Free Ramos and Compean

Why is the Bush administration taking their marching orders from the Mexican government? Former Border Patrol Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean are currently serving 11 and 12 year sentences in the federal penitentiary for doing their jobs. At a minimum, Johnny Sutton and his prosecutors have unjustly prosecuted Ramos and Compean instead of a known drug smuggler. To add insult to injury, the prosecution charged the agents with discharging a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, resulting in automatic 10 year minimum sentences.

U.S. Congressman John Culberson (R-TX) says "Mexico wants to intimidate our law enforcement into leaving our border unprotected". This would not surprise me; I expect nothing more from Mexico. What enrages me is that I believe the Bush administration is attempting to intimidate our law enforcement into leaving our border unprotected.

The fix was in from the beginning and there is plenty of evidence of prosecutorial misconduct. The prosecution portrayed Aldrete-Davila as a first time drug smuggler who was recently out of work and in need of money to buy medicine for his sick mother. They withheld from the jury that Aldrete-Davila was connected to a second drug shipment only two months before the trial began - after he was given immunity and a pass to cross the border. Three jurors have come forward to say they were coerced by the court into finding the agents guilty.

Sutton repeatedly and disingenuously says the agent shot "an unarmed, fleeing suspect in the back". Johnny Sutton is the only person I have ever heard refer to the a$$ (the side of the left cheek to be exact) as the 'back'. Doctor's testimony was consistent with Aldrete-Davila turning back toward the agents while running away (as if aiming a weapon maybe). And as for the suspect being unarmed, that was based on the word of a drug smuggler versus that of Agent Compean.

There has been a bi-partisan effort to free Ramos and Compean. Both the Senate and the House have held hearings to investigate the prosecution of the agents. Senators Feinstein and Cornyn sent Bush a letter asking him for clemency for Ramos and Compean. Several members of the House have also sent Bush a letter seeking of commutation of the sentences.

President Bush could pardon or commute the sentences of Ramos and Compean today if he so desired. He did it just weeks ago for his friend Scooter Libby. Unfortunately, justice for Ramos and Compean does not serve Bush's interests.