INVASION USA
After Libby, Bush pushed to pardon border agents
Ramos, Compean families suffering during imprisonment
![]() U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo. |
U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who launched his bid for the Republican nomination for president after he announced no one else was addressing the issue of border security adequately, is calling on President Bush to pardon two former U.S. Border Patrol agents jailed for pursuing and shooting at a fleeing drug smuggler.
Tancredo noted the presidential commutation this week of the 30-month prison term given to former vice presidential aide “Scooter” Libby, who was convicted of making false statements about the release of the name of an undercover CIA operative.
“I believe the president should take it a step further and fully pardon Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean,” Tancredo said. “The 11 and 12 year sentences they received were grossly unfair and a result of an overzealous prosecutor.”
He noted that both of the agents are “at risk of violent attacks” while in prison, where they’ve essentially been relegated to isolation because of their former status as law enforcement officers.
“In fact, Mr. Ramos has already been brutally assaulted by violent criminals inside his cell,” Tancredo said. “This not only takes a toll on them, but their families as well.”
He noted that President Bush acknowledged the hardship felt by the Libby family as a reason for his commuted sentence. He also acknowledged the irreparable damage to Libby’s career that resulted from the prosecutorial tactics throughout the course of his case, Tancredo said.
“Mr. Ramos, Mr. Compean and their families are, in many ways, in the same situation. And as such, I hope the president will consider providing the same relief to these men and their families that he did yesterday to Mr. Libby.”
Supporters of the two agents, who reported for the start of their prison terms earlier this year, say the agents were convicted wrongly for protecting the U.S. border against criminals. Their case has become a cause celeb for supporters of strong border security measures.
Authorities built their case against Ramos and Compean on the word of Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, who ended up being given immunity to testify against the agents who shot and injured him while he was fleeing from Texas back into Mexico after abandoning a van loaded with more than 700 pounds of marijuana.
WND also has reported Kathleen Cardone, the judge in the Ramos-Compean trial, agreed with prosecutor Debra Kanof’s request to put under seal and keep from the jury all information about Aldrete-Davila’s involvement in the second drug incident, even though the witness had testified that the incident involving the two officers was the only drug deal he’d participated in.
Earlier WND broke the story when Ramos was beaten by fellow inmates when he was placed in the general prison population at the federal facility in Yazoo City, Miss.
According to visitors, Ramos is now in emaciated condition, losing more than 30 pounds while in solitary confinement.
Compean also is in solitary confinement.
A third case that developed involved Texas Deputy Sheriff Gilmer Hernandez. He was convicted of violating the civil rights of two illegal aliens when a van they were in tried to run down the deputy and given a year and a day in jail.
He’s been transferred from a Texas prison to a federal facility in another state and placed in the general population, according to his former boss, who believes the officer’s life is in danger.
Don Letsinger, sheriff of Rocksprings, Texas, told WND Hernandez has asked his family to not contact him in the federal prison, saying he fears for his life.
As WND reported, U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton, who prosecuted Ramos and Compean, also prosecuted Hernandez for injuring two Mexican illegal aliens in a van. Hernandez fired at the van’s tires as the illegals escaped from a routine traffic stop, attempting to run over the officer as they drove away.
Sutton also prosecuted Border Patrol Agent Noe Aleman for lying in his attempt to legally adopt his wife’s three young nieces from Mexico.
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Previous stories:
Gil Hernandez ‘fears for his life’
Ignacio Ramos reported in ’emaciated’ condition
Border Patrol agent vindicated
Sheriff sees pattern in border agents’ cases
Feds seeking 7 years for another Texas cop
Justice urged to release Ramos-Compean documents
Records prompt call for new Ramos-Compean trial
Congressman: Bush ‘doesn’t give a damn’
Cop called ‘double agent’ in Ramos-Compean case
Ramos, Compean release on bond nixed
Border agents’ case inspires song
Feinstein still probing Ramos-Compean case
Judicial Watch seeks records in Ramos-Compean case
Sheriff: Deputy prosecuted by Mexico’s demand
Senate hearings on Ramos-Compean postponed
Smuggler’s 2nd drug case confirmed by accomplice
Ramos attorney calls for mistrial
Smuggler’s 2nd delivery of marijuana confirmed
Congressman: Probe Mexico’s role in prosecutions
Mexico demanded U.S. prosecute sheriff, agents
Discrepancies in case against Border Patrol unresolved
Compean reports reading half of Bible already
How cozy was Border Patrol with smuggler?
Border Patrol agents fired for changing testimonies
Drug smuggler left cell phone in van
Border-agent investigator had tie to smuggler
Author of DHS border-agent report lied to Congress
Officials urged to resign for lie about border agents
Government admits lying about jailed border agents
Imprisoned border agent did report shooting
Imprisoned border agent beaten by fellow inmates
Prosecutor had evidence against drug smuggler
Poe seeks ‘public’ documents on border agents
Prosecutor accused of hiding smuggler’s 2nd drug bust
Homeland Security memos contradict U.S. attorney
Uproar over border agents to get White House review
Feds ‘knew smuggler’ in Border Patrol case
Ballistics data don’t support charge against border agents
Funds set up for Border Patrol agents
Congressman: Feds stonewalling on border agents
Border agent’s wife at State of the Union
Revolt builds as Republicans seek to toss border agents’ convictions
Border Patrol agent held in solitary confinement
Imprisoned agent’s wife: President is a hypocrite
Border agents’ prosecutor responds to critics
Border agents plead for ‘Christmas pardon’
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