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Should US attorney Johnny Sutton be forced to testify in the case of Ramos and Compean?
Results so far:
| Yes | 34% | 42 votes | Total: 124 votes | |
| No | 66% | 82 votes |
Yes
by Angela S. Young
Created on: July 27, 2007 Last Updated: September 21, 2011
In a recent press release, Representative Dana Rohrabacher issued a challenge to Sutton to either "testify or resign" in the case of Ramos an Compean, border agents who are spending 10 12 years in prison for shooting an illegal drug runner who refused to stop when asked. New documents being viewed in the case reveal that the drug smuggler, named Osvaldo Aldrete-Davila, had been given "six unconditional, unescorted border crossing visas" even after the DEA had identified him as part of another narcotics shipment into the United States. The House Foreign Affairs Committee plans hearings for next week that will look into this information and the "Mexican consulates role in the prosecution of Ramos and Compean."
When Sutton was asked to testify under oath at these hearings, he refused to do so. The challenge is a result of his refusal to cooperate in the hearings intent on finding the truth about this situation. Several members responded in anger at his refusal, and Rohrabacher was prompted to issue her challenge to Sutton to "either testify under oath before Congress and explain these things or resign as U.S. Attorney."
In the original case, prosecutors gave Mr. Davila immunity in exchange for his testimony against the border agents. It is believed that the prosecution's "star witness" could possibly have smuggled a second batch of drugs across the border just four months before the Ramos/Compean trial, using the alleged passes. The claim is that Sutton's team committed purgery by portraying Davila as an ex-offender trying to get money to take care of his sick mother. Sutton's group was also accused of stonewalling' the investigation into possible misconduct in the charges placed against these men.
Sutton has a different view of the proceedings, but will probably be required to testify in the hearings. He, as an officer of the US government, should be willing to get to the bottom of this case and put it behind everyone at last. Grassroots organizations have been part of forcing this issue to the attention of government officials. If he has nothing to hide, he should have no problem testifying under oath. I'm sure he will respond with a statement that gives a reason for his refusal, but I doubt if it will satisfy a public that has been outraged that illegal aliens and drug smugglers have more rights than those who risk their lives patrolling the border.
In the meantime, citizens will be watching to see what the next episode in the saga will be, but they will not be silent in their support of Ramos and Compean and their outrage at the process that sent these men to prison and danger. Whether Johnny Sutton continues to stonewall or agrees to testify the probe into these men's case will go on. Maybe, finally, the citizens of the U.S. will be put over the illegal aliens who smuggle drugs over the border to our kids. We will be watching.
Resources:
Grassfire.org
Rohrabacher's release:
http://www.grassfire.org/3142/offer.asp?rid=12337145 http://www.grassfire.org/3142/pressRelease_070725.htm
Learn more about this author, Angela S. Young.
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No
by Martha Rhodes
Created on: July 08, 2008
The only reasons that the appeals for Ramos and Compean have went this far is because of the highly political climate regarding border security issues since September 11, 2001. The families of these men are using a current political hot issue in order to try and glean some sympathy for these agents. There is no point or basis in law that provides for former border patrol agents to receive any more consideration than anyone else who has been convicted of a crime that they did commit.
They knew what they did was wrong, that's why they tried to cover it up. It is wrong to call these guys heroes; that is exactly what they are not. They shot this man with his back turned while he was running away, as if it was sport. In essence they tried to give him a death sentence for transporting marijuana. They were given something that they did not intend to give the unarmed man they shot, a fair trial. In my opinion, people could recognize that what they did was a crime against humanity and they have shown no remorse for it, not even an admission of misjudgment. They simply say they did nothing wrong, well a jury hearing all the evidence said they did. This was a man, not an animal, although animals deserve better too.
Whatever the U.S. Attorney's offices motives were, they did their job. It's hard enough to live peacefully along our borders without gun-happy border patrol agents running amok. How are we supposed to stand on our nation's borders with authority with this type of behavior prevailing? For many, many years Americans have made fun and lived in fear of the Mexican police and now these two have undermined the authority of all those who wear that uniform here in the United States.
There had to be some reason that we may never know, for why Ramos and Compean did what they did. Perhaps other crimes had been planned, but they were discovered too quickly. Only they know for sure and they are not to be believed anymore than they guy they shot, they are all criminals.
This system may not be perfect, but it's all we got and its better than most countries, and it doesn't help matters when those that are sworn to uphold the laws just use the uniform to practice machismo. If the shooting had been on the up and up, there would have been no attempted cover up and Johnny Sutton would not have become involved at all. When any other criminal is convicted of a crime, their prosecutor is not subject to a media trial or even questioned about his judgment. It was not just one man that convicted and sentenced these men.
As far as the harshness of the sentence goes, the men and women who do this job have to know that they are representatives and ambassadors for a great nation and not just a bunch of thugs. Therefore Ramos and Compean committed a far greater crime, that could have much worse complications for our nation should such behavior be allowed to continue and spread. Members of our own armed forces know this all too well and the U.S. Attorney's office was right to prosecute.
Learn more about this author, Martha Rhodes.
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