The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit has upheld the controversial sentences of former Border Patrol agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Alonso Compean for the shooting of an unarmed illegal immigrant and admitted drug smuggler — and then lying about the incident. While the court vacated the convictions on tampering with an official proceeding, it left the rest of the case intact — upholding the lengthy sentences for both men.
Ramos and Compean were convicted in 2006 and sentenced to 11 and 12 years in prison, respectively, for the February 2005 shooting of Osvaldo Aldrete Davila at the border near El Paso.
In a significant win for the Justice Department, the court held that “the trial of the case was conducted fairly and without reversible error.” The Court noted that its reversal of part of the cases would not be a source of celebration: “However, this may not be of much moment to Ramos and Compean because we leave the major conviction with the major sentence … untouched.” For the ruling, click here.
The case has drawn considerable criticism publicly and various politicians have rallied to the side of the agents. The ruling is likely to increase calls for a pardon from President Bush. The final months of a presidency are viewed as the most promising time for pardons to be issued, particularly from President Bush who has been one of the least generous presidents in history in the use of presidential pardons.
For the full story, click here.
It’s not poetry you pinhead.
😐
It’s a famous song, adapted especially for you.
I like good poetry like Keats or Shelley, but my favorite comes from our own russ.
😐
I would litigate my cases,
right in the jury’s faces,
They’d feel the clients paaaain.
dee dee de da do do doo
And I’d pester all the judges,
to reward my clients grudges,
if I only had a braaaaain.
😀
I could toss back all the barter,
Declare its a non-starter,
And hold out for some gaaaaaain.
dee dee de dee dee do
And my awards would be plenty,
From that overheated Venti,
If I only had a braaaain.
😐
When the ambulance I’m chasing,
Has patients hurt while racing,
But at best it’s just a spraaaaaain.
Dee dee dee de de dee
I’d get out the whiplash collars,
And collect a million dollars,
If I only had a braaaaaain.
😀
I would populate the dockets,
The judges in my pockets,
and DA’s.. on the traaaain.
dee dee de dee de do
While my clients smoking Kools,
I’d be suborning jury pools,
That’s if I only had a braaaain.
😀
When the DA is objecting,
the judge is now suspecting,
My case is growing laaaaame.
dee dee dee dee de dee
So I put on my expert witness,
To contest the plaintiff’s fitness,
If I only had a braaaaainn.
😀
When the jury is sequestered,
My clients being pestered,
To say that he’s insaaaaaane.
dee dee de do dee do
Because I’d like to cop a plea,
So I don’t miss the opening Tee,
Thats if I only had a braaaain.
😀
If I could be a lawyer like messpo, oh, how great it would be.
😐
Which is why he’s reduced to hunting for typos.