Free at last!
By Barb42
@Barb42 (4214)
United States
January 19, 2009 3:58pm CST
President Bush has commuted the sentences of the Border Patrol Agents who were convicted back in 2005 of shooting a Mexican drug runner. I've felt from day one that these guys should never have been prosecuted. They were hired to stop these things from coming over the border; yet, when they do their job, they find themselves in hot water with the prosecutor. And then the drug smuggler was allowed to sue the government although he was found smuggling over the border again! Their sentences will expire on March 20th. I wish it was today. They have spent 2 years too long in the jail.
"Ramos and Compean were sentenced in connection with the shooting of Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, who was shot in the buttocks while trying to flee along the Texas border. He admitted smuggling several hundred pounds of marijuana on the day he was shot and pleaded guilty last year to drug charges related to two other smuggling attempts.
The pair's case ignited debate across the country, as a chorus of organizations and members of Congress -- many of them Republican -- argued that the men were just doing their jobs. Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif., was particularly outspoken on the issue, at one time describing Ramos and Compean as "unjustly convicted men who never should have been prosecuted in the first place."
Nearly the entire congressional delegation from Texas and other lawmakers from both sides of the political aisle pleaded with Bush to grant them clemency. Conservatives hailed Bush's decision Monday. " http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/01/19/bush-commutes-sentences-border-patrol-agents/
2 responses
@piasabird (1737)
• United States
19 Jan 09
Hallelujah! I can't believe it's taken this long! I am so happy for those two guys and their families.
1 person likes this
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
19 Jan 09
From what I had read, sentences aren't usually commuted unless they have served over 5 years. I would rather to have them completely pardoned, but then, that would have said, "I was guilty", and I don't believe for one moment those guys were guilty of anything other than doing their job they were hired to do. We just had an over zealous prosecutor trying to make a name of himself or 'put another feather in his cap'. I think he needs to lose his job! I just thank President Bush for finally listening to the voice of the people and commuting their sentences and they won't have to spend anymore time in jail after March 20th. I know their families are very excited at the thought of husband/Dad coming home soon! They will soon be vacating their jail cells!
@xfahctor (14118)
• Lancaster, New Hampshire
19 Jan 09
I am wondering if this had something to do with an atempt on the lives of the ramos family. either way, good they get out, but should still be a full pardon. As far as working for the government again, I doubt they would want to anyway. Better they join up with a local militia if they wish to continue protecting the border.
@Barb42 (4214)
• United States
19 Jan 09
That might have been some bearing on it,but there were people on both sides of the aisle pressing for their release, to say nothing of all the faxes and phone calls he has gotten from the public. I'm just glad to see them get out. And, yes, a full pardon should have happened, but would that not also have said that they were indeed guilty? I'm not really for sure how it works. And I wonder if a full pardon would not have also let them apply for the job again. They said today they will never be able to work for the government again since they are now felons. You are right; they could certainly join the local militia and would probably be welcomed. One wife said she was behind her husband in whatever he wanted to do. And she said she'd be happy for her son to become a border patrol agent because her husband had been doing this 16 years and she really appreciated him for that.
