Reyes asks Bush to commute border agents' sentences
Times staff report
El Paso Times
Article Launched:07/19/2007 11:37:10 AM MDT

U.S. Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-El Paso, has written a letter to President Bush asking him to commute the sentences of former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean.
The men are currently serving long-term federal prison sentences for a 2005 incident in which they shot a fleeing Mexican drug smuggler and then covered up the incident.

Several congressmen have rallied behind Ramos and Compean saying the pair was unjustly convicted and are calling on President Bush to issue a pardon in the case.

Others say Ramos and Compean were tried properly in a court of law and should continue to serve their sentences.

"While I do not condone the actions of Mr. Ramos and Mr. Compean, I do believe they received excessive sentences due to mandatory sentencing guidelines," Reyes wrote to President Bush. "I once again encourage you to consider commutation of their sentences."

http://www.elpasotimes.com/breakingnews/ci_6413515