Friday, September 29, 2017

Border Patrol Agents Compean and Ramos Await Trump Pardon

https://patch.com/california/temecula/temecula-lawmaker-seeks
-pardons-border-agents-convicted-shooting-drug-smuggler
Douglas V. Gibbs
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Border Patrol agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos were chasing a suspect who later admitted transporting marijuana on the day of the confrontation with the agents.  He was convicted a few years later of smuggling-related charges for separate attempts to move drugs into the country. He's now serving a nine-year sentence in federal prison.

Believing the suspect was armed, the agents fired upon suspect, and wrestled with him to get him into handcuffs before the suspect slipped away from him.

Shooting the suspected drug smuggler landed the agents in prison in 2006. Their sentences were later commuted by then-President George W. Bush, but as convicted felons which hurts their job prospects.

Congressman Duncan Hunter seeks a presidential pardon, a move he is confident President Trump would be willing to pursue following the recent pardon of Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio.

“As demonstrated with your pardon of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, you have the authority and discretion as President to take this action when warranted,” Hunter wrote.

“... I believe that they deserve every consideration for a pardon due to the circumstances of their incident and I respectfully request that you instruct the Office of the Pardon Attorney to provide their cases full and fast attention.”

The convictions of the two Border Patrol agents received immense criticism from advocates who support the enforcement of immigration law by applying proper protocols and screening to all persons seeking to enter the country as an immigrant.  From the point of view of supporters of immigration law, the Border Patrol agents were simply doing their job.

“President Bush’s actions got Ramos and Compean out of prison and I’m calling on President Trump to take the next step and give these agents their lives back,” Hunter said.

Hunter’s letter recalled that during the incident, Ramos and Compean were pursuing a van that had illegally entered the U.S. in an area known for “illicit drug smuggling activity.” The driver of the van, later identified as an illegal alien named Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, allegedly continued to evade the agents and drove at a “dangerous high rate of speed to a levee where he could cross back into Mexico.”

“Agent Compean was the first to reach the van where he began pursuing Aldrete-Davila on foot,” Hunter wrote. “At some point a hand-to-hand struggle ensued and Aldrete-Davila managed to bring Agent Compean to the ground.”

Aldrete-Davila allegedly broke free -- that's when both Compean and Ramos fired at him. Hunter said neither agent realized the suspect had been hit at the time, as he ran back across the border to a waiting vehicle.

Hunter wrote that after the incident, it was discovered the van contained more than “740 pounds of marijuana.” But Aldrete-Davila received immunity from the smuggling charges in exchange for giving testimony against Ramos and Compean.

The Justice Department confirmed that both pardon requests are on file with the Office of the Pardon Attorney, but declined any further comment.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

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