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Judge: Case against border agents “got out of hand”
Federal prosecutors may have overreacted in their case against two former Border Patrol agents serving lengthy prison terms for shooting a Mexican drug dealer and trying to cover it up, an appeals court judge said Monday, according to the Associated Press.
Judge E. Grady Jolly, one of three judges from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hearing the case of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, questioned whether the two agents would have been charged if they had reported the shooting, the story said.
“For some reason, this one got out of hand, it seems to me,” Jolly said of the agents’ prosecution.
Compean’s lawyer, Bob Baskett, said he was encouraged by the judges comments.
The case has become a cause celebre among conservatives and groups that advocate tougher border controls. Supporters say that the agents were wrongly convicted for protecting the United States against a criminal intruder.
Members of Congress have asked President Bush to pardon the agents or commute their sentences.
U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton of the Western District of Texas has staunchly defended the prosecution.
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Comments
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By Matt
December 3, 2007 3:41 PM | Link to this
I would say that this case is representative of George Bush’s global vision vs. those who want to protect America’s independence as a sovereign nation. Free the agents, and then I’d like to see Bush, Sutton and those behind the SPP brought up on treason charges.
By JC
December 3, 2007 5:20 PM | Link to this
Idiots!
By que?
December 3, 2007 6:07 PM | Link to this
que?
By Larry
December 3, 2007 6:09 PM | Link to this
I always thought these border agents shouldn’t have been jailed for doing their job, even when done poorly. But I also think they should be fired for not following policy and lying about what happened.
By stephanie
December 3, 2007 6:25 PM | Link to this
As a chicana,born here i think its sad that ppl like maria guttierez think of ss check as lotto money, when there are others workin hard for the $ we earn. I understand that kilin is wrong, and what these agents did was wrong to try to cover it up but they are fighting a never endin battle, and im sure many of them have been injurered or killed tryin to keep the drug dealers out of here..i feel if your coming to the us to better yourself, do it and dont rely on our “free health insurance” and “lotto money” to carry the burden you are already bringing in. This is the land of the free..thats also means free to support yourself..not free for americans to suport you. That just gives other “illegals” a bad name hen many are honest hardworking men and women.
By Lou
December 3, 2007 8:01 PM | Link to this
My heart goes out for the border Patrol officers. I THINK THEY SHOULD BE FREEDED AND GIVEM METALS FOR DOING THE JOB THEY WERE PAID TO DO. AFTER ALL ONE DRUG DEALER WILL NOT BE JAILED AND SUPPORTED FOR THE NEXT 10 TO 20 YEARS AND NO COURT APPEARENCES..SORRY LAWYERS NO PAY THIS TIME
By george
December 4, 2007 9:37 AM | Link to this
So Weird! Go to prison for protecting the US. Yet people, especially reporters who betray us stay free. Why is it that everyone who lies to the government, if they even lied, go to jail but the government lies to us all the time and never gets in trouble? These guys should get a medal. The so called “victim” was a drug dealer wanted by the FBI, illegal, and in the process of breaking the law. He is back in custody again for bringing drugs across the border. What is wrong with us? Why would an illegal drug dealer, wanted by the FBI, in the process of breaking the law again, go free and the officers who stopped him go to jail? SO WRONG!!!!!!
By AC Voter
December 4, 2007 10:50 AM | Link to this
[Judge E. Grady Jolly, one of three judges from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hearing the case of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean, questioned whether the two agents would have been charged if they had reported the shooting, the story said] Duh….Should of done that…