Mexican Drug Smugglers, 2 --- US Border Patrol, 0
The government chills the Border Patrol’s ability to do its job by sending two dedicated agents to prison:
The two Border Patrol agents who shot an admitted drug smuggler in the buttocks last year near Fabens (TX) 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.
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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.
From the sound of it, the smuggler got off scott free. And there’s a more than solid chance he’s lying about not carrying a gun. How many drug smugglers do their work unarmed? I’d say not very many.
The two agents, who were arrested in their homes in the middle of the night, may end up spending 10 years or more in prison.
Clemency, Mr. President.
(thanks to bWb)