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Appeals Process Started for Ramos and Compean Ann Shibler The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans heard arguments on December 3 in the appeal by U.S. Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. Follow this link to the original source: "Prosecutors May Have Overreacted in Case Against Border Patrol Agents" Judge E. Grady Jolly, one of three judges hearing the case in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals wasn’t exactly impressed with the case presented by prosecutor Johnny Sutton. U.S. Assistant Attorney Mark Stelmach has admitted that the drug-running star witness, Osvaldo Aldrete Davila lied to investigators, which led to lengthy prison terms for Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean. "For some reason, this one got out of hand, it seems to me," said Jolly, adding "It does seem to me like the government overreacted here."
Sutton hasn't given up and continues to portray Ramos and Compean as having shot at some poor, unarmed immigrant unlawfully, violating the drug-runner's "civil rights." In reality Sutton, along with Judge Kathleen Cardone, who presided over the original trial, hid from the jury the fact that before the trial, Aldrete-Davila was arrested for a second drug-smuggling incident (he has since been arrested for a third). Eventually, Sutton got around to indicting Davila for the second felony — after Ramos and Compean were incarcerated. Judge Edward Prado and Judge Patrick Higginbotham heard the appeal along with Judge Jolly. Higginbotham, speaking about the evidence that Sutton hid from the jury about Aldrete-Davila's attempts to smuggle drugs across the border, said that it "strikes me as very relevant." Bob Baskett, attorney for Compean, said he was encouraged by the judges' comments. While Ramos' attorney, David Botsford, said he's not reading anything into the judges' remarks. But the wives of both the agents were guardedly hopeful about the future. The treatment of agents Ramos and Compean is the most egregious abuse of prosecutorial power to come along in a while. These wrongfully convicted agents deserve more than a new trial. They need to be released from prison before Christmas while awaiting their appeal. They deserve your help.
To communicate with your congressmen and Senators on this important issue, click on the link above and scroll down to "Take Action."
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