Compared to the scum agents in the other thread, these guys deserve a medal

2 agents guilty in shooting
Louie Gilot
El Paso Times
March 9, 2006
www.elpasotimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060309/NEWS/603090315/1001
The two Border Patrol agents who shot an admitted drug smuggler in the buttocks last year near Fabens were found guilty Wednesday of several counts of assault, weapons crimes, tampering and deprivation of civil rights and face a minimum of 10 years in prison.

The verdict, reached after two weeks of trial and two days of deliberation, was met with shock and tears by the families of agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean.

"It's the biggest injustice. These are two dedicated agents with 15 years of service combined, and this is how the government pays them back? This is a day for the drug dealers to celebrate," said Joe Loya, Ramos' father-in-law.

Loya's wife, Ernestina Loya, described how the youngest of Ramos' three sons wrote a note to his father Wednesday morning.

"He said, 'I hope they don't put you in prison,' " she said. "The drug smugglers won."
 
Compean and Ramos were found guilty of assault with serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, discharge of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence, a civil rights charge and obstruction of justice.

The jury acquitted them of assault with intent to commit murder.

Compean and Ramos' boss, Robert W. Gilbert, the chief patrol agent for the El Paso sector of the Border Patrol, issued a written statement Wednesday saying the agents "choose to violate the trust of the citizens they swore to protect."

Border Patrol officials said they would decide today whether Ramos and Compean, who have been suspended without pay for close to a year, will be fired.

U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone allowed the agents to remain free on bond until their sentencing, which is scheduled for June 8.

Defense lawyers said they would appeal the verdict after the sentencing.

As it stands now, the gun charge carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison. The agents also face a maximum of life in prison from the civil rights charge, prosecutors said.

"Ignacio Ramos to this day is convinced he didn't do anything wrong," said Stephen Peters, one of Ramos' lawyers.

Just one month ago, the government offered the agents a plea bargain of 18 months in prison, lawyers said.

On Feb. 17, 2005, agents Compean and Ramos shot at a smuggler, Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, as he ran toward Mexico near Fabens. Aldrete was hit in the buttocks but made it across the river into Mexico. The agents testified that they shot because they thought Aldrete had a gun and said they did not realize they had hit him. Aldrete testified he did not have a gun.

The agents did not report the shooting to their superiors, nor did several other agents who witnessed part of the scene.

Mary Stillinger, one of Ramos' lawyers, said in her closing arguments Monday that her client was guilty only of failing to report a firearm discharge, an administrative violation.

"How did it go from a five-day suspension without pay to a federal indictment," she said. "How did the system go that wrong?"

Assistant U.S. Attorney Debra Kanof, the lead prosecutor in the case, said the jurors made the right decision.

"The jury spoke pretty loudly," she said. "It's very important that we police our own."

Family members of the agents said the past year has been a nightmare, starting with the nighttime arrest of the agents at their homes by armed officers. The agents then spent a week in jail before being released on bond. They were then confined to house arrest, monitored by electronic ankle bracelets, for nine months.

Family members of Ignacio Ramos said that between lost wages and legal fees, they had to come up with about $100,000 last year.

Vaya apenas mostrar, no jode con México

I meant for you to say it in spanish when you get pulled over

Quoted: I meant for you to say it in spanish when you get pulled over

Perdón, yo le entendí mal.

how likely is it there were non citizens on the jury?

Well.........they are on the voting rolls

Sad.


-K

They should be getting medals.  Instead, they get jail.


- BG

Quoted: Sad. -K

Not just sad but seriously fucked up!

Quoted: They should be getting medals.  Instead, they get jail. - BG

They'll probably give these guys the medals
www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=444548

Quoted: On Feb. 17, 2005, agents Compean and Ramos shot at a smuggler, Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, as he ran toward Mexico near Fabens. Aldrete was hit in the buttocks but made it across the river into Mexico. The agents testified that they shot because they thought Aldrete had a gun and said they did not realize they had hit him. Aldrete testified he did not have a gun. The agents did not report the shooting to their superiors, nor did several other agents who witnessed part of the scene. Mary Stillinger, one of Ramos' lawyers, said in her closing arguments Monday that her client was guilty only of failing to report a firearm discharge, an administrative violation.

That's how they got screwed.  Somebody please tell me just one Law Enforcement Agency where you can fire your weapon for any reason whatsoever, let alone at somebody, and not report it.  It made the entire incident seem like a cover-up.  All they had to do is report that the suspect was running back to Mexico with a gun in his hand and the agents shot and missed.  When it's later found out that the smuggler got hit in the ass, the only thing that would've happened is everyone would have gotten a good laugh out of it.

I have a good friend who is an ex-DOJ prosecutor and now is in private practice in criminal defense.  He says two things that are guarenteed to get you convicted of a crime you didn't commit are lying and fleeing.  Once you get caught lying to the police or court, the jury is not going to believe another word you say.  And Flight = Guilt.

Let's say you're out shooting and your friend has an AD and shoots himself in the head.  You call for an ambulance and sheriff on your cell phone and try to administer first aid while you wait for them to arrive.  Nothing is going to happen to you.  But instead, you panic, grab all your guns and gear, and take off, leaving your buddy behind, and tell everyone you never were with him.  Once the cops find out that you two were out shooting that day they're going to arrest you and you'll probably be convicted for killing him.  If you didn't do it on purpose then why did you run?  That's what the cops will think, what the DA will think, and what the jury will think.

And that's probably what happened here - one scumbag shows up with a BP bullet in his ass, and no agent reported shooting it.  Unfortunately the agent's credibility is zero because failing to report shooting at someone is the same as lying about it.  Meanwhile, Jose Scumbag says he was just running back to Mexico with his dope, but no gun, when these guys tried to kill him.  In this case, the scumbag is believable, and the agents are not.

So these BP agents fucked themselves, and they have no one else to blame.

How can they be in the wrong when the fucking ILLEGAL shouldn't be here in the first place?  AMERICAN laws are for AMERICAN CITIZENS......NOT illegals jackoffs.  Guess the lesson learned is if your going to shoot an ILLEGAL (who is basically an insurgent) you'd better make sure they are dead so they can't testify against you.

Quoted: Quoted: On Feb. 17, 2005, agents Compean and Ramos shot at a smuggler, Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, as he ran toward Mexico near Fabens. Aldrete was hit in the buttocks but made it across the river into Mexico. The agents testified that they shot because they thought Aldrete had a gun and said they did not realize they had hit him. Aldrete testified he did not have a gun. The agents did not report the shooting to their superiors, nor did several other agents who witnessed part of the scene. Mary Stillinger, one of Ramos' lawyers, said in her closing arguments Monday that her client was guilty only of failing to report a firearm discharge, an administrative violation. That's how they got screwed.  Somebody please tell me just one Law Enforcement Agency where you can fire your weapon for any reason whatsoever, let alone at somebody, and not report it.  It made the entire incident seem like a cover-up.  All they had to do is report that the suspect was running back to Mexico with a gun in his hand and the agents shot and missed.  When it's later found out that the smuggler got hit in the ass, the only thing that would've happened is everyone would have gotten a good laugh out of it. I have a good friend who is an ex-DOJ prosecutor and now is in private practice in criminal defense.  He says two things that are guarenteed to get you convicted of a crime you didn't commit are lying and fleeing.  Once you get caught lying to the police or court, the jury is not going to believe another word you say.  And Flight = Guilt. Let's say you're out shooting and your friend has an AD and shoots himself in the head.  You call for an ambulance and sheriff on your cell phone and try to administer first aid while you wait for them to arrive.  Nothing is going to happen to you.  But instead, you panic, grab all your guns and gear, and take off, leaving your buddy behind, and tell everyone you never were with him.  Once the cops find out that you two were out shooting that day they're going to arrest you and you'll probably be convicted for killing him.  If you didn't do it on purpose then why did you run?  That's what the cops will think, what the DA will think, and what the jury will think. And that's probably what happened here - one scumbag shows up with a BP bullet in his ass, and no agent reported shooting it.  Unfortunately the agent's credibility is zero because failing to report shooting at someone is the same as lying about it.  Meanwhile, Jose Scumbag says he was just running back to Mexico with his dope, but no gun, when these guys tried to kill him.  In this case, the scumbag is believable, and the agents are not. So these BP agents fucked themselves, and they have no one else to blame.

Yup