San Pedro Avenue and U.S. 281, fell far short of a forecast crowd of several hundred. But what the activists lacked in numbers they made up for with impassioned speeches, including one that hinted at violence.

David Marlett of Dallas climbed into the back of a white pickup and told the crowd that there are "four kinds of boxes — the soap box, the jury box, the ballot box and the cartridge box."

"We have seen a misuse of the jury box," he said. "We're going to use the ballot box to get rid of you. But don't test our use of the last box."

With a small group of immigrant rights supporters posted across the street, much of the two-hour rally was tense and fraught with racial undertones.

"We as American patriots won't step aside and allow that flag to be any color other than red, white and blue," said Curtis Collier, president of U.S. Border Watch.

(Photos by Delcia Lopez/Express-News)

Pat Dossey holds a sign along San Pedro Avenue during a protest against U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton and his successful prosecution last year of two Border Patrol agents for shooting at a suspected drug smuggler. The protesters were heckled by a group of counter-demonstrators across the street.

David Horton of Corpus Christi holds up a sign.

In front of him, activists hoisted signs that read, "Texas is not a Mexican colony" while counter-protestors shouted "Viva La Raza."

At times, it was hard to hear the speakers over competing microphones.

Jina Gaytan, who was among the counter-protestors, said the case against the agents comes down to basic human rights.

"Immigrants are no less human than we are, and they need to be protected just like we do if something has been done to them," she said.

About midway through the demonstration, police arrested a man after he crossed the street, confronted an immigrant rights supporter and allegedly hit him in the back of the head. Police spokesman Joe Rios said the man was charged with assault, but otherwise the event was peaceful.

U.S. Attorney Sutton pointed out that Compean and Ramos failed to report the shooting and tossed out the spent bullet casings to cover it up.

In recent years, agents in the same El Paso Sector have shot their guns 14 times and killed four people, but in each of those cases investigators found that the shootings were justified.

"Prosecutors are bound to follow the facts where they lead," Sutton said. "Sometimes the facts and the evidence lead to places where a prosecutor really doesn't want to be."


VIDEO :::::

http://www2.mysanantonio.com/multimedia ... deos=47215

http://www2.mysanantonio.com/specials/E ... =480&h=360

Sutton, you don't understand do you?

I want our US Border Patrol Agents out of jail and cleared of all charges, and I want you fired.