by Teh Nutroots | The two border agents shot an unarmed drug smuggler Osvaldo Aldrete Davila ("in the buttocks") as he was trying to flee across the Rio Grande have had their sentences commuted. "Wingnuts of the Lou Dobbs variety will be dancing in the streets," says DWT...as will a number of Republican and Democratic members of Congress, including Rahm Emanuel. (CNN) "The Fifth Circuit had refused to disturb the convictions," notes ImmigrationProf Blog. CNN reports:
Ramos had received an 11-year prison sentence; Compean had received a 12-year sentence.
"The president has reviewed the circumstances of this case as a whole and the conditions of confinement and believes the sentences they received are too harsh and that they, and their families, have suffered enough for their crimes," a senior administration official said.
"Commuting their sentences does not diminish the seriousness of their crimes. Ramos and Compean are convicted felons who violated their oaths to uphold the law and have been severely punished," the official stated .(CNN)
Bush believes that the trials were fair and the sentences just---he just thinks they've suffered enough. (Breitbart) Jeralyn remarks:
As his last act of compassion, President Bush commuted the prison sentences of Border Agents Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean who shot an unarmed drug smuggler and then tried to cover it up. They got ten years and the right wing rallied around them. After all, it was only a drug dealer. And everybody lies. As to the latter, it's true enough in the Bush Administration.
The Court of Appeals had upheld their convictions for assault, discharge of a weapon in the commission of a crime of violence (the assault) and deprivation of civil rights.
And she further remarks:
If the border agents' 10 year sentences were too long because of mandatory minimum sentencing laws, so are everyone elses'. That's change Obama needs to bring to Congress. (Talk Left)
Meanwhile, the Malkin professes surprise....
More blogger commentary at Memeorandum.
RELATED BUCK NAKED POLITICS POSTING
If you shot a drug smuggler in the butt, where I live, you wouldn't get a prison sentence. One of your relatives would take you to a Cracker Barrel for a celebratory meal.
The Intellectual Redneck
Posted by: The Intellectual Redneck | January 19, 2009 at 09:08 PM
The Ramos and Compean commutations were proper and deserved. I don't think Bush really wanted to do this, but elements on the right and left were pushing for pardons--he split the baby. Both extremes got some of what they wanted. As for justice who knows. We are moving into the Gray World of Chief Obama (no right or wrong)--so I suppose it was fitting.
Posted by: Ron Russell | January 19, 2009 at 10:17 PM
HI Intelletual Redneck,
'Love your handle, btw!
I'm not familiar with the facts. Did the border guards shoot a properly convicted drug dealer or did they simply presume that he was a drug dealer?
Posted by: Deb | January 20, 2009 at 11:43 PM