Today U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson (3rd Dist.-Texas) released the following statement in support of the two border agents unfairly prosecuted for doing their jobs, urging the local U.S. Attorney to allow the men to remain free on bond.
Today U.S. Congressman Sam
Johnson (3rd Dist.-Texas) released the following statement in
support of the two border agents unfairly prosecuted for doing their jobs,
urging the local U.S. Attorney to allow the men to remain free on bond.
Border Patrol Agents Ignacio
Ramos and Jose Compean are currently scheduled to serve 11 and 12 year prison
terms, respectively, this month. The
case has drawn international media coverage because of the harsh prosecution
and unjust conviction of the agents for shooting a fleeing illegal drug
smuggler during an altercation after 740 pounds (over $1 million street value)
of marijuana was discovered in his van near the border.
Yesterday, Johnson signed a
high-profile letter to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales requesting the Justice
Department to direct the federal prosecutors not to oppose a motion filed in
court to keep the agents free on bond during the appeals process. Many, including Johnson, fear that forcing
these men to go to jail while awaiting their sentence could prove fatal, as
many people that they helped put in prison, would go after them.
Johnson represents portions of
Dallas and Collin Counties.
“This case just makes me sick. These men are being punished for doing their
jobs. They worked their tails off to
ensure that drug dealers couldn’t cross our border into America – and the
border patrol agents are being punished.
It’s a gross miscarriage of justice and I hope and pray that the U.S.
Attorney permits the men to stay out of prison for as along as possible –
preferably their lifetimes.
“At the very minimum, we owe those who protect our borders a
fair trial.”
