Congress wants freedom for border agents convicted of shooting drug smuggler

[glennac]

Great news finally.

WASHINGTON | Members of Congress have devised an interesting mix of strategies to try to free two former Border Patrol agents convicted of shooting a drug smuggler.
Citing “prosecutorial overreaching,” Sens. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, and Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, joined forces to send a letter to President Bush urging a commutation for the agents.
Other lawmakers went a step further, asking the White House for a pardon.
A few GOP House members are venturing into less conventional waters, including an unusual congressional pardon and an amendment to block the Bureau of Prisons from spending money to imprison the former officers.

http://www.kansascity.com/105/story/211862.html

[whec720]

Congress desperately needs some good PR. Its approval rating is even lower then that of Bush!:eek: Although not sincere, I'm glad they are sticking up for these agents. Bush really has his head up his a$$ on this one.

[The Doctor]

I can't see how our Pres and co. can sleep at night leaving those border agents in the cooler like that.
I guess they weren't blue-blood enough, like scooter was:rolleyes:

That is a malfunction of justice--when our border agents are in prison when a known repeat offender, drug-smuggling coyote roams free. There are prosecutors who work in this country who are willing to allow this, so that the wheels of justice can grind out.

And sure the wheels of justice grind slowly, and sure, the wheels of justice keep grinding....
But free these two border guards immediately, lock up this fellow Osbaldo, and reinstate Ramos and Compean to their families and lives, with the option of retaking their old jobs. Would you go back to that job, knowing that senior admin doesn't got your back??
Nuff said.

[mrs reb77]

I question congress getting involved in this. Isn't that politicizing a U. S. Attorney's position? The same thing congress is currently all over Al Gonzales about?
On the face of it the fellas do appear to have been railroaded but, congress?

[retired btc]

This could turn into another L.A. Riot if they are in fact pardoned or released for what ever reason, Some elements of the Latino community may look at it as they are getting away with shooting a fellow immigrant wether he was a drug dealer or not.

[bootlen]

Does anyone here know the details of the evidence presented?

I heard that the guy was unarmed and the agents knew he was unarmed and they shot him in the back. BUT...I don't recall the source so I cannot say dogmatically that it was a reliable source.

Anybody?

[retired btc]

Does anyone here know the details of the evidence presented?

I heard that the guy was unarmed and the agents knew he was unarmed and they shot him in the back. BUT...I don't recall the source so I cannot say dogmatically that it was a reliable source.

Anybody?

This from the article itself

The two agents admitted they shot and wounded unarmed drug-smuggling suspect Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila in the buttocks as he fled from them on Feb. 17, 2005, after crashing a van loaded with 743 pounds of marijuana in west Texas. He fled on foot; they caught him and scuffled. He escaped and refused their order to stop as he ran toward the Mexican border.

[bootlen]

Thanks, btc.

Now if the article is accurate as to the facts, what does the law say?

[mrs reb77]

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53856

This is a much older article.

[chillbilly]

It's not Congress' domain and they should butt out.
Let the evidence be what frees or imprisons these agents.
They should be free until they are tried and from the reports generated by the media, there's no doubt they will be exonerated.
Problem is, the Congress, the court of public opinion and the media are not the judiciary.

[braces4impact]

the police officers should be punished. this is a nation of laws.

[chillbilly]

the police officers should be punished. this is a nation of laws.

:confused:
Are you judging them without knowing the evidence or are you just being sarcastic?

[glennac]

Hell, I wasn't there but I have heard that they were innocent on Fox news and that got me wound up. I do know that we are bending over backward to be PC to all minorities and this sounds like it might be the case.

[braces4impact]

:confused:
Are you judging them without knowing the evidence or are you just being sarcastic?

They admitted to shooting an unarmed man in the arse didn't they?

And if you would have read the article, they have already been convicted. They even tried to cover up that they shot the guy knowing full well what they did was wrong.

if we tell illegal aliens that they are breaking our laws by coming here then are we not hypocrites if we don't want to go by our own laws?

[chillbilly]

They admitted to shooting an unarmed man in the arse didn't they?
No, they didn't. They testified that they thought he was armed and made a threatening action.


And if you would have read the article, they have already been convicted.
They are waiting an appeal.

They even tried to cover up that they shot the guy knowing full well what they did was wrong.
This is the part that I think is most revealing. Why on earth would they have denied their role in the shooting?


if we tell illegal aliens that they are breaking our laws by coming here then are we not hypocrites if we don't want to go by our own laws?
That would depend on the circumstances of each situation and they must be handled case by case.
The fact that we have forcefully told illegals not to enter our borders has had little effect on their attempts to continue breaking the law.
Whether we are a nation chock full of hypocrites is irrelevant.

I believe deadly force is a viable option for any border agent that encounters illegals who constantly attempt to force their way into this country by any means necessary.