Who would want to be a border patrol agent?

[Gunny]

We need Border Patrol Agents just to keep the vigilantes in line. Ramos and Compean will be released after serving their earned sentences.

We need Border Patrol agents to keep illegal immigrants out of our country -- to protect and defend our border.

If they were allowed to do their job, there wouldn't be any vigilantes.

 

[sky dancer]

Border Patrol Agents are allowed to do their jobs. They're not allowed to break the law themselves.

Vigilantes get in the way.

 

[Gunny]

Border Patrol Agents are allowed to do their jobs. They're not allowed to break the law themselves.

Vigilantes get in the way.

Border Patrol Agents aren't allowed to do their jobs. Not without having to second-guess whether or not they will be crucified for doing it.

What vigilantes? Not sure exactly who you are talking about. Vigilantes would be the responsibility of state and locval law enforcement, not Federal Border Patrol agents.

 

[WillowTree]

Ramos and Compean got what they deserved, as I see it. I believe that some of us who are pissed off at the illegal immigrants and their effects on our way of life are using this case as a facade to show that they are not racist due to the fact that these guys are hispanic as well. However, the facts of the case would lead you to understand that they were not wrongfully convicted.

well, I'm not so sure about that. I've seen too many interviews in which other border patrol agents including the management say their misconduct should have been handled internally. However, this smacks of another case of we will hold Americans to one standard and illegals another. Our border patrol agents are in jail for shooting someone in the ass, but the judges let the drug dealers loose every day. It was an illegal convicted drug smuggler that had been turned loose in San Francisco who took out his AK-47 and shot a man and his two sons over road rage.Massacred on the main streets of America by a convicted drug felon who should not have been here in the first place. What did the mayor of the Sanctuary shit city of San Fran have to say to the poor woman left without husband or son's? Nada. Now, don't talk to me about justice. Free the border patrol agents they've been in jail too long already.

 

[WillowTree]

Border Patrol Agents aren't allowed to do their jobs. Not without having to second-guess whether or not they will be crucified for doing it.

What vigilantes? Not sure exactly who you are talking about. Vigilantes would be the responsibility of state and locval law enforcement, not Federal Border Patrol agents.

Exactly. I wish "The Lone Survivor" was required reading for every armchair quarterback who thinks they are an American.

 

[sparky]

who would want to be boder patrol? well have you seen these fella's? dunno about the Mexican side, but the Canadian side seems like a fairly shluffy job to me....

and if the economy gets to the point where the only job i can get is a BP one to feed the fam, what do you think i'd do....?

 

[Lycurgus]

The Ramos and Compean treatment is just unbelievable... hopefully Bush will pardon them before he leaves office...


Ramos-Compean treatment has border agents quivering
Mexican drug smugglers spray bullets, but U.S. officers dare not return fire


Ramos-Compean treatment has border agents quivering

Under those terms of engagement I wouldn't be employed very long.

 

[indago]

Ramos-Compean treatment has border agents quivering

Mexican drug smugglers spray bullets, but U.S. officers dare not return fire

That's a lesson for Americans...

DON'T FUCK WITH THE GOVERNMENT OPEN BORDERS POLICY

 

[RoadVirus]

This is a terrible case! I cannot believe that Bush did not pardon these two Border Patrol agents. Hopefully, Obama will do something about it.

I can believe it. He doesn't want to upset our Masters in Mexico.

 

[Neubarth]

They didn't file ANY report, therefore no lies or false report. Their supervisor was on the scene and said not to file a report and then testified against them in court and of course, got a promotion. The whole thing shows just how bad our government has become. We ARE Mexico.

We have a long way to fall before we can be compared to Mexicio. There the bribe is standard. Here, the vast majority of our cops will not accept a bribe. We still have some quality to our moral standards, but we do appear to be on our way down.

 

[WillowTree]

We have a long way to fall before we can be compared to Mexicio. There the bribe is standard. Here, the vast majority of our cops will not accept a bribe. We still have some quality to our moral standards, but we do appear to be on our way down.

something tells me we are already there. Chicargo is moving to Washington. innit?

 

[sky dancer]

Wrong as usual the guy was a confessed drug smuggler that fired at them and then fled. But hey if it helps YOU sleep at night knowing our law enforcement can be arrested and thrown in prison for doing their job, I suggest you never complain when crime happens to YOU.

I read the trial transcripts. These BP agents screwed up, which is regrettable. Had they behaved correctly, the smuggler would be in prison and they would be doing their jobs.

Just goes to show you that LE has to obey the law too.

The court ruled correctly. All appeals are exhausted.

 

[Againsheila]

I read the trial transcripts. These BP agents screwed up, which is regrettable. Had they behaved correctly, the smuggler would be in prison and they would be doing their jobs.

Just goes to show you that LE has to obey the law too.

The court ruled correctly. All appeals are exhausted.

I read the transcripts too. He pointed a gun at them, they shot at him. That's what they said and I believe them, especially given the doctor's testimony which stated that the bullets entry and exit was consitant with someone who was turning around as if to point something behind him.

I know that someone with 800 pounds of marijuana is gonna have a gun with him and given his lies under oath, I believe the border patrol agents testimony long before I would believe a repeated drug smuggler.

I guess it all depends on who you believe. The supervisor who got a promotion for lying under oath, or the border patrol agents themselves. The patrol officer who was childhood friends with the smuggler and wasn't even there, or the border patrol agents themselves.

The prosecutor, who made a deal with a repeat drug smuggler and prevented the smuggler,s repeat crimes from being revealed in court, or the border patrol agents themselves.

You believe who you want, I have too many friends and relatives in law enforcement not to beleive the border patrol agents.

 

[sky dancer]

I read the transcripts too. He pointed a gun at them, they shot at him. That's what they said and I believe them, especially given the doctor's testimony which stated that the bullets entry and exit was consitant with someone who was turning around as if to point something behind him.

I know that someone with 800 pounds of marijuana is gonna have a gun with him and given his lies under oath, I believe the border patrol agents testimony long before I would believe a repeated drug smuggler.

I guess it all depends on who you believe. The supervisor who got a promotion for lying under oath, or the border patrol agents themselves. The patrol officer who was childhood friends with the smuggler and wasn't even there, or the border patrol agents themselves.

The prosecutor, who made a deal with a repeat drug smuggler and prevented the smuggler,s repeat crimes from being revealed in court, or the border patrol agents themselves.

You believe who you want, I have too many friends and relatives in law enforcement not to beleive the border patrol agents.

The jury listened to ALL the testimony. They didn't believe the border patrol agents testimony and neither do I.

I'm sure you have very nice LE friends. I hope your friends don't file false reports, and cover up their misdeeds like Ramos and Compean did.

 

[WillowTree]

I read the transcripts too. He pointed a gun at them, they shot at him. That's what they said and I believe them, especially given the doctor's testimony which stated that the bullets entry and exit was consitant with someone who was turning around as if to point something behind him.

I know that someone with 800 pounds of marijuana is gonna have a gun with him and given his lies under oath, I believe the border patrol agents testimony long before I would believe a repeated drug smuggler.

I guess it all depends on who you believe. The supervisor who got a promotion for lying under oath, or the border patrol agents themselves. The patrol officer who was childhood friends with the smuggler and wasn't even there, or the border patrol agents themselves.

The prosecutor, who made a deal with a repeat drug smuggler and prevented the smuggler,s repeat crimes from being revealed in court, or the border patrol agents themselves.

You believe who you want, I have too many friends and relatives in law enforcement not to beleive the border patrol agents.

That's the hallmark of the leftwingers. They always believe the other guys and blame America first.

 

[PoliticalChic]

I read the transcripts too. He pointed a gun at them, they shot at him. That's what they said and I believe them, especially given the doctor's testimony which stated that the bullets entry and exit was consitant with someone who was turning around as if to point something behind him.

I know that someone with 800 pounds of marijuana is gonna have a gun with him and given his lies under oath, I believe the border patrol agents testimony long before I would believe a repeated drug smuggler.

I guess it all depends on who you believe. The supervisor who got a promotion for lying under oath, or the border patrol agents themselves. The patrol officer who was childhood friends with the smuggler and wasn't even there, or the border patrol agents themselves.

The prosecutor, who made a deal with a repeat drug smuggler and prevented the smuggler,s repeat crimes from being revealed in court, or the border patrol agents themselves.

You believe who you want, I have too many friends and relatives in law enforcement not to beleive the border patrol agents.

This is a tragedy and I am disappointed that Bush hadn't pardoned them. I'm beginning to think that he is just part of the good ole boy network.

 

[indago]

CNN — LOU DOBBS TONIGHT — Aired August 16, 2006 - 18:00 ET

LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: There is, according to many who have taken a look at the case of the two U.S. Border Patrol agents prosecuted and convicted in El Paso, Texas by the U.S. attorney there, a case in which the drug smuggler who was apprehended was given complete immunity to testify against them.

There is further evidence of great irregularities in this case, adding just more questions to a case that is confounding and frustrating to just about everyone who looks at the facts.

Our Casey Wian is in El Paso, Texas tonight. He talked with one of the jurors in the case. Her first interview on television. Casey Wian reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): She was the last holdout on the jury that convicted Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean of violating a Mexican drug smuggler's civil rights, assault and obstruction of justice. She doesn't want us to show her face or use her name, but she does want the public to know she doesn't believe they're guilty as charged.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I remember being in the jury room, talking with the other jury members, crying. I remember when the verdict was read. I felt like I was going to go through the floor.

WIAN: Why were you crying?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think because I felt like I had made a decision and it was probably a wrong decision, but I had to make a decision.

WIAN (voice-over): Agents Ramos and Compean also had decisions to make during their pursuit of a Mexican drug smuggler driving a van loaded with nearly 800 pounds of marijuana. The smuggler got out of the vehicle, ignored the agent's orders to stop, and they thought he had a gun, so they fired. One shot hit the smuggler in the buttocks.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I believe them. I believe that they felt danger at the time, and that they had a split second decision to make and they felt their lives were in danger. And they felt that they had to do what they had to do.

WIAN: The juror said she felt pressured to change her vote to guilty because of an early agreement the jury made to reach a verdict no matter what.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We had been there two weeks, felt like there was a lot of time invested into the trial, and it was going to be my fault if there was a mistrial or a hung jury.

WIAN: Compean's attorney and independent legal experts say that's not likely to result in a successful appeal based on jury misconduct. The juror says she would have stood her ground had she known the agents faced 20 years in prison.

(on camera): Does this verdict still bother you today?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It does bother me. And I know now is — I haven't been able to speak about it before. I have nightmares about it. I think about their kids, their families, their wives, what they're going through, and it's just devastating.

WIAN: The juror says the worst thing she could have done was to give in to the other jurors. She's offering support to the Border Patrol agents saying she'll do anything she can to help them stay out of prison.

Casey Wian, CNN, El Paso, Texas.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

WIAN: T.J. Bonner is the president of the National Border Patrol Council, the union representing border patrolmen, joining us tonight from Houston, Texas. T.J., this case is — how would you characterize it?

T.J. BONNER, NATIONAL BORDER PATROL COUNCIL: This is a travesty, Lou. This case, as you noted, has so many irregularities, any of which standing by themselves call for an independent investigation. But when you put them together, you wonder how in the world the U.S. attorney could have went forward with the case.

DOBBS: Well, the U.S. attorney not only went forward with the case, T.J., the assistant U.S. attorney in the case, the prosecutor, actually said that — words to the effect that she thought, at one point, it is more important to prosecute law enforcement than it is drug smugglers and criminals. I mean, I don't know what we're dealing with here.

BONNER: Right, not once but twice. First time 750 pounds of marijuana smuggled across, amnesty or immunity — I'm sorry. The second time, 10 months later, another 1,000 pounds, and they — just to get the testimony of this drug smuggler, they let him off the hook for smuggling nearly a ton of marijuana into the United States? What's wrong with this U.S. Attorney's Office?

DOBBS: Well, what's wrong with the U.S. attorney's office? I've got to ask you what in the world is wrong with the U.S. Border Patrol? The head of the Border Patrol should be all over this. I mean, I cannot understand their reticence.

It looks — Congressman Poe said straightforwardly he thinks somebody is paying off the government of Mexico here. And he's talking about Washington, D.C. You start with Alberto Gonzalez at the U.S. Attorney's Office, President Bush. I mean, these are serious charges, and it smells to high heaven.

BONNER: And when you see this lack of support coming from the top, it's no wonder that morale is in the toilet, Lou.

DOBBS: Morale is in the toilet?

BONNER: Yes. I've been in for 28 years, Lou. This is the worst I've ever seen it. Agents are now afraid to go out and do their job. They're wondering, am I going to be prosecuted next?

DOBBS: We had a number of people write into this broadcast with the announcement of the Arellano-Felix arrest, the Tijuana cartel — one of the cartel leaders today by the Coast Guard, suggesting that the Coast Guardsmen be very, very careful for fear somebody will make a deal with the government of Mexico and with a deal this size, they're saying the Coast Guardsman could face capital punishment.

Why in the world did this case get this far? What is your union going to do? Why isn't there more of a show of support from your members and for other Border Patrol officers? And why isn't this Border Patrol officer who was involved with this drug dealer being questioned rather critically here?

BONNER: Very interesting questions, Lou. As to why this Border Patrol agent who was in cahoots with his childhood friend drug smuggler, why he's not being investigated? You'd have to ask the Department of Justice and the Office of Inspector General. Likewise, you need to ask them the hard questions about why this case went forward in first place.

DOBBS: Oh, I already have.

BONNER: I know. They put out a three-page statement, and now they're hiding behind that. But when you read that statement, it's all based upon the smuggler's lies. The smuggler claims he didn't have a gun. Well, of course, he's going to claim he didn't have a gun.

DOBBS: Let me ask you this. You've been checking into this. You have got some information in terms of the drug cartel working across the border from El Paso and, frankly, on this side of the border as well. Quickly tell us what you think is going on?

BONNER: Well, I'm not sure what's going — I can tell you the facts, Lou. And the facts are that these agents acted properly. They reported the shooting verbally to their supervisors. They did everything by the book, and they end up in front of a jury and they're convicted by an overzealous assistant U.S. attorney.

DOBBS: You've been told as well, have you not, that this drug smuggler, in point of fact, had been rumored to be going after the agents, Compean and Ramos?

BONNER: Yes, that's what I've been told, that he was going after them.

DOBBS: What is your best judgment about the influence and the strength and the power of the drug cartel — the Mexican drug cartel on the community itself in El Paso?

BONNER: Well, it's not just El Paso.

DOBBS: I understand, but El Paso is where the jury was and lives and it's where this case is. What's your sense of that?

BONNER: The cartels have such a tremendous reach into almost every border community, Lou. There's so much money, you can't even begin to fathom it. And, you know, they're clearly involved in this.

DOBBS: These families have been ruined just paying their legal expenses. The Border Patrol, we put up on our Web site places where they can send their money to help. Anyone concerned about these men and their families can send money. Is the Border Patrol Council, is your union, going to take care of these people?

BONNER: We are. We have set up the fund, Lou. The response from the public has been overwhelming. Today alone 350 letters of support with very generous donations, about $15,000 came in just today. People out there — and it's a shame because our tax dollars were used to prosecute these poor agents.

DOBBS: Right. T.J., there's a lot here, but I think a lot of people need to hear that you and the union that you lead are going to back these men up because they have been forsaken by a lot of people who should be supporting them with all of their strength. It is good to know you are, and that they're fighting back.

BONNER: We are backing these two fine agents to the hilt, Lou. We're not going to back down from this. We're going to ensure as long as we have any funds at all, that they do not go to prison. No matter what the bond is, we'll post that bond, keep them out of prison, fight on appeal and restore their good names.

DOBBS: T.J. Bonner, we thank you for being here. And go to LouDobbs.com for information on if you want to support these men and their families and their legal defense. The addresses and where you can send that money if you want to help is there. It's LouDobbs.com. T.J. Bonner, thank you.

 

[indago]

CNN — LOU DOBBS TONIGHT — Aired January 12, 2007 - 18:00 ET

LOU DOBBS, CNN ANCHOR: Former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean are still awaiting word tonight on their request to remain free on bond, appealing 11 and 12-year sentences for shooting a Mexican drug smuggler at the border. The drug smuggler was given immunity by the Justice Department to testify against those agents. Casey Wian now has the latest on thing agents who are scheduled to begin serving their sentences next Wednesday — Casey.

CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Lou, family members, attorneys and the agents themselves all expected a ruling today. Federal judge Kathleen Cardone (ph) is considering whether to allow the former Border Patrol agents Jose Compean and Ignacio Ramos to remain free on bond while their convictions on assault with a deadly weapon, civil rights violations and other charges are appealed.

As we reported and as you mentioned, the Mexican drug smuggler who was wounded in the incident was given immunity from prosecution by the federal government, sparking outrage from border security activists.

Now, the judge has already determined that the agents are not a danger to the community, and not a flight risk. That's why she allowed them to remain free since their conviction in October. But in deciding whether they can stay free pending their coming appeal, she may also consider the substance of that appeal and its chances of success.

Also at issue, a law that anyone convicted of a federal gun crime must go to prison unless there are exceptional circumstances. Lawyers for the agents say the fact that dozens of U.S. congressmen and hundreds of thousands of American citizens have signed petitions demanding a presidential pardon for the agents are clearly exceptional.

Now, if Judge Cardone denies the motion, agents Ramos and Compean must report to prison to begin their 11 and 12-year sentences on Wednesday.

And Lou, I just got off the phone with former Border Patrol agent Ignacio Ramos, and he said he understands that Judge Kathleen Cardone's office have received lots of phone calls from supporters of the agents. And the agents very much appreciate that supports. But he also says he hear that some of those phone calls have been threatening, and we understand that the U.S. Marshal Service is actually involved in looking into some of those threatening phone calls.

So, the agents ask that anyone calling in their support please refrain from any type of threatening behavior. Obviously not helpful to their cause — Lou.

DOBBS: Threatening not helpful to anyone's cause, and certainly the marshal's office should deal straightforwardly with those people who would do such a thing.

Let's turn to a couple of things, though.

One, because as we talk about this drug smuggler that was given immunity by Johnny Sutton's attorney — the attorney general, his office, he subsequently committed a crime, did he not, after being given immunity? WIAN: He sure did. Our sources tell us that this drug smuggler was caught smuggling an even bigger load, somewhere near 1,000 pounds of marijuana, subsequent to this first load that agents Ramos and Compean uncovered. And he was granted immunity for that offense as well. He's also suing the U.S. government for $5 million.

DOBBS: And at the same time, at least three jurors feel that they were coerced into their — into their verdicts.

WIAN: Absolutely. There was a filing of a claim for jury misconduct before the convictions were handed down. That claim was denied.

The basic substance of that was that these jurors claim that the jury foreman said that their — that a hung jury would be unacceptable to this judge and that they had to reach some sort of a verdict. These jurors had questions. They didn't want to convict. But they feet that they had to, and they now feel that they did the wrong thing — Lou.

DOBBS: And to — to put it exactly where we are, more than 50 U.S. congressmen have written the president, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, without response from those gentlemen. Most of those — those petitioning congressmen are Republicans. The Republican executive branch not responding at all.

Tony Snow, the White House press secretary, basically scoffing at the idea of a pardon for these gentlemen. I happen to agree with him on one level.

I think what should happen here, Casey, is there should be a full investigation of the U.S. Attorney's Office. There should be a full investigation of this case, a full investigation of the court proceedings in that federal court. And meanwhile, they should be holding in suspension any action against these two agents.

Casey, thank you very much.

 

[sky dancer]

Lou Dobbs, yeah. LOL.

 

[indago]

Lou Dobbs, yeah. LOL.

...and Casey Wian, CNN Correspondent; T. J. Bonner, National Border Patrol Council; and one of the jurors from the trial...

...still LOL?